Soul Sister 3:16

In Luke 15:11-32 you'll find the story of the "Lost Son". In it - a young man, eager for his father to die so that he might go out on his own and start his life with his inheritance, decides to ask his father for his money NOW. His father agrees and gives him his share of the inheritance right away.  Then the boy immediately leaves home and goes to spend it.  He lives the high life spending the money on today's pleasures.  And he surrounded by friends who enjoy his money more than his company, for when it all runs out, they desert him.  The boy is left wishing he had the scraps of food that are being fed the animals...and he decides to return home, not as a son - but as a servant. "So he got up and went to his father.  But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him." (Luke 15:20) I get it. This morning I am writing to you from West Lafayette, Indi...

Today, I need a little more of your time - because I am going to tell you a story.  It is one I heard a while back - long before COVID.   It was written by a man named Matthew Kelly, and I am going to copy it here in its entirety because its message is one that resounds loudly - even many years later.   You’re driving home from work next Monday after a long day. You tune in your radio. You hear a blurb about a little village in India where some villagers have died suddenly, strangely, of a flu that has never been seen before. It’s not influenza, but three or four people are dead, and it’s kind of interesting, and they are sending some doctors over there to investigate it. You don’t think much about it, but coming home from church on Sunday you hear another radio spot. Only they say it’s not three villagers, it’s 30,000 villagers in the back hills of this particular area of India, and it’s on TV that night. CNN runs a little blurb: people are heading there from t...

When you allow someone to come between you and your spouse, it is called adultery.  When you enable someone or some THING to come between you and God - it is idolatry.   If you say the two words out loud, they sound very similar… Maybe that is not a coincidence. Throughout the Bible, God says to anyone that will listen, that He is a jealous God: “Do not worship any other God, for the Lord whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God” - Exodus 34:14 “But Joshua said to the people, ‘You are not able to serve the Lord, for he is a holy God.  He is a jealous God…” - Joshua 24:19 “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God ” - Deuteronomy 4:24 God tells us this because He wants us to know that HE wants to be the primary love of our lives.  He wants to be our #1. So what kind of things do we allow to usurp God?  What things keep us from spending time with HIM?  What keeps us from church on Sunday, reading our Bible during the week, or saying praye...

For the most part - Children are good.   It is only after they have been on Earth for a while, that the depravity of the human condition begins to invade their souls and they become: Jaded Bigoted Callous, and  Indifferent Adults teach them those things...life teaches them those things...Satan teaches them those things. But w hen Jesus' disciples asked Him "who is the greatest in Heaven?"   Jesus "called a little child to him, and placed the child among them.  And He said: 'Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.'"   (Matthew 18:2-3) Take a look at the picture above.   The little girl doesn't know that what she has seen is "only a statue".  She doesn't have a clue as to how much the cross she is trying to lift, weighs - all she knows is that there is a person who appears to need help.   When God was on Earth, He asked us to become like little children, to ...

Bellicocity ?!?!  Did you look it up?  It means: "The behavior or manner of someone who wants to fight or start a war." (Cambridge Dictionary) --- A week ago today I was with a group of ladies.  We were together to discuss a book, however, as we were eating beforehand, somehow we started talking about religion. Now typically such a discussion would be verboten (forbidden), but amazingly the table of 6 women thought it was a good idea.  And do you know what?  THEY ALL AGREED that sometimes Christians are the "turn-off" for Christianity!  That is so sad! As Christians we are called to love each other.  But I fear we are often offensive and rude, especially when talking to those who are not Christ followers.  We tend then to become bellicose zealots, trying to "convince" the non-Christian how wrong they are in their views, how "silly" they are for not seeing the world as we see it... Acts 2:39 says, "For the promise is for you and your childre...

This time of year, I think, is my favorite...the weather has cooled so that sleeping with the window replaces the heavy whir of air conditioning and fan.  The leaves have started to turn.  and starling murmurations make beautifully shifting patterns in the skies. This morning, as I woke up to come downstairs and post, I noted that the pergola in my back yard is covered in small white flowers that make it look as if a gentle snow has covered the leaves there.  It is beautiful. And it makes me think of the Bible passage that goes like this:  "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22-23) His mercies are new every morning ...isn't that wonderful?  Isn't that a cause for celebration?!? It means that even when I screw up (which I often do), even when I look back on my past and feel the shame of some of my choices and actions, even when I fail to act like ...

