a collection of writings about truth and life to inspire, encourage and comfort the human soul
When we talk about contending for our faith, we are talking about fighting a battle. In every battle we have to know who the enemies are, we must be fighting against the enemy; not God. We are fighting to stay with Jesus to believe what he says.
This is the place where everything is magically okay. Where just for a moment in time and space I can forget the world around me and yet at the same time the world is all around me.
What are the rocks in your life? Maybe God calls us to work at removing obstacles in life like rocks in a garden and he wants us to do it ourselves; maybe He wants us to fight against things that are buried in our hearts and past, which prevent growth and life from springing up.
I like to start here in the beginning the place where we always forget to start. And I like to see God as the One who made all the beauty around me. And just sit there for a while.
Peter implores those who have faith to, "Supplement your faith with virtue, knowledge, self control, steadfastness, godliness and brotherly affection and love." What exactly is he saying? One thing we know for certain is that these seven qualities are within our power and control, and we know this must be true because Peter says, "for this very reason make every effort.
1 peter 5:6-12 Peter ends his letter by telling us how we are to relate to God and the devil. Before God we humble ourselves, before the devil we resist. "Humble thyself therefore under the hand of God so that he may exalt you at the proper time.” one way we can humble ourselves before … Continue reading The end of the letter
My natural instinct is to ask God to take away suffering, ease it, remove it. Why would God want to see his children suffer? Why would he not deliver us at all costs? But here peter suggests we are expected to live with it and keep doing good and that for some that is the exact road God has planned and purposed for them.
1 peter 4:9-16 We should all show hospitality to one another without grumbling. We should all love one another, be sober minded and self-controlled. This is a tall order indeed and without grumbling we are to do these things. Without grumbling is the hardest part. Hospitality can be exhausting and stir feelings of resentment and … Continue reading Gifts and Grumbling
There are a lot of questions in this portion. It feels like a hodgepodge of scripture. What did Christ proclaim to the spirits in prison and who were these spirits and what prison does he speak of- hell?
We have to know how to preach the gospel to ourselves when we are losing hope and discouraged first before we know how to give an answer to anyone else.
As Christians and people of faith our conduct is far more important than our words.
God did not choose Israel because they were mighty and God does not choose me because I am good and talented. I believe God makes his choices about who will be His long before we have done anything good or bad, big or small, right or wrong, He made his choices before he made the world .
From the moment I was born; I was odd. The cord was wrapped, not once but twice around my neck, “the devil tried to kill you, he did not want you to be born, there was definitely an assignment on your life" Mom comments. "Mom, that seems dramatic, why would the devil care about me?"
we are now to love the brothers with that new pure heart and put away malice deceit etc...because we are now able to we have fresh power, fresh new start, clean and new.
From the beginning of time Jesus has been God plan of redemption.
How would my life change if I lived as if my faith is not for temporary things like health money or a second house, in other words the things we wish for here, but rather in the things to come after we die.
God has been teaching me that I did nothing to earn a place in his kingdom. I can fully rest knowing he has chosen me. It is not my work, job, responsibility or obligation to maintain or gather his love and favor. I can rest.
In 21 days Passover is celebrated by thousands of Christians and Jews all over the world. Those who celebrate have about 20 days to 'prepare' themselves. But what does that mean exactly, ,how does one "prepare" themselves and this question i pose to Christians who observe Passover. We may have an inkling as to how … Continue reading Passover
The tabernacle is constructed in the exact order as God instructed Moses. The very last task to be completed is making the garments the priests must wear to minister to God in the Holy Place. They are not to appear before either in filthy garments or naked. As in the garden God clothed Adam and … Continue reading Exodus 39
The people sinned with the golden calf, Moses intercedes God seems to pardon the people and renew the covenant by rewriting the commandments on new tablets that Moses cut for himself.
The people of Israel are impatient. They have not learned from their forefather Abraham the lesson of waiting upon the Lord.
I believe, Jesus but I still need supper. Jesus is not talking of actual food, but is using food and water as a metaphor, in this passage. What spurred Jesus to say these things?
The final plague was actually the first to be foretold to Moses as a result of Pharaoh killing Hebrews babies.
Only in the Land of Goshen Israel was protected by God’s hand of mercy, even as Egypt was afflicted by it. The only “claim” they had to God’s allegiance was being the seed of Jacob, who was the seed of Isaac, who was the seed of Abraham, whom God made a promise. God covenanted with … Continue reading Exodus 9
Egypt is known to have had upwards of 1500 different gods.
God sometimes hardens hearts for his greater purposes.
In Ancient Egypt the children of Israel made mud bricks to build cities for Pharaoh. According to archeological sources, mud-bricks are made with organic material such as silt, sand, top soil and wheat chaff.
God equips Moses for the task of going to the sons of Israel and to Pharaoh. He gives him power to perform signs and wonders, three in particular: he gives him the power to turn his staff into a serpent, restore a leprous hand to health and turn water into blood. God also equips Moses in other ways
At Mount Horeb, we don’t see Jesus on a cross, though Moses does encounter the angel of the Lord and God does say he will stretch out his hand. We don’t see Jesus healing people although God does promise deliverance through miracles.
Moses was a man without a land. He was homeless, but not godless. He was a man without a country, but not without a king. Although Moses didn’t choose his life of wandering, God used it to reveal Moses’ faithfulness to follow God.
What is happening in the opening scene of Exodus? We are introduced to one overarching, painful reality. The descendants of Joseph are being afflicted.
