Soul Sister 3:16

Jim and I have been watching back episodes of The Chosen   so that we're caught up when season 4 is released in the theatres later this month. This week, in one of the episodes, Jesus added Simon the Zealot to his disciples. Imagine - being a young Jewish boy growing up under the oppressive rule of the Roman Empire, and leaving your home to go off to train as a zealot (members of a political movement which sought to incite the people of Judea Province to rebel against the Roman Empire and expel it from the Holy Land by force of arms). All your life you'd heard about the Messiah - and all your life you supposed, as did your parents, and your grandparents, and generations of ancestors before them - that this Messiah would come and deliver your people. Naturally, you assumed that meant from the Romans. But The Chosen perfectly depicts the moment when Simon realized Jesus' "army" was not what he'd envisioned.  Instead of a well-trained fighting force, what he saw...

A few weeks ago the sermon at church was about shame. The pastor talked about how shame keeps us looking backward, while God wants us to look forward. At one point, the minister asked for those who were carrying around the burden of shame to stand up so that he could pray for them.   And do you know what, about 1/3 of the congregation stood up.   That's a whole lot of people that Satan has been whispering to. Yesterday  I saw a meme that said this The Devil knows your name, but calls you by your sin. Jesus knows your sin, but calls you by your name.. . My friend - what name are YOU answering to? WHOSE VOICE are you listening to?  Are you giving God the final say, or Satan? If you want to live a rich full life, the life that God intended for you - you must remember that your sin was nailed to the cross with Jesus.  He REDEEMED you so that the bonds of sin and shame could be broken.   He did it because He does not want you to keep you looking b...

If you are a Lions fan, Sunday’s game may have been a bit of a disappointment, for at the half, the team was up by 17 points.  And while God may have been receiving many prayers that asked for a win, my conversation told Him I would use the final score as a starting point for a blog entry this week.   And - in the end, the final score was 34-31 (if you write it the traditional way, with winners appearing first)… or 31-34 ( if you were cheering for our boys in blue). But here is the thing - there aren’t a whole lot of Bible books that have at least 31 or 34 chapters…and if they do, they don’t all have 31 or 34 associated verses - but check this out.  When I google Bible 31:34 or 34:31, this is what I get: “‘You are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, and I am your God’, declares the Sovereign Lord.” - Ezekiel 34:31 “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.  I will be their God, and they will be my people.” - Jeremiah 31:34 I think what this is s...

I am always amazed by the people who do not believe in God. These two pictures are not the same thing taken under different lighting.   No, the one on the left is an xray of a lung, and the one on the right is a tree… Now isn’t it incredible that in order for us to live and thrive we need the oxygen that is produced by the trees…and in order for the trees to grow and thrive they need the CO2 produced every time we exhale? Trees and humans have a divine design that makes this possible, and a symbiotic relationship that enables us to live. … Next, both the Quran and the Bibe say man was created out of the dust/clay of the Earth.   If you do a little research you’ll see that though the accounts of our formation in these two books were penned over 1500/2000 years ago - they got it right.  For the elements found in the human body mirror those found in the Earth. … Finally, (and really NOT finally because there are soooo many other examples), if you look at a cross section of a...

A while back my niece told her mom that she and some friends had played the game “I never”. Often played as a drinking game, it works this way:   each person takes turns relaying something they’ve never done, and all those who have done it have to take a drink. As you can imagine, sometimes the things that are relayed  are pretty salacious and “worldly”.  My niece didn’t enjoy the game and my sister warned her off of it as she said it makes “bad behavior acceptable”, because invariably  you look around and see all of those who DO drink. I believe the people we choose as our friends can have a huge impact on the type of lives we lead.   As Christians we must be discerning about the people we want to be our friends, and to choose relationships with people who will sharpen us like iron, and not lead us into temptation.  Proverbs 1:26 says this, “The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” And 1 Corinthians 15:33 ...