In the fall of 2021 Jim and I traveled throughout Italy on our honeymoon.   Upon arriving in Rome I was struck by the graffiti, and the contrast of the new construction and drab concrete with the older, more historical, full-of-stories architecture of the past... Initially I thought I would hate it.  Boy was I wrong! Rome as a city is INCREDIBLE.  It is amazing to walk the streets of the forum and to imagine Julius Caesar or Marc Anthony traveling the same roads.  It is jaw-dropping to see the Colosseum and try to imagine its construction without the use of cranes or heavy equipment.  And it is humbling to visit the Mamertine Prison and to know it is where both Peter and Paul were imprisoned before Peter was crucified (upside down at his request), and Paul as beheaded because THEY WOULD NOT STOP TALKING ABOUT A RISEN JESUS! Death was a fate both of them knew awaited them, and yet proclaiming the Gospel was more important than their lives.  So, way down in t...

The title of this post is a misnomer, because today I'm thinking about discipline...and in doing so, Tae Kwon Do came to mind.   My son started classes when he was 3.  And at 3, the discipline of the classes was tough.  After all - this was a 3 year old.  He was KING of his own world, and used to getting his own way, running around without a care, and exuberantly raising his voice at times into a loud shout. But the instructor was good.  He looked directly into the kids' eyes as he talked to them.  He spoke kindly, but firmly.  He let them know that he was the one in charge and that He was the one who would be leading them.  And after just one hour - I saw my son snapping to attention, showing focus, "leaning in" to what the teacher was saying.  He was developing discipline... Leading up to this post today - I had been thinking about ants.  I had taken a video of a colony of them working hard to bring food to their colony....

I have known some wealthy people in my life... A friend who makes more in a year than I saved (and I'm a saver) in all my years working at Ford. Relatives who had high positions with big companies Former neighbors who played or have a child playing on national sports teams And a group of people who spent tens of thousands of dollars to stay each year at a luxury resort... And so when Jesus said, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God" (Mark 10:25) it always bugged me.   I mean what does God have against rich people?!?!... But the answer to that, is NOTHING.  God loves all people and wants all to turn to Him.   The reason Jesus said what he did has nothing to do with God and his feeling about rich people, it is a commentary about how people will sometimes put money ahead of God. "Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.  This...

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services nearly 93% of all people over the age of 65 wear some type of vision correction. That means at certain points in our lives we don't see as well as we should... In a sermon my pastor gave last week - that fact took on a different meaning.  He said the "lens" we look through has a direct impact on the life we lead. If we look through the lens that says "There is no God.  This is all there is.  Life is short and then you die..." then our view tends to be one of: "Get it while you can" "I got mine" Scurry Worry Want, and  Frustration However, if we look through through the lens that says our time here on Earth as temporary, that God is real and that He sent his son to die for us, and that one day soon we will be welcomed into an eternity where there is no more sin, suffering or pain, then our view will be one of: Hope Joy Contentment, and  Caring We will be able to experience a fullnes...

In January, after football player Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest in a game, ESPN anchor Dan Orlovsky went past " our thoughts and prayers are with him ", and actually offered an on-air prayer to God asking for strength, healing and comfort for Damar, and peace the player's family. In February, what began as a regularly scheduled church service for students attending Asbury College in Kentucky - morphed into a multi-week revival that brought over 50,000 people from all over the world to campus. Earlier this year - a movie titled "The Jesus Revolution" was released.  Audiences loved it, and my friend says it is partly responsible for her daughter turning toward Christ. This past weekend I read a story about an event that recently occurred at Auburn University in Alabama.  Following a "Night of Worship"  hundreds of students walked into a nearby lake to be baptized . And finally, last night I went to see another movie called, " Route 60...

While listening to the radio over the weekend, I learned about a new invasive species called the Spotted Lanternfly . Indigenous to parts of China and Vietnam, the little bug infests crops like soybeans, grapes, apples, and stone fruits.  It is now in the U.S.. and, with sightings having occurred in Michigan, this little critter is concerning to me, since my husband's family owns a farm that produces both concord grapes and apples. This morning I googled it. It's pretty...b ut isn't that often the way of evil things? On the surface they seem beautiful.  "Nice" things that lure us away from God with their promises... It is important to know that the devil will tell you anything you want to hear in order to get you to do what he wants, and what he wants is to pull you away from God .   I am convinced as I post this this morning, that God wants or maybe even NEEDS some people to hear and understand this.  Because He is repeating it over and over in my life right no...

  The Middle...when I think of THE MIDDLE I think of things like: The Middle of Nowhere - a scary place to be. The Middle Child (which even has a syndrome named after it) The Middle of an Oreo Cookie (delightful) - and,  A while back even a show called The Middle (l loved Patricia Heaton in her role here but hated her character in Everyone Loves Raymond ...go figure). Anyway, the Middle chapter of the Bible is 118.  And although the actual "books" of the Bible were assembled by scribes and, according to the History Channel, not put into their current form until sometime in the fifth century, I think that IN this form... there are some interesting things to note: Psalm 117, the one directly BEFORE Psalm 118 is the shortest chapter of the Bible. Psalm 119, the one directly AFTER Psalm 118, is the longest chapter of the Bible. The Bible has 594 chapters before Psalm 118, and 594 after Psalm 118 - and if you call up all the chapters EXCEPT Psalm 118, you get a total of 1188 ...

