The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” I love the Lord’s compassion here. Jesus said to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.” Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk. (verses 8-9) God is the one person who is always there for us in our time of need. I love the way Jesus always sought out the person with the greatest

I have been thinking about the ways that God comes and surprises us in the most unexpected ways to meet our needs. I think about how Jesus came along and unexpectedly healed the man in Bethesda who was waiting by the pool for someone to put him into the water. He had no idea that day it would be Jesus; God in the flesh Himself, who would reach out and touch him in person. (John 5:1-9). I am reminded of how Jesus came walking on the water in the storm to the disciples in the m

… “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2b-3) Heaven is comfort when our life has been devastated because of loss. A loss we cannot wrap our minds around. Heaven is hope when the world’s gone crazy, or our health is falling apart. Heaven is God’s promise to love us forever. It 's our light for the journey now, through our dark and hard times now. It 's our guarantee that our sor

My quivering heart sat quiet, then still As I looked through eternity’s windowsill And peered into waters deep And pondered heaven's doors to keep. And yearned with such a longing to be nearer and to hold, For heaven's mystery to unfold… Stretched across the heaven’s height, The stars illuminating light, The floor of heaven shining bright… Whose deep array, could not display Such beauty without the darkness of the night… Or captivate with such meaning, Without the silence of

Sometimes the reminders we write for ourselves may end up being the same thing that someone else needs to hear too. If you need a quiet reminder of how God is our true defense, I pray this will speak to your heart like it did mine. “O Lord my God, in You I have taken refuge;” — Psalms 7:1 Lord, help me to remember my shelter is in You. My strength is found in Your strength. My hope is anchored in You. Your word is the treasury that holds the greatest gifts. Your loving arms

Have you ever felt like your life is traveling at the speed of light and you can’t catch up? Like a vapor that is disappearing right before your eyes, leaving you desperate to make every second count while the wait for eternity seems so long? All you know is that you want every day to serve a purpose. You want the chance to love others deeply while we are still here. Yet, the daily tasks before us always seem to call us away from what is most important. The sand in the hourgl

You were on His mind Your thoughts toward us outnumber the sand of the sea! (Psalm 139:17-18) Before the foundations of the world were made (built) You were on His mind (and in His heart). The sparkle, the twinkle, the gleam in His eyes… You were the apple of His eye. He was already planning and preparing, Your place to be with Him. To belong to Him and be His child. The child of His heart, the child of His love… The child whom He would sacrifice everything for. To nurture an

You and I were created in His own image. What an incredible thought! How many times have we heard the words spoken, “You look just like your mom or just like your dad”? We were created in “His own image” Imagine that. Of all the things He could have chosen, He chose for us to be like Him. How profound is that? That alone is praise-worthy. That alone is worth pondering. Openly and endlessly, it speaks volumes about the heart of God, and His desire for us to know Him. When you

When I close my eyes to pray I see You standing in our midst. I see You looking With compassion and love… Your heart is open Your ear bent down, Your arms reaching out To pull me close, I feel Your presence near me. When I close my eyes I see with my heart… The beauty of Your character. When I close my eyes I see myself In Your presence. I am known And I am loved. I see Your sacrifice And all You gave to me. I see the One who Created everything And all eternity… When I close

You will find Me beside the gentle waters and quiet streams... In those alone times when others are absent In a soft spoken voice, hidden deep in your heart When you slow down and pause to reflect… In the far corners of your heart you will hear a tender word. When you wait I will reply. When you seek, I will be found. When you listen your treasure will be profound. Strength in the Stillness True strength does not look like rushing or striving. As Isaiah reminds us, our deepes

Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done, And Your thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of them, They would be too numerous to count. (Psalm 40:5) This is my bit of comfort for the day. “Many are the wonders … and Your thoughts toward us… They would be too numerous to count.” The fact that I would be on God’s mind at all is truly humbling, and leaves me bewildered and dumbfounded. And for His thoughts toward me to

Though I cannot know… He knows. “When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, You knew my path in the way where I walk.” (Psalm 142:3) You are “intimately acquainted with all my ways” (Psalm 139:3). He is intimately acquainted with our pain and suffering; with every affliction and sorrow, and every single tear you and I have cried. He has felt them too. He is familiar with all your ways; with every struggle, challenge, and battle you’ve faced or are facing now. “He knows the way

Sometimes we approach the New Year with feelings of joy and excitement, looking forward to a fresh start and new beginnings, hopeful about what’s ahead. It feels like a chance to begin again and try something different, better, or to see more victories. Other times the dark clouds of dread, fear, and worry hover over us with gloom and doom. Or our hearts are filled with deep sorrow and loss. Our hearts and minds begin to fill with thoughts, questions, and uncertainties, wonde

“And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” (John 17:5) “With the glory which I had with You before the world was.” Wow! This is so incredibly profound to ponder. Imagine all that Jesus has experienced, leaving Heaven and coming to earth. Everything from the womb to the tomb, And everything in between. Can you imagine being the Creator of the Universe, and of all things, coming to live inside the one you cr

“The earth is the LORD’s, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it. For He has founded it upon the seas And established it upon the rivers.” (Psalms 24:1-2) What truly majestic power And authority God has. Is anything too hard for Him Or beyond His reach? Oh, how it boggles the mind (and heart) to grasp the depths of this. The profound sovereignty of God, The total magnitude of all that rests In His care; The full spectrum, scope And range of H

“How blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near to You To dwell in Your courts. We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Your holy temple. By awesome deeds You answer us in righteousness, O God of our salvation, You who are the trust of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest sea; Who establishes the mountains by His strength, Being girded with might; Who stills the roaring of the seas, The roaring of their waves, And the tumult of the peoples.

“The God of glory thunders.” (Psalm 29:3b) How beautiful this image is of our God and His power. How much we need this reminder when everything around us and within us is just too much. God is much bigger; God is greater than our greatest need. He is all-powerful and able, and He is merciful and just. He holds us in the palm of His hands, and loves us. “The voice of the Lord is powerful, The voice of the Lord is majestic.” (Psalm 29:4) Oh, to be held in His keeping and care i

“But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord, I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hand.” (Psalms 31:14-15a) There is a sense of relief that comes when we release this burden into God’s hands. Our times are in His capable, caring hands. Whatever happens, we know that He’s in charge, and will help us through it. There are so many things in this life that can make us apprehensive, or flat out feel like we’re running scared. Fleeing from the unknown or uncertain, or simply ju

He is worth it!!

“The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime; And His song will be with me in the night.” (Psalm 42:8) It is interesting to think about all the things the Lord “Commands”. He commands the physical attributes of the universe, and all their elements … the wind, the rain the waves and the sea; The Sun to rise and set. He holds the world in His hands; The Earth spins without an axel, suspended upon nothing - or without a physically visible support. He rules an