Without the aid of lamp or oil, He returned to the garden, retracing steps now familiar to His dusty feet. The inky, upward slope leveled briefly toward its ascent, where a gnarly olive grove rose out of the rock. Shaded even in the moon’s glow, the moist breath of darkness exhaled the fragrance of pressed oil onto every snarled branch. …
Holy Father, We praise You that Your reign has no geographic boundaries or cultural limits (Psalm 22:28). You sit upon Your throne ruling and directing all the nations, despite their exalted view of their own wisdom (Psalm 47:8). Thank You that indeed one day You will be exalted in all the earth and that Truth will one day …
“Take for yourself spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, spices with pure frankincense; there shall be an equal part of each. And with it you shall make incense, a perfume…salted, pure and holy” (Exodus 30:34-35 NASB). I stopped and read again the names of these spices that I had never smelled. Stacte. Onycha. Galbanum. Frankincense. Each an essential element …
His ears tensed as he picked up a slight sound — the baby crying, perhaps? But as he strained to hear, he realized that it was just a dog barking in the distance. The house was truly quiet at last. What a day for his wife to leave him in charge. Nothing had gone right. While he cleaned up …
I think that this must have been my mother’s mantra. When I whined about doing something I didn’t want to do, she most often found a way to slip this into the conversation. “Don’t forget the Golden Rule,” she would remind. So as an adult, I’m often reminded to think through how I want to be treated …
Struggling with how to intercede? Print this one out to pray over your loved ones: —————— Holy Father, Thank You for being available to hear us (Psalm 65:2). We thank You as well for sending Your Son as a bridge so that we can experience You. As I come before You on behalf of _________, I thank …
Ever really think about the words that you sing on Sunday mornings? Do you really want to “surrender all”? Or do I actually want Him to “break my heart for what breaks His”? Hummmm…. Get settled in to read and be challenged by Karen Dilbeck‘s second guest post in her series on living out what we speak about. I know …
One of my first jobs out of college was working as a physician’s assistant to an ENT. Had you been one of our patients, I would have called you into the examining room, recorded your medical history, and assisted the doctor during any necessary procedures. One day, “Jack Sprat’s wife” came into the office with an excruciating earache …
An orchid named Iris. She was a very special plant given to me by a very special friend. I’d never had an orchid before, but I did a little research and decided to give her a go. I discovered that this variety liked heat and humidity, so I put her on my Taiwan balcony beside the washer and dryer. …
It is only God’s wisdom that can understand how someone as beautiful and talented as Tessa Shockey chose to write today about her singleness. I’ve known Tessa as a little girl, yet today I’m blessed to call her my friend. I learn from her every time the Father grants us a few moments together. No matter your …
