My God My Everything

Last night as Tracy and I were sitting on the deck you could see the hints of color in the sky as the sunset was forming. Our house blocks the view from the deck so we went to the front porch and watched the most amazing transition as God painted the sky. The colors were deep and rich reds, orange and yellow. The silhouettes of neighboring trees added to the scene and we watched as the stunning sunset appeared. He had captured our full attention as we watched, not wanting to miss a moment. I took pictures, but they couldn’t display the real beauty that was unfolding in front of…

I attended a family reunion this weekend and one of the events was burying a 5 year time capsule. The assignment was to write a short letter about yourself and what you think would be happening in 5 years. A current newspaper was added to the capsule as well as a Polaroid picture of each person. Everyone’s height was written down and the smaller kids included an outline of their hand print so they could compare when the capsule is reopened. It was interesting watching everyone as they sat at the picnic tables writing their letters. Often them would stop writing and look up with thoughts going through their minds…

Yesterday as I attended a prayer group at church I was in awe at the compassion that each request was given. There was heart felt concern and a desire to see God’s will in each of the lives of the petitioners. Prayers for healing, softening of hearts, comfort and direction were being made as a thunderstorm rolled in. The loud rumbles and the cracks of lightening shook the windows but we continued to pray. As this was happening I thought of Mt. Sinai and the Israelites that were in awe at the power of God as the mountain rumbled with His presence. The volume of the storm made the volume…

Over the last couple of days I have communicated with a couple of different friends who are experiencing quite a bit of adversity in their lives or the lives of their loved ones. I was reading a paragraph in the Life Principles Bible and feel that it is just what God would want to tell them. It’s a message that we all can personalize and take to heart because God’s promises are for each one of us. Insert your name in the blanks and receive the comfort and encouragement that His word gives. “Through adversity, God is molding _______________ into a mature and effective servant. When _____________ knows Christ as…

Have you seen the commercials on Television that feature a man called Captain Obvious? His job is to point out the things that should be a no brainier in making a decision; things that are easily seen, recognized or understood. You’ve probably had your own moments of seeing and knowing the obvious choice or next step. The bible tells of just a situation with David in 2 Samuel chapter two. There were several obvious moments that pointed David to the next steps in his future. King Saul had died He was living outside of Israel and it was time to return He had been anointed to be the next King…

Over our lifetimes we will give and receive many invitations. Some to things like birthday parties and events, dances and weddings. We will attend some and decline others. There may even be activities that we are expected to attend that don’t feel at all like an invitation, but rather a command. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were invited to or rather commanded to attend a national event, the dedication of an enormous statue that the king had set up. Several times the bible gives a full list of all the instruments, that when sounded, would signal the call to bow down and worship the statue. The details were very clear and…

Over the weekend I was reading a book by Mesu Andrews called Of Fire and Lions. It’s the story of Daniel and has the author’s fictional account of what his life might have been like while living in Babylon. In the book, the story of Daniel’s three friends, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and the fiery furnace is told. I’ve always been in awe of their faith and trust in God. As they refused to bow down and worship the idol, then as they boldly confronted an angry king and finally as they were thrown into a blazing furnace. With each new challenge their determination to serve and honor God grew…

I truly love those moments when God orchestrates a time out that becomes a private retreat with Him. Moments that we couldn’t have planned if we tried and they turn out to be just what we needed. Last weekend we had a few days of golf planned and I was raring to go. As our tee time approached Tracy mentioned that his ankle was sore and a bit swollen and that he should stay off of it for a few days. When I had packed for the weekend I threw in a book just in case I had some down time. With the cancellation of our golf plans I now…

The other day I had a power shopping lunch break, meaning I needed to get several things accomplished in a short amount of time. I had my detailed list for each store and my route planned, I was on a mission. Unfortunately the traffic on the road and at the check out counters were not aware of my limited amount of time and I was blessed with many opportunities to show grace in the midst of my quest. David and his men were on their own quest of rescuing their families from enemy raiders. The clock was ticking and each minute was precious to them and brought them closer to…

Awhile back I was watching an episode of American Ninja Warrior. The obstacles and challenges that these athletes conquer is quite impressive. They always give a short introduction about each competitor and share a bit of their life story and how they train. One lady had a simple tattoo on her leg that referenced a bible verse. It caught my attention and I wondered what the passage must say that meant so much to her that she would have it permanently written on her body. The verse was Psalm 121 and it reads: “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?My help comes from the Lord,…