Arrival in Heaven

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Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.                   1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV

Rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks put the circumstances of our lives, both good and bad into God’s hands and help us see them through His eyes. Last night our beloved daughter-in-law Melinda slipped from this world into the presence of Jesus. And while we are overwhelmed with grief and shock, these words are promises to which we cling. Melinda has finished her race. Her battle with cancer is finished. And while that pernicious disease claimed her physical life, it could not touch her soul. That remained fully and exclusively in the hands of Jesus with whom she now lives. Nancy and I didn’t know how to process the news that came in three words. “She is gone.” Yet as sadness rolls over my heart I sense the message echo back from Heaven, ” She has arrived!”

Between Sunset and the Dawn

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Between sunset and the dawn
When even the eagles sleep
While the owl is on patrol
And the deer to thickets creep

Deep in the mangrove marshes
Robins rest and fold their wings
Then the earth is listening
To creation as it sings

So why do I with wonder
Lie awake for half the night
And forget my Lord’s promise
To watch till morning light

In stillness I can hear him
Who in the silence rests
His voice commanding daybreak
Now calls me loved and blessed!




You are my hiding place;
You shall preserve me from trouble;
You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah
Psalm 32:7 NKJV

Between Sunset and the Dawn
By Peter Caligiuri
Copyright © 2026
All rights reserved

Never! Never! Never!

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Though I already had my songs picked out and a message prepared, just before heading to Life Care Center on Friday, I read my own daily devotional, based on a verse from Psalm 9. “And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.” Psalm 9:10 NKJV

As I finished reading, those words stirred my heart, because they made me think of the many people that I visit who feel totally alone and abandoned. Quickly, I grabbed a pen and paper and the Lord helped me put together a short message of hope. My hope for you this weekend, is that no matter the circumstances which you face, that you may know that God will never abandon, never forget and never forsake, those who put their trust in Him. If we have put our trust in Jesus, then we belong to Him. Every fault, every failure, every regret and loss, He covers with His precious blood and gives us His grace, renewal and best of all, eternal life! If you have not yet begun that adventure of faith, it is never too late. Never! Never! Never!

Refuge

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One often overlooked word from the Psalms is the word Selah. While Selah indicates a pause, theologians debate it’s exact purpose. As a lifelong musician, I equate that word with a full rest on my song sheet. But if you think of a rest as the place where the music stops, then you are missing out. Instead that rest is a place of refuge for our hearts, where the full impact of what has been previously played can be enjoyed without interruption. In today’s verse, we find that God has promised to be our refuge. He is our place of rest, where all that has happened before now plays quietly in our hearts  In His refuge we may still not know what the final movements in His symphony may be, but we can know that He has redeemed us and written us into His eternal plan!