A Very Precious Thought

“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper

you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)





I have always loved this verse. Back in 1996, I saw it on an electronic sign at the Christian book store between the university and the main artery on the east side of our town. I passed the business on the way to my dad and stepmother’s to pick her up for her trip to receive her Cancer treatment. My route took me by there three times a day for four days a week.

A young woman at church has recently graduated from high school. She and her brother have been homeschooled, in a Christian setting for a few years. Prior to homeschooling, they attended a Christian school. Her grandmother is a very close friend of mine. My friend told me her granddaughter chose this verse as her guiding verse.

The young woman’s graduation open house is in early June. When she opens the card I chose for her, she find joy and, I hope, blessing from it. All I can say right now is when I saw the card, I immediately thought of her.

Back in January, a man who grew up across the street from us had a major stroke. He has been hospitalized ever since. He’s in his third medical institution, a rehab facility. He recently had a pump implanted to keep the spasticity of his limbs under control. The day before he was to have surgery to place the pump, his wife told him this procedure would give them hope. She wrote in his blog, “He looked at me and said, (in a whisper) “hope and a future.” These words buoy this couple during this lengthy stretch of trial.

When I read what he said to her, I felt joy and peace come over me. So often we find ourselves almost locked into a circumstance and feel that there is no way to move forward back into what we consider ‘normal’. But, God shows us that He will be there no matter what. What makes this so precious to me is He first spoke these words to people in exile.

Great Blessings Abound



Being Blessed through Prayer





“For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory:

no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” Psalm 84:11 (KJV)



Our Father doesn’t keep from us any good thing when our walk is blameless-to us when we believe in and live for Him. He scoops out his grace and goodness in large quantities because we belong to Him.

He protects us from danger, provides for our needs, and comforts us when we experience sadness or loss. Our Father instructs us on what needs to be done in our lives.

When God made Jesus Christ King, He did so for all eternity. Had man chosen Him to rule over the people, it would have been for a period of time. When God arranged for Jesus to share His realm, He allowed all of his power to be given to Jesus. We share all the blessings of the Kingdom with Jesus


Reading about God’s blessings for His people has left me with the question: “Do we take seriously our blessings for God?”

God Blesses Us

Singing Is Praising

“Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.

Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.

God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.” Psalm 67:57 (KJV)



In my devotional reading recently, I read of God blessing His people. He chooses to bless us in many ways. We seem to take for granted His desire to grant us special times or gifts because we don’t ask.

As I read this scripture passage, I receive the sense of blessings being tied to praise. God blesses His people; they praise Him for what he did for them. He then in turn blesses his people again and again.

Each month in my prayer list, I write praises I receive. My goal has been one praise a day. Some months, I have several each day. I have been going through ‘something’ of late and hadn’t kept up that list this month. On Sunday, I realized I hadn’t posted anything since last Monday. I thought about my week, I found five praises for Saturday alone. Each of these was a blessing from God. When I realized how He had blessed me then, I felt the Holy Spirit in my heart.

Romans 8:38-39

The Lord loves unconditionally.

This is the third one.
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Read: Romans 8

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life,

nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present,

nor things to come, nor powers, nor height,

nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,

will be able to separate us from the love of God

in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38-39 (NSRV)





“I love you.” The small boy looked up at my dad.

We were visiting Dad’s cousin and her husband who had their grandson that evening. We hadn’t seen him in quite some time.

“He says that when he thinks he’s in trouble,” his grandmother said. “Sometimes he gets in trouble and he doesn’t want us to be mad at him.”

The little guy didn’t understand that his grandparents loved him and didn’t want to see him get hurt. Their concern for his safety and well being were part of their love for him. Their discipline in light of his misbehavior showed how much they cared for him.

It’s the same between God, our heavenly Father, and us. When we misbehave or become selfish it disappoints Him. He doesn’t stop loving us, although He might not like our behavior. He displayed His great love for us once for all on Calvary. Therefore, He loves us in spite of the unlovely things we do. He disciplines us because of the great love He has for us.