The last few nights I've woken up at 2:22. It's a funny number because each time I saw it I thought of an old "ghost story" Dad used to tell about BLUE 22...and perhaps that is a story for another time. But when you wake up at 2:22 once, well - it's just a lovely memory of Dad.  Twice becomes a weird coincidence...and when it happens THREE times, I feel like God is trying to tell me something. So, I look it up.  Now you need to know when I do this sort of thing - I like it when I can find complete verses that correspond to the number - without adding additional numbers.  For example: Daniel 2:22 says this: "He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells within him." I like that one, and it made me think of this verse from Isaiah... "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them a light has shone." (Isaiah 9:2) That verse is said to have been a ...

I saw this the other day, and I wanted to share: "I asked God to take away my habit.  God said, 'No.  It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up.'   I asked God to heal my handicapped son. God said, 'No.  His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary.'   I asked God to give me patience but God said, 'No.  Patience is a by-product of tribulations.  It isn't granted it is learned.'  I asked God to give me happiness but God said, 'No.  I give you blessings, happiness is up to you.' I asked God to spare me pain but God said, 'No.  Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me.' I asked God to make my spirit grow but God said, 'No.  You must grow on your own but I will prune you and make you fruitful.' I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life, but God said, 'No.  I will give you life so that you may enjoy all things.' I asked God to help me love others as He has loved me...

After getting prompts for a few days to "read Micah", I decided to use the date as a starting point.  What I found was this: "Your hand will be lifted up in triumph over your enemies, and all your foes will be destroyed. 'In that day,' declares the Lord, 'I will destroy your horses from among you and demolish your chariots.  I will destroy your cities and your land and all your strongholds.  I will destroy witchcraft and you will no longer cast spells.  I will destroy your idols and your sacred stones from among you; you will no longer bow down to the work of your hands.  I will uproot from among you your Asherah poles when I demolish your cities.  I will take vengeance in anger and wrath on the nations that have not obeyed me.'" - Micah 5:9-15   Now a few days ago, Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un met to discuss "military matters".  In the meeting they gifted each other guns.  And now, a follow up meeting has been schedule...

I had a few subjects in mind for today:  Mica, Little Known Stories... but as I walked downstairs "rainbows" was the word pressed on my heart.  And as I got my phone off the charger I noticed that while Jim was up later than me last night - he had sent me an article about rainbows.  Okay, God - rainbows it is! Apparently, a double rainbow appeared over New York City a few days ago on 9/11 as Americans reflected on the thousands of lives that were lost due to the terrorist attacks 22 years ago. And, interestingly enough, a double rainbow also appeared in the sky following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, 2022 as people gathered around Buckingham palace to grieve. Christianfaithguide.com said, " the spiritual message behind a double rainbow is said to be one of hope."  And the Bible tells us that after the flood God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generat...

This morning was a good sleeping morning.  Our window was cracked and cool air flooded the bedroom.  As I lie in bed, warm under the covers, I watched for a while as a single star made its way across the sky.  I thought about the old verse, "starlight, star bright, first star I see tonight..." and I wondered what the Bible said about wishing. So - this morning I made that my quest - and I was surprised at what I found... "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." - John 15:7 (NIV) But I think that verse is a confusing one for a lot of people, because God is certainly not a Santa Claus of the sky as there have been plenty of people who have asked for things, and yet not received what they asked for.  Heck, even Jesus asked that the "cup" of his impending torture and death be taken away from him. So this morning God is prompting me with a few thoughts about "wishes". First - a WISH can be a...

Thirteen years ago, my church, Northridge Church, put up billboards around metro Detroit saying it was for: liars losers & hypocrites Now as you can imagine - a lot of the existing parishioners did NOT like that!  However, our Pastor said, "there is a belief outside the church that it's [full of] people who think they're better than anyone else.  And there's a false view inside the church of people outside - that they're bad."  Pastor Brad, in his God-given wisdom knew that was wrong, and he wanted to make sure everyone else knew it too.   In an interview he said, "The reality is, all human beings are the same.  They're flawed.  We're all the same inside [the church] and outside.  We too are failures, losers liars and hypocrites."   And Brad wanted people to know that God knows that, and He loves us anyway. Early in his ministry Jesus was having dinner at the house of Matthew the tax collector (later a disciple).  The Bibl...