Daily devotion

Snow Storms and Celebrations

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Our first home had a spectacular view from the top of a high ridge in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania. However nice as that view was in Summer, we paid double for it in Winter. Can you guess where the snow piled up in drifts several feet deep? Yep you got it -right outside our front door!

Then in 1993 a snow storm attacked our state and we went through 3 days of everything being shut down and the roads being closed. But we discovered the sweet reality that as long as our wood supply was stacked safe and dry in the garage and Nancy had flour for baking bread we simply turned that storm into a time of celebration!

God offers us the same sweet reality and much more in today’s verse. Notice first He doesn’t say that storms won’t attack us but that when they do He has a blessing in store. We can trust Him because He is totally and perfectly prepared for whatever comes. The warmth of His love and His Living Bread from Heaven will always be in abundant supply and He will raise up a banner turning our greatest trials into our greatest celebration!

Listening to our Children

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But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without variance, without hypocrisy.            James 3:17 ASV

When driving through a snowstorm or rush hour traffic it helps to turn on some easy listening music. The soothing sound of the melodies can calm our nerves and lower the intensity of our situation down so we can better focus. Now if you asked our sons who was that easy listening person that they wanted to talk to when they were in trouble; that would have picked their mom. It’s not so much that Nancy was easy on them, but she made them feel welcome to tell her their problems. She was easy to be entreated.

James tells us that we need to ask God for wisdom and that includes being easy to be entreated. Maybe some of us don’t make others feel welcome to share their troubles; because we don’t believe that God will listen to ours. But the amazing truth is that God welcomes us when we come with problems or even just small stuff that we struggle with. Always remember that God never asks us to do anything that He hasn’t already done Himself. He is easy to be entreated; willing to listen and ready to teach us to be easy listeners to others when they are in need.

Trust the Catcher! — My Pastoral Ponderings

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As we fly through this stressful, unpredictable year, Henri Nouwen offers a wonderful metaphor and image to cling to, that we can trust the Catcher.

Trust the Catcher! — My Pastoral Ponderings

I don’t reblog many posts but this wonderful illustration and story from Pastor Lawrence so touched my heart that I felt compelled to share on Praise2worship. I have so often tried unsuccessfully to maintain control of my circumstances all the while God is calling for surrender. Jesus said that if we want to find our life we must first be willing to lose it for Him.