For the month of May we will discover some of the many lessons that can be learned from studying the life of Deborah. Overview – Spiritual Leadership Deborah was a wife and the only woman called by God to serve as a judge over Israel.  She could see the big picture that often escapes those directly involved which made her a good mediator, advisor, planner and delegator.  But most importantly she had a remarkable relationship with God.  She did not allow cultural expectations to get in the way of God’s calling for her and her story shows how God can accomplish great things through people who are willing to be…

Looking around the neighborhood today I noticed the trees are starting to bud and the flowers are beginning to bloom. It’s such a beautiful sight! I saw a fence that had large old vines covering it and wondered if they would start to turn green soon. Without the leaves you can see everywhere the vines wander and grow. There is definitely some pruning that needs to take place as some of the vines have gone quite wild and set out on their own path. It’s was a good reminder to look at my own life. How am I growing? Am I staying connected with the One who is The True…

As I was walking today I was imagining that Jesus was right there with me. We talked about things that were on my mind and people that I needed His help understanding. He kindly helped me see the truth behind different feelings that I was experiencing and reminded me that He is always available and that throughout this life the path we get to walk is a gift from Him. As the Way, Jesus is our path to the Father. He provides clear direction to God. As the Truth, He is the reality of all God’s promises. He provides certainty to people whose lives seem confused and unstable. As the…

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;  and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26) Yes, Lord! I believe that You are the Savior of the world, the Son of God, who came into the world to save us from our sins and give us new life, abundant life in You! This is one of my favorite I AM statements. Jesus made this statement to Martha after her brother Lazarus had died. It was spoken to her during the lowest time in her life, when she needed the most hope. Everything in her…

Today’s message is especially touching to me because it is a very special day. It is my son’s 22nd anniversary of when he met Jesus face to face. On this day I can say with all my heart that Jesus is The Good Shepherd. Years ago the thief came to steal, kill and destroy our family and our faith, but Jesus stopped him in his tracks and replaced it with abundant life in Him. The bible tells us that when the wolves come a hired hand will abandon the sheep and run away, but the Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He stands His ground and makes…

We recently built a fence around our home and added a large gate in the front yard. With that gate we can decide who enters and who leaves. The whole fence was built not only for privacy, but for protection for those inside as well as our pets. Knowing the gate is in place gives me such a feeling of security. The dogs cannot wander off and when my granddaughters are playing inside, I know that they are safe from any strangers that may pass by. When I think of Jesus as The Gate it gives me an even deeper feeling of security and protection. He is the only way…

Mary understood what it was like to live in darkness. Her world before Jesus was filled with demons and turmoil. How many times had she hoped for peace, for joy, for a light at the end of the tunnel? Perhaps you can relate? She chose to believe Jesus when he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Think about that promise…..Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. That gives me incredible hope! I had a friend who recently returned from a trip to Las Vegas. She had many fun…

I heard a statement on The Chosen today that said, “What you were before meeting the Messiah doesn’t matter. All that matters now is I Am.” Throughout the day I have thought about that statement and tried to think of how I look at things on this side of grace. Do I believe the I Am statements of Christ? I imagine that as Mary followed and walked with Jesus, she was in constant awe of who He was and who He was changing her to be. Being a daily witness to lives changed must have reinforced what she was learning and experiencing. As Jesus shared who He was, the realization…