I don’t often watch movies more than once…but there are a few that bring such joy, such warmth, and such goodness into my life - that I’ll watch them again and again.  Such is the case with the movie - The Fundamentals of Caring.  In it, Paul Rudd trains to be a caregiver and the teacher explains the caregiving mnemonic “A.L.O.H.A”:  Ask, Listen, Observe, Help, Ask Again. “Nothing less, nothing more…” And when Jesus was talking to the crowds he said when we all are standing at the Day of Judgement, He will separate the sheep from the goats, so that those who are blessed by the Father will take their inheritance, “the kingdom prepared (for you) since the creation of the world, and He described what “Caregiving” looked like to Him “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to ...

Doing laundry is not a task I particularly enjoy - but dealing with stains on laundry is the worst! In addition to the multitude of products that are available to buy - there are also a lot of tricks that an experienced laundress (like me 😁) will tell you.  Things like: grass stains take a mixture of baking soda and white vinegar, lipstick can be removed if you first blot with isopropyl alcohol, and Dawn dish detergent will remove oil spots - even after the material has gone through the dryer... But enough of that!  What if the stain is sin - how can we remove that?! I heard a good analogy the other day, one that said sin is a lot like poison.  For while a drop of poison doesn't make the water poison itself, it does polson the water.  Poisoned water is contaminated.  You wouldn't drink it, you probably wouldn't use it to water your plants, and you wouldn't give it to your pets.  Poisoned water is bad - just like sin is bad - and once the water is poisoned,...

The other day my husband and I talked about a meme we’d both seen.  It said, “Whatever you must do today, do it with the confidence of a 4-year old in a Batman cape”. For me, the meme brought back memories of the Batman birthday party I’d had for Max when he was four.  I’d made little Batman muscle shirts complete with cape, belt and batarangs.   We told the boys Batman needed their help and we put them through a series of “training exercises”.  In the end each got a certificate signed by Batman himself!  And do you know what?  I spotted each of those little four year olds in their shirts and capes around the neighborhood for the rest of the summer! In my case - I remember (and have pictures) of a time when my sister and I balanced a long board between a step in our basement and a chair. We donned leotards and crowns and put on a “show” for our parents - “wowing” them with our not-so-impressive balance beam skills. But sooner or later we all grow up.  ...

This past weekend I had the opportunity to spend time with some young children.  They were beautiful.  Not just physically (although that was certainly true).  No, I'm talking about more than physical beauty.  These children had beautiful little souls that shone like the sun.  They had a certain "innocence" that had not been ruined by sin, or guilt, or shame.  They were happy.  They were carefree.  They were loved, adored even - and they knew that and rested in it.  And as I watched them JOYFULLY reveling in their play, in their meals, in their parents, in each other - I thought - THIS IS HOW IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE. THIS is how God wanted it...and THIS is what He meant in Matthew 18:2-5. "He called a little child and had him stand among and he said, 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom...

  A few years ago there was a viral video that showed these two adorable boys running toward one another - their run ending in a huge embrace.   When we "love like a child" we do not see the things that divide us - things like race, gender, religion, politics... Instead we only see the other person.  Someone who is very much like us. LIKE US - they have baggage. LIKE US - they have fears and worries, and face disappointment and anguish. LIKE US - they have done things they are not proud of. LIKE US - they need a redeemer who will say, "I love you anyway". The Bible tells us there are two great commandments - the first is to love God with all our hearts, minds and souls.   But the second, which Jesus says is "like the first", is to "love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:39) In our world today there are so many things that seek to divide us, but God did not create an US and a THEM.  He created all of us in HIS OWN IMAGE and every. single. o...

Trust. As an adult I often find people must "earn" my trust - because I don’t always freely give it.  I suspect that's because I've lived with too many disappointments. But CHILDREN trust. They wake up each day trusting. Unless they have been hurt by their world or circumstance - the NATURAL response of a child is to trust.   They  trust that they will have a roof over their head, food in their bellies, people who love and care for them, and ones who will protect them... Trust is natural for a child because from the time they are born they are dependant on others for their sustenance and care. I suppose that's what attracted God to Abraham - he was a man who trusted. God said, leave your land (he was a farmer), leave your people, take your wife and go to this unknown place I will show you, then I will make you a great nation. The Bible tells us Abraham trusted God - and God "credited it to Him as righteousness." (Genesis 15:6) If we are to TRUST like CHI...