For Your great love You so lavishly given us, I thank You, Father. Amen.

Matthew 25:31-46

Here's the second sample.
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Separating Sheep from Goats

 Read: Matthew 25:31-46



“All nations will be gathered before Him.

And he will separate people one from

another as a shepherd separates the sheep from

the goats. He will put the sheep at his right hand

and the goats on his left.” Verses 32-33 (NSRV)



Each person on earth, believer or non-believer, will be called before Jesus when He returns. He will base His judgment on how well we treated others- the poor, the hungry, those ill, the ones imprisoned.

How do we address the ones with needs? Do we take the time to care for them or do we ignore them and hope their needs will go away? Or do we wish them well and go about our business?

Each time we send a card, pray with one in need, visit someone ill or in jail, or provide food for someone who is hungry, God looks kindly upon us. When we don’t assist those in need or we neglect those around us who hurt, God becomes disappointed with us.

As His children, we want to please the Lord. We can do that when we study His Word and apply it to our hearts. Another way we please Him is to spend time with Him in prayer.



Father: Please show us how minister to those in need. Amen

Job 1:21



Job hearing of his loss

 Father, when we forget how precious your gifts are to us, please remind us. Amen.

Last Fall, I submitted three writing samples to a devotional magazine. Last week, I received them back in the mail. The rejection was kind. They were blessed with an abundance of writers. The editor told me that my devotions were "theologically appropriate." I just thought you'd like to see them.  This is the first one.
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Read: Job 1:121 (NSRV)



He said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb,

and naked shall I return there; the LORD gave, and the

LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.’

Job 1:21 (NSRV)



As I sat and tried to write about Job and what he says in the above verse, my thoughts went to my family. We recently had lost my husband’s sister. Then he became ill. The previous Tuesday he underwent surgery. The hospital kept him an extra night. After two nights at home, he had to go back. The next day, he had exploratory surgery in the same area. Later, the surgeon thought she’d have to go in a third time.

Job believed what we sometimes forget. We come into the world with nothing. The Lord provides us with our wealth, possessions, family and friends. He also can take them away. We lose our wealth sometimes through no fault of our own. Our possessions wear out or break. Our loved ones and our friends sometimes move away or disease or illness takes them from us.

In spite of all these things we consider negative or hardships in our lives, Job tells us we are to praise the Lord. We learn to do this because we know God will walk through the tough times with us and will be with us.

Patience For Others

Jesus teaching in the Temple

“and the second one is like unto it, thou

shalt love thy neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:39 (KJV)



“Do unto others as you would have

others do unto you” Golden Rule. Luke 6:31 (KJV)



As we transact our daily business we pass people who look peaceful and seem happy. But are they? Given this economy, they may have someone in their family who is unemployed. They might have a relative who is seriously ill. Or they, themselves, could be without work or have received a bad medical report. Their marriage may be in trouble or their family may be close to homelessness.

We see people in church and we don’t know what’s on their hearts. Our time with them is a few hours a week, during this time our focus is on worship and our relationship with God, as it should be.

When we hear of a friend or relative who experiences times of difficulty and uncertainty, we need to remember when we have had hard times and respond with love and patience. Sometimes all we can do is pray for their need. Other times we can provide acts of solace, a listening ear, a kind word, or a sympathetic heart.

A saying that comes to mind is “There, but for the grace of God, go I.” None of us knows what will happen to us or ours in the future. We may have some difficult lessons to learn before we depart this earth and enter Heaven.

We can all do better about being kind to others. Some ways I have found to show people they are valued are to send a greeting card, be it a get well thought, or a thinking of you note, to someone on my prayer list. When Hubby and I went to see our son, I sent a few post cards-one to a young girl whom I sponsor, another to a cousin who had gone through a very serious health crisis. Just a phone call to ask if a friend had a nice Mother’s Day/any holiday can brighten up another’s day.

If a friend is having a rough time with life, we need to remember to be kind, friendly, and patient with them because next week or next month we might be the one needing someone to listen to us, to help us through a difficulty.