Stirring Up the Soul
There's nothing quite like the smell of a big pot of soup or chilli simmering on the stove during these chilly winter months. The savoury aroma fills the kitchen, bringing comfort and warmth on cold days. I don't know about you, but something about stirring a steaming pot of soup feels soothing to the soul.
As I stand over the pot, swirling the wooden spoon around and around, I'm reminded of what Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 1:6-7:
“6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. 7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
The Limitless Grace of God
Have you ever felt the pressure of limitations? In my writing world, it's all about word counts. Many software programs I use offer a specific number of words for a set monthly charge. If I run over my allotted limit, I have to pay extra (sometimes, a lot extra). Therefore, I regularly check my word counters like a nervous bank account holder, ensuring I haven't overdrawn my monthly linguistic budget. It's a constant dance of creativity and calculation.
Thankfully, God doesn't operate on a word count system. There's no divine limit on His love, patience, or grace. We won't find a heavenly dashboard flashing "Overdraft" when we stumble or mess up.
God’s Perfect Timing
I have some exciting news to share with you. After months of waiting, prayers, and a touch of impatience, our visas to stay in Wales have finally been approved! Can I get a hallelujah?
Let me be honest: waiting is no one's favorite activity. It's like being stuck in a perpetual line at the grocery store when all you want is to get home and enjoy your snacks (especially the chocolate ones). But hey, here we are, snacks in hand (figuratively speaking), celebrating the sweet taste of victory. And let me tell you, it tastes so good!
Even If He Doesn’t
Once upon a fiery furnace, there were three men with unpronounceable names, and their story is a blazing example of faith even when it appears perplexing. The heat was on, and I don't mean a scorching summer day. King Nebuchadnezzar had ordered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to bow down and worship an image of gold. The price for non-compliance? A one-way ticket to the fiery furnace. Yikes!
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. - Daniel 3:16-17 (emphasis mine)
Plot Holes or Potholes?
You know that feeling when you're in the zone, pounding away on a keyboard, and in the middle of a writing sprint that's like a caffeine rush for your creativity? (If you’re not a writer, you’ll have to equate this to some other project you’re elbow-deep in.) So there I was, watching my tale come alive on the screen and giggling in excitement. The story was full of twists and turns, excitement, mystery, and anything else I could throw at it. And the best part of all? It was almost finished!
Finding Hope and Blessings in God’s Timing
Waiting can be a real test of patience, especially in our fast-paced world where everything seems to be just a click away. But you know what they say - good things come to those who wait. And trust me, God knows how to make us wait.
Think about it - we live in a culture of instant gratification. We want our fast food, our express checkout lanes, and our next-day Amazon deliveries. Waiting is not exactly our strong suit. Yet, time and again, the Lord puts us in the waiting room of life. It's like He's saying, "Hold up, my child. I've got something better for you, but you'll have to wait a bit."
I Know Thy Works
Today, we will dive into the book of Revelation and explore the significance of the phrase "I know thy works" repeatedly mentioned throughout the book. This phrase is a powerful reminder that God sees and understands every aspect of our lives, both the good and the bad.
First, let's take a look at what the phrase actually means. "I know thy works" is a statement that appears in each letter written to the seven churches in Revelation 2-3.
Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way
Tess is undeniably adorable, but she's got a bit of a disobedience problem. She can't resist the urge to find a way out of our yard and into the sheep pasture behind us. Despite our best efforts to contain her, our mutt just can't help herself. Sound familiar? Observing Tess's behavior can give us valuable insights and lessons from a biblical perspective.
First and foremost, Tess's antics remind me of our human tendencies to wander from God's plan for our lives. Just like my pup can't resist the allure of exploring beyond her boundaries, we often find ourselves tempted by worldly distractions that lead us astray from God's intended path.
Too Much of a Good Thing
I absolutely love my office in our Welsh home. Unlike my workspace in our house in Greenville, SC, this room is entirely dedicated to office work. No bed, closet, piano, or anything else. Just desks, filing cabinets, and bookcases. And don’t let me forget the beautiful view of the Welsh hills beyond the sliding glass doors that occupy the entire front wall of my office. Breathtaking!
The one thing I noticed about this room is that it gets chilly in the winter. Because of the wall of glass, it can be a tad drafty, especially on windy days. That being the case, I have a small electric heater I can turn on whenever the need arises. And it didn’t take long to discover Tess’s favorite spot in my office is snuggled up right in front of the heater.
When the Enemy Won’t Quit
Yesterday was our weekly hike date, but it was a bit unusual. We had a couple of light snowfalls over the previous weekend, and the temperatures had remained sub-freezing all week. That being the case, there was still some snow and ice dotting the landscape around us, but we knew the surrounding areas weren’t bad at all.
Unfortunately, the area we had planned to hike had gotten considerably more snow than we had. The winding roads were white and icy, and when we arrived at our destination, we discovered the trails were buried under at least three inches of snow.