Goodbye January

One more day! That's all we have left of January. Can you believe it? I hardly can. Without a big snowstorm to make the news, we have had a pretty quiet and uneventful month. Until today. 

I cannot be in standing water yet (meaning I can shower but no aqua fitness, as usual). Since my feet and legs are not involved in this pause, John encouraged me to go to the gym and walk. So I did. First mistake was forgetting my fob. The lady at the desk kindly checked me in by my name. Then I approached the tall row of steps and wondered if I could make it all the way without stopping to breathe. The stairs stood between me and the track and workout areas. So I began.

Fortunately, I didn't collapse, or fall, or trip. And I made it to the track. I took time to read the sign so I would go the right direction. Not bad for a novice. For an hour I pushed myself to walk as fast as I could, dodging the slower walkers and being careful to be out of the way of the occasional runner.

It wasn't the walk I took that was the event of the day. It obviously was the helicopter/plane crash in the Potomac River. Hearts are broken across the United States today. The loss of 67 lives shakes us all. Many of those lives were just beginning as ice skating's future stars, often accompanied by a parent. All of the lives were just minutes away from landing. The soldiers on the helicopter were well skilled in this training run. They leave families at home also. 

Today we all need some peace. Listen to Jesus' words:

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid," (John 14:27 NIV).

Lord God, please hold the families who are grieving tonight in Your comforting hands. Calm us all as we share their pain during this tragedy. Be with those most affected: the air traffic controllers, pilots, stewards, servicepersons, those waiting for someone at the airport. We love You Lord, and we put our trust in You. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

The Great Healer

This season of my life has been filled with doctor appointments. This month alone I will have a total of nine meetings with medical professionals. Not that I am trying to set a record or anything...it is just the way things are working out. I get it. I'm old and my body is falling apart. At this rate I hate to think what it will be like if I'm still here in 10 years.

At our old (home) church John and I were elders for many years. We were blessed to be able to reach out to those who were dealing with serious health conditions. We gathered with the rest of the elders to lay hands on the sick. We were privileged to see God's healing power before our very eyes! Truly God is the Great Healer.

"Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up," (James 5:14-15 NIV).

Serving as an elder and reaching out to visit the sick, the lonely, the aged, was truly a blessing. To experience the healing power of our Great God in others strengthened my own faith. I know God is the Great Healer and I trust Him with all things in my life, too.

Heavenly Father, thank You for being our Great Healer. Thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to be Lord over our physical and our spiritual bodies. Use us to spread the Good News of our Savior to others. We pray in Jesus' Holy Name. Amen.

 

A Life of Service

It breaks my heart that we lost so many great leaders to assassins in America. I remember the day President Kennedy was shot. The images of his motorcade replay in my memories. Likewise, I can hear Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech in his booming, yet gentle voice, in my mind. What a great man. 

"Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love."  by Martin Luther King, Jr., 1968.

Jesus was also assassinated by his own people.

Jesus said, "Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave--just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many," (Matthew 20:26-28 NIV).

Today I am remembering a life of true service. Not just those great men who have gone before us serving others and dying in their service, but remembering that my life is also to be lived in service of others. I fall so short of this command. 

Lord God, You who oversee us all, help me live my life in service to others. Show me what I need to do and where I can be of service. Mold me. Shape me. Use me, Lord I pray. I place my life in Your hands for the service You have planned for me. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

Better Than "AI"

Having a new computer is mostly wonderful. It is so fast that I never have to wait. It is probably waiting on me instead. I should probably take the time to watch a few tutorials on using my new iMac. It is almost like it is reading my mind. It has a message for me that says "Ready for Apple Intelligence - Time to experience the new personal intelligence system". I have not clicked it yet. I am not ready.

My car really does read my mind. It shows me where I am going without me asking. It remembers where I go at 7:30 a.m. on weekdays (Legacy Fitness). It shows any appointments I have on my phone's calendar. Wow. I am amazed and a little afraid.

One thing I can count on always being the same, never-changing: God. He is better than "AI," knowing everything about me, what I am thinking before I speak. He knows me even better than I know myself, my God can do all things and the Holy Spirit helps me do all things.

"Your years go on through all generations. In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will  change them and they will be discarded. But you remain the same, and your years will never end."" (Psalm 102:24b-27 NIV).

Thank You, Lord God, for being the one constant in my life. I need You every moment. I depend on You to always be there when I need You, and that is always. Guide me, better than any "AI" can, for You know me inside and out. Help me follow the pathway You created through Your Son, Jesus Christ. I want to be just like Him. I pray in the Holy, powerful Name of Your blessed Son, Jesus. Amen.