Remember being a child and looking at the soap bubble you'd just blown, and seeing all of the colors of the rainbow reflected in it? Or how about being outside on a cold wintry day, and looking at the crystals of each snowflake as they landed on your dark-colored coat? What about the unbridled joy you felt if you ever had the chance to play with a litter of puppies or kittens?... As children, we are are often filled with wonder when we observe the things that are part of God's creation. And I believe He smiles - knowing we delight in what He's created for us. But when was the last time you noticed - REALLY noticed the amazing beauty of the world around you?  When was the last time you marveled at a sunset?  Stopped to listen to the sound of waves?  Was amazed by the colors of a leaf at fall?  Or studied the complexity and beauty of a flower? Sure - there are things in this world that are definitely NOT beautiful - but in those instances - I usually find that HUMANS a...

  When I was a young girl in Sunday school our teacher taught us a song.  It went like this... Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong; t hey are weak, but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me!   Yes. Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!  The Bible tells me so. Such a simple song - but  I believed it! Now I had never read the Bible, so I didn't actually KNOW the Bible told me how much God loved me, or the lengths He would go to FOR me. I just knew that in singing this song I felt happy.  I felt loved.  I felt that there was someone strong who cared for me and who was always looking out for me. THAT'S the faith of a child. A child doesn't get all caught up in the "What if's" or the "Hows".  A child just believes.   As children we are encouraged to believe in all sorts of things - Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy... And maybe that's the reason so many adults fall away from God.  Mayb...

My son Max is in college.  As a mom, I hope to be able to keep him from making some of the same mistakes I did... As a 60 year old parent however, I know that probably isn't possible, as most adults determinedly feel their own way in this world - not caring for the advice of their stodgy old parents, but rather preferring to figure it out on their own... HOWEVER, if I DID have his ear - I'd tell him to find an area of study that makes his heart full.  One that comes naturally because his skills and abilities are a good fit for it. For me, my major was chosen because I am inherently  lazy.  When it came time to choose, I added up the credits I had in each of my fields of study, and because Business/Marketing had the most - that became my major. Did I like it?  I liked it okay. Did I have a knack for it - a bit. But were there other fields and areas of study that might have been a better fit?  Definitely!  Things like communication, hospitality, or kinde...

Ha! Did that title suck you in?  Do you believe there is a right way to pray to God?   Well, certainly Jesus gave us some tips in Matthew 6 when He said, "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.  Then your father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.  And when you pray, do not keep babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of your many words.  Do not be like them, for your Father knows that you need before you ask him." - Matthew 6:6-8 Jesus followed this quickly by providing a framework - the words we now call "The Lord's Prayer": "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us today our daily bread.  And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." - Matthew 6:9-13 This prayer can be used ...

I saw a meme the other day that said this: "The right relationship won't distract you from God.  It will bring you closer to Him." Yep - that rings true. My former husband is a man I loved.  Deeply.  So much so, that I put my relationship with HIM ahead of my relationship with God.   However, because our first conversations had been ABOUT God, I felt God had been the one to put him into my life.  I thought God was the one who wanted the relationship.  The truth is, I had sought him out.   I had been engaged for four years but my former fiance would not move forward.  Then, at my sister's graduation from college I met my ex-husband and thought he was cute. My family liked him.  My sister's boyfriend had been his roommate in college and the three of them all hung out together and enjoyed each other's company.  My mom called him "Mr. Personality".  His family seemed nice... So, after the graduation, and my sister's subsequent...

