Scripture Reading for today: Colossians 1, 2, 3, 4 If carrying a message of hope to others is a new experience for you, I'd like to offer a word of advice: messages are best received when they are delivered in kindness, gentleness, and with a great deal of hospitality (as opposed to hostility). A number of years ago my daughter was dating the nicest young man. One night he came and ate dinner … [Read more...] about December 8
December 4
Scripture Reading for today: Joshua 21, 22, 23, and 24 The twelfth step is an invitation to live guided by faith instead of chased by fear. If we accept this invitation, it helps to get God's bigness firmly planted in our brain. Isaiah helps us do that, because He should know. No one seems to know exactly how this happened--a dream, a vision, whatever--but Isaiah was given a glimpse of the Lord. … [Read more...] about December 4
December 14
Scripture Reading for today: 2 Timothy 1, 2, 3, 4 Twenty or so years ago I had an awakening - but not the kind anyone would really want to experience. It was more like waking up from a terrible nightmare. I had known for a while that I was a people pleaser, and I understood what a burden it was to try to please all the people all the time. I had a vague notion that this probably wasn't as … [Read more...] about December 14
December 15
Scripture Reading for today: Titus 1, 2, 3 Yesterday's devotional spoke of my spiritual awakening; today I want to talk about what I learned as I barreled out of my cave of hibernation. I decided that if I was going to quit all the false identities I had assumed in my life (perfect student, perfect child, perfect friend, perfect wife, perfect mother, perfect whatever--all of which was false by … [Read more...] about December 15
December 5
Scripture Reading for today: Galatians 1, 2, 3 Yesterday we commented on the "bigness" of God and how that good news could comfort us when we were counting on Him to rescue us. What if we feel so small, "less than," and unworthy that we fear the greatness of God? Whether "big" is comforting or terrifying depends upon one's point of view, right? Yesterday we learned that when Isaiah saw the … [Read more...] about December 5
December 16
Scripture Reading for today: 1 John 1, 2, 3 and Isaiah 9 "God will always look for someone who has a perfect heart toward Him, not necessarily someone who has a perfect performance before Him. When the Lord has the heart, He can always change the behavior." Joyce Meyer, Me and My Big Mouth, p. 141. At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and … [Read more...] about December 16
December 6
Scripture Reading for today: Galatians 4, 5 and review Matthew 1 Yesterday it hit me: we're on step twelve! What can we expect when we're finished with this study? Is the goal of the twelve-step process to get us all "perfected" so that we can then go out and set others straight? We're almost finished with a year's worth of devotionals focusing on the twelve-step model--a way of life intended to … [Read more...] about December 6
December 11
Scripture Reading for today: 2 Thessalonians 1, 2, 3 I love the mountains and adore my children. So a few years ago, when I needed a break, I combined two of my favorite things and headed out west to Blacksburg, VA to visit my son. During one of my youngest son's days off from school, we piled into the car for a road trip. Michael and I stopped in Charlottesville and enjoyed lunch at The Corner … [Read more...] about December 11
December 28
Scripture Reading for today: Luke 12, 13, 14, 15 I hope you're setting aside some time to inventory this past year. In fact, take some time today and reflect back on the ways God showed you compassion this year. Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had … [Read more...] about December 28
December 29
Scripture Reading for today: Luke 16, 17, 18 It was a conversation I didn't think I had time to get into. I was standing in a long line waiting for a flu shot, and the guy behind me wanted to chat. I got the impression he didn't get out much. He recognized my face from the television show that NorthStar Community produces, and he seemed intent on giving me a hard time. Oh well. It was a long … [Read more...] about December 29