Jesus Christ, the perfect spotless lamb of God, the salvation and Love of God was foreknown.
The tiny islands of Bermuda are actually made up of more than 100 islands, formed by extensive volcanic activity. The island is known and loved for its white sand, pink beaches and turquoise waters. I find it interesting that something as ruinous as a volcano could produce one of the world’s favorite tourist attractions.
Going through boxes in the basement that have been there for twenty years untouched, unremembered and sorely neglected is no small task, but it must be done. The things of the past must be sorted. In the sorting we find ourselves again. We uncover parts of ourselves that have been lost, delayed, and sorely in … Continue reading Re-Written
As Children bring their broken toys with tears for us to mend, I brought my broken dreams to God, because he was my friend Surely, he would see the need, And go to work at once, Prioritizing all my things, And meeting all my wants, I waited for what seemed some time For him to … Continue reading Broken Things
“Scientists think there is more life in one teaspoon of soil than there are people living on earth.” The earths soil is full of life.
The weapons of the Christian are not swords, guns, clubs, bombs, rocks and not made of metal. If we belong to Christ in some ways, we are called to be David in battle, throwing off the chain mail and the heavy armor
I find grace an overused word in Christian circles and American churches.
The things of this world are foolishness to the Creator of this world, but to mankind the things of this world are good, pleasant and desirable.
do you believe it's possible? The virgin birth is hard to swallow. For some people it's easier to file this 'Christmas miracle' with the Marvel movies. It's simply hard to grasp that God and man could collide in one form. But then again there have always been throughout history hard to believe facts and figures. … Continue reading The Virgin Birth
I cannot understand the full scope of God crucified by men and yet simultaneously with men. I cannot understand why in his final hour the Lord was consoled not by the perfect righteousness of God above him, but by the fallen sinner beside him.
God reminded me this week that He is watching My daughter is 16. She is on the varsity volleyball team at the local High School. Her number is 2. She is a starter as a Junior and I'm extremely proud of her. Since middle school she has loved the game of Volleyball. she is highly … Continue reading The Eyes of the Lord
Here’s something I learned this morning about Goals and decisions. Its not uncommon to get stuck when faced with a difficult decision in life. I get stuck all the time, paralyzed with indecision; I’ll never forget the grueling task of trying to decide between two different yet equally wonderful pre-schools to work for one … Continue reading What is my Goal?
Photo by Hernan Pauccara on Pexels.com Listen close, lean in. I want you to understand something; I want you to get a glimpse of God’s unrelenting love even in the midst of trials, as I too want to understand it, own it, live it, breathe it in and exhale with the most blessed assurance that … Continue reading God’s Everlasting Love
Photo by Skylar Kang on Pexels.com “Then one of the seraphim having a live coal which he had taken with tongs from the altar and he touched my mouth with it. Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away and your sin purged.”- Isaiah 6:6-7 The removal of sin is painful. from … Continue reading Refiner’s Fire
Maya's life inspires me and it truly should inspire us all.
it was during Harry S. Truman's presidency that Israel became a Jewish State.
This poem is for any parent who ever felt their work was not good enough.
There is a man I used to know, I think his name is, Jesus He walked upon the land and sea I think his name is Jesus he spoke with words of God and man and healed the blind and lame He fed the sheep with his own hand and called each one by name … Continue reading His Name is Jesus
The future choices we must make Before time steals our youth Before order and innocence Has been swallowed by truth, What is this prison? These invisible bars A cell of indecision A night without stars Trapped by fear The unknown the unseen The answers are rare Beyond my reach Overwhelmed by volume, shadows and tides … Continue reading Decisions
Where does lasting significance come from ?
Kim Blenkhorn December 2025 The other night we visited a Catholic shrine decorated with Christmas lights, where people stroll and sip hot cocoa. At the center of the path stood a hill with a large cross, and beneath it a small cave holding a nativity scene.“Let’s go see baby Jesus,” I said to my husband. … Continue reading Losing Jesus
Are we born free? If so, it is only after first knowing constraint—emerging from the narrow walls of the womb, shaped by forces beyond our control. Freedom is learned through limits. What prepares the soul to desire freedom but bondage?What prepares us to repent before the cross but the harsh reality of sin?What makes us … Continue reading This is Lent
Jesus is a King and has a throne and a home and a people and this is a kingdom, but is all this living inside of me? When we speak about the kingdom of heaven, we speak of Jesus himself.
But what does it really mean to be saved?
When my son was a child, he asked me, ‘How do I hear God's voice?’ It was before bedtime, I was tired and young. I didn’t know at the time this was a once in a lifetime opportunity I was still living as if they would be 7 forever. I also didn’t have a good enough answer, I answered him from my own mystical experiences.
we are tempted to only recognize God in blessings, rewards and happy times. We effortlessly attribute to him the pleasantries in life, but would prefer to deny that God says he comes in a thick cloud. If we confess that reality “ God is present in the suffering.” That means that we must be too
I think we have learned in our sensory saturated planet to rely much too heavily on feelings and experiences. God is present with us in ways that are entirely different than anyone or anything else in our life. God is present with you through his word and by his spirit.
Oh my Father, oh my Shepherd King The love you offer are tears that sting salty wounds and ashen face lonely deserts , lands of waste Rocky Terrace , unknown Depths a wooden cross , a painful death to know this glory how can I bear to taste the suffering and heaven share unless you … Continue reading The Work is Done
my faith place 