I have a number of friends who are not Christian.  It is a fact that makes me very sad, for they seem to have to contend with a lot of worry, shame, anxiety, and grief that I no longer have.   And even though I myself am STILL working to try to live righteously and often make mistakes, sometimes being around these people means I am present as they say or do things that are decidedly UN-CHRISTIAN.   So what is a girl to do? Well - first - and my church has it sooo right here, we must love them.  Love them through all of their flaws, and weaknesses, and sins.  For that is the way God wants us to love.  That is the way He loves us.  "We love because he first loved us." - 1 John 4:19 Without love we cannot speak into their lives at all - without love we are but a "clashing gong or clanging symbol". (1 Corinthians 13:1) Next, we must strive to live differently, in such a way so as to make them take notice. "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in ...

“The time has come,”  he said.  “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” - Mark 1:15 This is today’s “date verse.”  It’s a good one. I read something that talked about the scariest verbal exchange in the Bible, and in fact I’ve written about them here.  It goes something like this: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my father is in heaven.  Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” - Matthew 7:21-23 Alas, I think there are many people who still believe we can “earn” our way into heaven by our own good works?   After all - these people were doing many great things in the name of Jesus. But that is not our call. The key to heavens gate is repentance. We must...

I'm not sure who I'm writing this for today - but I feel it pressed hard on my heart - so here you go.  If this is a post you needed - will you let me know? A few years ago my parents moved from their beautiful condo in the north part of Kalamazoo to a retirement home.  When they first told me their plans - I was NOT happy.  Their condo was wonderful.  It had 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a fully finished basement that even had a fireplace, an open concept kitchen/living/dining area, a screened porch, and a deck that overlooked the woods.  They were steps away from the Kal-Haven biking/walking trail and within minutes of lots of shops and restaurants. The new place looked out over a big metal sub station...😕 HOWEVER, after spending my first weekend with them at their new home, I realized the move was precisely what they needed.  Their apartment had a big "sky view".  The complex had a nice restaurant and bar and lots of activities.  And they were surr...

I am up north today - writing from Alpena, Michigan.  It is a lakeside town on the Eastern side of the state and I am here visiting friends.  When I left my home in Saline this morning, the first snow of the season had begun to fall.  Down south there was about an inch of snow on the ground - however, here (about 4 hours north of here I started), there is about 10 inches.   The snow clings to the trees in big beautiful clumps, and the pure white contrasted against the green of the pines is magnificent!  As I look out the window at the winter wonderland I feel a deep sense of peace, for everything looks clean, and new and fresh. This verse comes to mind - "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." - John 14:27 God is the author of peace.  He is our strength and our salvation.  And because of His great mercy, He sent His son to ransom u...

I've heard it said that "faith and fear cannot live in the same house". I don't think you could have said that to a younger me and had me believe it.... For when I was young, I remember all of the nights I watched as my closet door seemed to open slowly - ever - wider, as I peered at it intently, convinced that at any minute whatever was in there was going to come and get me. Then holy smokes, after the movie Jaws came out - night swimming in the pool was always dicey.  As the light under the diving board illuminated the water, I was certain that I was moments away from a giant shark crashing through the walls and wreaking havoc. Ethologists (those who study the behaviors of animals in their natural environment) will tell you that "fear is a motivational state aroused by specific stimuli that give rise to defensive behavior or escape" and that it is a necessary human emotion.  There are memes that say the Bible contains 365 versions of "fear not" ...

In the middle of the night last night, I woke up thinking about encouragement.  It is such a blessing. There are people in my life who offer me daily encouragement.  My husband.  Tom Glendening - a childhood friend who sends a daily bible verse.  Abb, a wonderful guy I met in Nicaragua who sends a daily devotional.  And Vanessa, my dear friend who rarely reads one of these posts without offering some sort of positive feedback. When I woke up I thought, "WOW,  Encouragement = Love. In Hebrews 10:24-25 the Bible says "And let us consider how we might spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching." In this passage "the Day" refers to Jesus' second coming - and since Revelations tells us the days preceding that will be tough, certainly Christians will need (and should give) encouragement then. But if Encouragement = ...