Look Up

Did you see the moon last night? It was so bright and round and high in the sky. Tonight will be a full moon so maybe you can catch its beauty, too. 

"Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing," (Isaiah 40:26 NIV)

I love the book of Isaiah. Although in the first half of the book, Isaiah spends his time scolding the people of Judah and Israel for separating themselves from God. As with most prophets, the people they spoke to became angry or convicted by their words. 

But the second half of the book of Isaiah is filled with hope and promise that will come with the Messiah. Isaiah's words bring comfort to those who repent of their sins. Our hope is in Christ the Messiah who came and is coming again. 

Our Father in Heaven, blessed is Your Holy Name. As we begin a new day, please be with us and remind us of Your presence as we take each step. Show us the way we should walk and the actions we can take to offer Your hope to others we meet. Let us be a light in the darkness today as we encounter others in our lives. We give You praise for sending Your Son to save us. We pray in Jesus' name, Amen.

Make a Difference

Today is President Jimmy Carter's funeral. Though many say his presidency was lackluster and noted for a poor economy and the Iran hostage crisis, Jimmy Carter has to be remembered for his tireless volunteering and humanitarianism during his post-presidency years. He also lived the longest of any U.S. president, reaching the age of 100. He used his long life to serve others, following his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ's example of living faith. What a wonderful representative for us all.

"I have one life and one chance to make it count for something...My faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference."                                                                                                                                   39th U.S. President Jimmy Carter.

President Jimmy Carter lived a life of integrity, honesty, and faith. What an example to us all and to the leadership of the United States that follows him.

"But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does," (James 1:25 NIV).

Dear Lord, we offer ourselves to You this day. Use us to bring the Word to others in any way You can. May the Holy Spirit in us give us the power to reach the world around us with Your truth, one soul at a time. Lord, we love You and we worship You and we thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to save us. Make our lives count for something to Your glory. We pray in the Holy Name of Jesus. Amen.

Epiphany

Epiphany: the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi; the baptism of Christ, signifying to humanity the manifestation of the Son of God. Epiphany comes from the Greek word meaning appearance or manifestation.

I had to look up the meaning of Epiphany so I could be sure I knew what I was talking about. Today is Epiphany - January 6. It is a wonderful day for celebrating that Jesus came to earth as a human to teach us about God's love and to save us from our sins. 

Jesus came to this earth as a baby and at some point in His life He became our Savior, our Shepherd, our King. That's Epiphany.

"At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." (Mark 1:9-11 NIV).

Dear Lord and Father of all mankind: be with us this day of rejoicing the manifestation of Christ, the Son of God. Our hearts are filled with thanksgiving as we worship You with praise and glorify Your Holy Name.  Thank You for sending Your Son to teach us how to live with love for others. Help us follow You more closely in all that we do. We want to walk with You each step that we take. We praise You for Your Son and we pray in Jesus' Name, Amen.

What's Your Way in 2025?

2025. The year is just beginning. A blank page in a journal of life. We've turned the page and only opportunity lies before us. How will we use the days ahead? Some people choose a word for their year. Do you have a word for 2025? I haven't chosen one but I like the concept of setting a goal and working toward it everyday. 

Lots of people start an exercise program in the new year (might I suggest Legacy Fitness) or start a weight loss program (might I recommend WW (Weight Watchers)). Both are great places to set a goal and to keep it going. However, many people drop out after a few months. To reach a goal we have to stick with it.

Another great goal is to read Scripture everyday in order to read the Bible through in a year. There are a number of programs that have what to read all figured out that we can follow. There are even special Bibles for reading it through in a year.

Do we have a dream in our head that has been dormant for a long time, just waiting to be realized? We can start working toward it one day at a time. Making our goal to bring glory to God gives it a purpose. 

I love these quotes by Mark Batterson in "Win The Day". "Show me the size of your dream and I'll show you the size of your God." He also said, "If we do the right thing day in and day out, God is going to show up and show off."

But aren't I too old to have a dream? For more than 20 years, my dream was to get a college education. I finally achieved that goal when I was 43. It is never too late to start working toward a dream. If we walk with God, He will guide us around the stumbling blocks. 

"For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones," (Proverbs 2:6-8 NIV).

Thank You, God, for being our refuge and strength, for leading us along the pathway of life. Sometimes we may feel discouraged but if we take Your hand, You will guide us. You will help us climb the steep hills of our life and show us rewards at the end. Thank You for sending Your Son to save us from our sins. We place our trust and hope in Him. Show us the way, Lord; show us the way. We pray in the Name of Jesus, Amen.