Job 19:25 Saying with Job this morning, “I know that my Redeemer lives!”
So many times I have seen His Hand leading, guiding, creating a path to serve and follow Him.
Knowing Jesus as my Savior, life doesn’t always have to make sense. I can go through even hard days with confidence that Jesus will be my anchor. Jesus will be my rock.
In Sunday school as a little girl I remember often singing a hymn that,
“Jesus is a rock in a weary land. A shelter in the time of storm.”
He has proved this to me and I am convinced that God is trustworthy. When problems come into life the first thing to do has been to pray. This helps me to know what to do after I have talked it over with God. Hugging friends and family in prayer have become the best hugs I can ever give.
Hebrews 4:16 TLB “So let us come boldly to the very throne of God and stay there to receive His mercy and to find Grace to help us in our times of need.”
My little grand daughter is spending time with me today. My cane propped in the corner has become “Neigh-Neigh”. She rides the horse (my cane) all over the house. My cane has become the best toy in the house for toddlers. This prop, my walking cane, lessons the pain and lends support at times when needed most. So it is with God’s grace. We are given help and forgiveness of sin when we need The Good Lord most, He is always there in time of trouble to lean on.
Whenever physical limitations get me down, I turn to The Lord in prayer. I came across a wonderful quote about getting older that I would like to share. I hope that it blesses you the way it did me.
A 96 year old Italian Grandmother was interviewed on aging well and her advice was, “Never think of yourself as old. You were born young and your soul never ages.”
I Corinthians 16:6 “Perhaps I will stay with you for a while, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go.”
Watching a movie on tv, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, I began to compare my Christian walk with the movie. At times the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, struggles with continuing on the journey and found it harder than he expected. He also had times when he had to prove himself and show courage. In the movie Gandalf explains why he decided to bring the hobbit, referred to as Halfling, along.”
Why the Halfling?
Gandalf says, “I don’t know. Saruman believes that it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I have found it is the small things…everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keeps the darkness at bay, simple acts of kindness and love. Why Bilbo Baggins? Perhaps it is because I’m afraid and he gives me courage.”
So it is with the twists and turns of a life’s journey seeking purpose and a way to serve and honor God until you have finally reached home. Maybe you can do this without mimicking Billy Graham.
Choosing good people to have as close friends helps you to be successful in life’s journey.
I hope you are able to lead a life that shows and expresses love. Filled with joy, laughter, prayer and thankfulness, a life too full of happiness to be unforgiving toward others is best, especially since we have the need for others to forgive us, too, at times. No one wants to waist time on being bitter, or jealous, or unforgiving for very long because otherwise, it would make you so unhappy and give you extra wrinkles.
One who is helpful, and kind, reads and studies The Bible, trusts in God to lead, will have a life satisfying enough to serve God’s purposes while finally arriving the best place to be—home.
Thank you God for always being there for us as we continue the unexpected journey that leads us to home.
“He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.” My daughter shared scripture with me this morning from The Bible in Matthew 28:6 NIV.
A tradition in our family is to greet one another on first arising on Easter Sunday with, He Is Risen!” And the responder says, “He is Risen, indeed!”
My grown children still greet us this way on Easter. May it continue to be passed down through the generations.
Happy spring and may you find His grace and forgiveness, because He IS Risen!
Finding joy in God’s Word on this Easter:
I Thessalonians 4:14 “For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.”
… “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised the third day according to the scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, meaning Rock in Aramaic (and also known as Peter) then to the twelve.” Peter saw Jesus twice after His resurrection. I Corinthians 15:2-6 NKJV
In a recent Bible study I have been doing with my sister-in-law, Mary, we have focused on I Corinthians 15.
We learned that chapter has been referred to as the statement of faith for the early church.
I remember doubting the resurrection as a little girl and telling my mom this in a car ride home from church one Sunday. Her response was with scripture. She shared The Bible says in John chapter 20 verse 29, “Blessed are those who have not seen but believe.” My mother was a primary class Sunday School teacher for 40 years. I never forgot the conversation I had with her that important day.
Yes, I believe in the resurrection as surely as I sat at “Spotted Cow Coffeehouse” drinking a good cup of coffee with my daughter and friend this weekend.
Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV “The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you or forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
A few years ago before Ace was in school, he was always playing with the toy Buzz Lightyear. His imagination took all three of us on many adventures. I was the Bad guy and my grandson, along with the hero from Toy Story, Buzz Lightyear, would defeat me, over and over again.
Now it’s our grandson, Ryder, who has discovered the fun of using his imagination. Today he was pretending and I heard him say, “I have 20 kids in this house, how did I ever get by?” Finding this especially amusing since he is in real life getting a brother in a couple of months, I played along. “And a lot of dogs, too, I understand,” I said, “Good thing you like dogs.” He responded, “Yeah, I just have to put more gas in the car.”
Oh if life was only that simple and gas prices were going down instead of up. And when you got discouraged or tired, or in a place that felt really crowded, all you had to do was fill up your gas tank.
Pray for each other as Easter approaches, that we keep the smile.
James 5:16 “Admit your faults to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results.”
It is encouraging to know that you can always begin again when mistakes are made. Start over and be blessed.
Is it gardening time again? The Poff Family Market in Southern Indiana showed some appealing seedling pictures. Now that the season gives signs of spring, it’s time to start some seed plants for the garden. As they take root and begin to grow, you hope for some days of sunshine. One fertilizes and waters them to nurture that growth which is always a really good thing to see. For those of us who love Jesus, our neighbors, workplaces, families, and friends are a place to sow spiritual seed and hope it will grow. Jesus taught many things in parables, stories to teach and illustrate truths. He talked about sowing seeds in one parable.
Looking at parts of The Bible in Mark 4:3-20 (Amplified Bible Classic Edition) it says; “Behold a sower went out to sow and as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed of the same kind fell on ground full of rocks, where it had not much soil; and when the sun came up, it was scorched, and because it had not taken root, it withered away. Other seed of the same kind, fell among thorn plants, and the thistles grew and pressed together and utterly choked and suffocated it, and it yielded no grain. And other seed of the same kind fell into good (well-adapted) soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing, and yielded up as much as thirty times as much, and sixty times as much, and even one hundred times as much as had been sown.”
In verse 20 it talks about those “sown on the good (well-adapted) soil who hear The Word and receive and accept and welcome it…” As you take care and prayer into sowing spiritual seed, sometimes you get to see what was never expected. It is in those days we rejoice when we see The Lord work and He reaps a harvest.
Thanks to Toshua Poff for garden seedling photos from Poff Family Market
Genesis 1:20 Then God said, “Let the waters teem with fish and other life, and let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.”
My son showed me some of his feathered friends who recently came for a visit. During a text he shared, “I remember always keeping an eye out for the top prize of seeing a red wing black bird in the fields when we were driving someplace as a family; especially to church.”
Psalm 91:4 KJV (King James Version) “He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.”
God’s faithful promises are true. The protective feathers of His wings that heal and strengthen are always with us. Oh how He cares for us! The Sun of Righteousness frees us to do what’s right.
Malachi 4:2 TLB (The Living Bible) “But for you who fear My name, The Sun of Righteousness will ride with healing in His wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves led out to pasture.”
Romans 12:10. “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
USA Hockey Team player, Jack Hughes with the golden goal that put them over the top, said, “This is all for country right now. I love the USA. I love my teammates. It’s unbelievable. The USA Hockey brotherhood is so strong. I am so proud to be an American. Tonight it was all for country.”
It truly is unbelievable. The USA In 1980 beat Soviet Union. They had to wait 46 more years for a Gold Medal and it was a true patriotic moment.
When asked to describe his emotions about the win Jack said, “That’s American Hockey right there.” God must have been pleased with the way Jack, who made the winning goal, honored his country and others.”
The USA goalie, Connor Hellebuyck, made 41 saves during the game. Everyone doing their part earned the team win. The United States medal count was 33 this Winter Olympics with 12 gold, 12 silver, and 9 bronze medals. It was so refreshing and made you want to tear up, to hear someone share how much they loved their country and being an American.
Me too, Jack, and it was an honor to watch the USA Hockey team win a gold medal in the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Also, God bless America, this is a land that I love.
Living Life in the Second Act 