“Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.” (Colossians 4:2) A pall casts a shadow over the holiday lights this year for me. I lost one of my dear friends a couple of weeks ago, to the ravages of an aggressive brain tumor. Her untimely death has left a huge hole in our community and... Continue Reading →

“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 Decades ago—before cellphones, the internet, and automatic timepieces—my great-aunt Lizzy invited me to join her on fall cruise along the Tennessee River, to view the beautiful colors of changing leaves. I hopped in my car and headed out in plenty of time to reach... Continue Reading →

“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.” 1 Corinthians 2:12 You’ve heard those voices in your head, haven’t you? The sinister ones who whisper awful things? Things like…. “You’re an... Continue Reading →

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 Halloween…is not my cup of apple cider. Give me pumpkins, fall festivals, corn mazes, leaf-peeking, sunflowers, and bright blue skies. All the morbid stuff of skeletons, bats, and vampires? Sorry, not interested. Not... Continue Reading →

“Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob....” Psalm 114:7 Close your eyes, and join me on an idyllic Appalachian mountainside...radiant with fall colors, a crystal-clear brook, sun-dappled rhododendron, brittle leaves underfoot, rusty apples dangling within reach.  It’s easy to feel close to God in a place... Continue Reading →

“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) Consider your current circumstances for a moment. Is this a season of joy? Grief? Envy? Or true contentedness? As Paul wrote to the Philippians, in verses 4:11-13, contentment is something to be learned... Continue Reading →

“Now godliness with contentment is great gain.” (1 Timothy 6:6) Lovely Sanibel Island—old Florida style, sparkling beaches, a shell-collector’s paradise—is ravaged. Almost unrecognizable. As Hurricane Ian plowed through the Fort Myers area on Sept. 28, 2022, it pounded Sanibel with 150-mile-per-hour winds. Lives, homes, businesses, and the connecting causeway were swept away. Foliage, once lush green, is... Continue Reading →

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”  (Ephesians 6:11) Some days, you can almost hear the fiery arrows flying past. A few hit their mark. Your boss chews you out in front of your co-workers. Zing. An unexpected bill arrives...and your bank account... Continue Reading →

“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by.” (Psalm 57:1) Twice this month, my adult children have invited me to join them in nearby caves. I’ve gone along, but it’s not my... Continue Reading →

“But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children....” (Psalm 103:17) British history, regalia, pomp, symbolism, and the future of the monarchy all collided in the stately funeral ceremonies for Queen Elizabeth II, paying respects at the farewell of her extraordinary reign and ushering in... Continue Reading →