Hungering for Peace
I don't know about you, but I'm not a big fan of peas. Unfortunately, they are a staple here in Wales, as they are all over Great Britain. Yes, the main food groups in Wales are meat, potatoes, and peas. I'm fine with the first two, but I could do without the latter, especially when served in their "mushy" form. Yuck!
Why is it that peace often seems like a distant dream or fateful mishap, like a plateful of peas, when we were hoping for something more appetizing? Let's take a quick look at some of the reasons why peace can feel so elusive.
The Ultimate Showdown
Lately, I’ve been exploring various AI (artificial intelligence) software to evaluate the possibility of using certain programs within our ministry, and what I’ve discovered has blown my mind. Did you know you can create realistic photographic images with just a few words on a computer? Not only that, you can now make music and videos from a few words of text. That’s it! No other skills are needed. Just wow!
Yes, AI has made jaw-dropping advancements that have left us in awe. But let me ask you: has it reached “God mode,” as some claim? Can AI truly compete with the divine? Let's dig into the topic to find out.
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.
If It Please the King
We live in an age where the main focus is pleasing oneself. Slogans abound, encouraging people everywhere to do what makes them feel good, follow their hearts, and live on their own terms. Most people live this life looking out for number one, and as a result, many are miserable.
What if, instead, we lived our lives to please the Lord? What if we followed His leading and searched out His desires? What if we sought His will in each situation? Nehemiah, one of my favorite Bible characters, could help answer these questions.
How Do You Deal With Life’s Interruptions?
I stared at the question on my computer screen and laughed out loud. Since I sat down to prepare for my Bible study lesson, I have had numerous phone calls, text messages, and other disturbances. How do I deal with interruptions? If my growing annoyance and frustration with others are any indication, not very well, it would seem.
How about you? How do you handle rained-out picnics, canceled vacations due to family illness, or guests showing up on your one quiet night, surprising you with their impromptu visit and expectations of dinner? How do you react when the dog doesn’t quit barking, the kids won’t quit fighting, the boss won’t quit complaining, and the world around you won’t stop asking for more of you?
Don’t Despise the Small Things, Part One
Recently, I’ve had the honor of being invited to teach two 30-minute lessons each month to be viewed in India. This is a real privilege, but at first, I was a little concerned about how I would fit it into my already-full schedule. After much prayer, the Lord opened my eyes to the fact that these videos could be used in many ways, including blog posts. So, I’ve broken the videos down into small pieces and plan to share them with you over the coming weeks. Don’t worry, there were still be traditional devotional posts as well. But this will allow me to share the truth of God’s Word with many more people without much extra time. I’m excited, and I hope you are as well. So, let’s get started. Shall we?
How Do I Know I Can Trust God?
A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. - James 1:8
To be double-minded essentially means we’re wishy-washy. In our Christian walk, it manifests itself in not knowing whether God can be trusted. At times, we think He can, but when circumstances go crazy, we begin to doubt. We believe God is good, but then we question whether that’s true. Double-minded. Wishy-washy. Unstable.
But what if we could know, without a doubt, that God can be trusted? What if we could prove it to ourselves every time we started to question God’s goodness? Fortunately, we can do it by meditating upon one single chapter of the Bible.
Something You Can Count On
The unofficial motto for mid-Wales is “We do weather.” Seriously, the weather around here has more mood swings than I do. In a single 3-mile walk, one can experience rain, sleet, hail, wind, sun, and rainbows. It’s crazy!
And the weather forecast is no help at all. Monday, for example, showed a 0% chance of precipitation all day. There were four or five bouts of sleet and several rain showers, and while the sun did make an appearance a couple of times, it was typically raining or sleeting too. This is the only place I’ve ever lived where you have to wipe the falling snow off your sunglasses.
A New Christmas Tradition
Christmas is a time of tradition and familiarity. Seeing the collection of ornaments we’ve collected through the years always brings back fond memories. Gathering together with family to open gifts and play games was always a highlight.
This Christmas will be a bit different. Yes, we were able to bring a few things with us to Wales to make it feel more familiar, but as we grow closer to that holy day, we’re realizing just how many things are new and different for us this year.
Leaky Buckets
I apologize for missing several posts last week. No matter where I am, the Christmas season is a busy time. I spent much of last week preparing our house for the holidays and practicing for our carol service at our chapel last Sunday. Now, with all that done, I can focus on my writing more. . .hopefully.
Friday night, we braved the frigid, snowy weather and attended a concert in town hosted by a local choir. We have several friends in the choir, so we wanted to show our support and enjoy an evening of Christmas songs.