While in California last week Jim and I did a lot of things and ate a lot of great food.  But the best meal - was really not about the food at all, it was about the experience. We had spent the morning in Pasadena and been privileged enough to have gotten tickets to see the Rose Parade floats being built.  It was amazing.  There in these giant warehouses were these enormous floats (some of which had to be built in pieces because they were so big) all being painstakingly covered with flowers, seeds, and grasses. But after spending a few hours there in Pasadena we began to get hungry and for dinner, Jim thought it would be cool if we could eat at a place that gave us a good view of the sunset and the valley.  He remembered a place he'd been to once called Castaway, and so we piled into the car and made our way up the winding slopes until we were high above the city. Now Castaway is fancy - and in truth we weren't dressed for it.  But rather than judge us, and send...

I’m heading to bed late tonight after watching the University of Michigan clinch the National Championship.  Woot woot! Jim Habaugh has been talking about “the team”. In truth, it’s good to be part of something bigger than yourself.  In truth, it’s good to know you’ve been backing a winner. But after Jesus was crucified, the 11 men with whom he’d spent the past three years, went into hiding.  All of a sudden they felt they’d been backing the wrong horse.  And with Roman soldiers actively seeking to stop an uprising, these men who had been so confident, so focused - fell away and went into hiding. But then EVERYTHING changed.  When the disciples saw a risen Jesus, they went from being men in hiding to MEN ON FIRE!   All of a sudden the TEAM WAS BACK!  And this “team” would be the ones responsible for spreading the gospel.  This “team” is why we know of Jesus today.  My friends there is strength in numbers, and like minded people can accomplish...

While in Los Angeles last week Jim and I visited the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.  And there  we took in the exhibition: AUSCHWITZ:  Not Long Ago, Not Far Away . In seeing it, I was amazed to think that such a thing could have occurred just a little over 80 years ago.  Heck, my mom was alive then….so no, not long ago. And it struck me as I saw the exhibition that there were a couple of things that made the extermination of six million lives possible. First, there was the segmentation of the population, the focus on the differences between people rather than the similarities.   Instead of being taught we are all created by God, and that He seeks communion with each of us, school children were taught to look for physical characteristics that might help them “identify the Jew.” But the Bible tells us this:  “We are all God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” - Ephesians 2:10 Then, leaders ...

Of course I want you to like me.  Everyone likes to be liked.  But the truth is I want sooo much more than that.   I’ve come to realize that more than you liking ME, I want you to know GOD, to KNOW that He loves you, and to understand that He has given us a resource that can help us do that. It’s the whole reason I started this daily blog thing nearly a year ago. Every day before I post I ask God to enter my heart and to guide my words.  I try my best to convey Biblical truth and to not mush my own opinions, because regardless of whether we like it or not, His truth is THE truth.  I know there are a lot of gray areas in life that aren’t covered in the Bible.  But, for the things that aren’t gray, I believe the Bible is where we can find answers. Sadly, I recognize that in today’s world HIS truths often contradict “OUR truths”, and so my posts  might make people angry or uncomfortable. But God is LOVE.  And because of that He wants only the best fo...

Jim and I are just back from a week-long trip to California… (where Jim once lived for 10 years 🤣 That’s a little tidbit he’ll throw out a couple of times a day - as if it’s like some sort of secret handshake that says, “I belong.”)… But if you spend any time talking to Jim about California, he will tell you that if he had stayed there he’s not sure he’d be in the same space spiritually.  I can see that. California is a place where there are soooo many distractions.  The beach. The mountains. The wineries. The shopping. The restaurants. The traffic…. The list goes on and on. And so often, I think, time with God gets pushed aside for all of the other “have tos” and “want tos” that are here.  It certainly was the case for me this week. And so what I’ve realized is time with God requires intentionality. But isn’t that the same for all of us?  Developing or cultivating or enjoying a relationship means we need to MAKE TIME for that relationship in our otherwise busy live...