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Turn Aside to See
When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Exodus 3:4 The door to the cheese shop is sparkling The pedestrian crosswalk is shimmering I turn aside to see As you walk away from me. I parked in this spot A long time ago To drop off a friend who thought I needed to know. The fears I… Read More
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Because of the Rock
Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall. With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility. But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, because of your father’s God, who helps you, because of the Almighty, who blesses you with blessings of the… Read More
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Waiting is a Weapon
...after you have done everything…stand. Stand firm then… Ephesians 6:13-14 Standing is a kind of waiting, and waiting doesn’t feel very victorious in the middle of a fierce battle. It certainly doesn’t feel like a weapon. Armor does. Belts and breastplates and shields do. Helmets and swords sure do. Recently I visited castles and towers famous for battle, filled with armor and weapons. The imagery is strong in my mind. But waiting? What kind of… Read More
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When the Lord Himself Speaks to Our Children
And behold, the Lord stood… and said, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants.” Genesis 28:13 Take heart, dear parent. The Lord Himself will speak to your children. Jacob deceived Isaac and Esau rebelled against him. Yet Isaac remained sure of the Lord, spoke a blessing over Jacob, and sent him… Read More
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Be Brave
For C and her Savior, who sent her a duck. …He gave them words of hope. He said, “Be strong. Be brave. Don’t be afraid. Don’t lose hope. The king of Assyria has a huge army with him. But there’s a greater power with us than there is with him. The only thing he has is human strength. But the Lord our God is with us. He will help us. He’ll fight our battles.” 2… Read More
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Being a Faithful Friend to My Teen
Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. Proverbs 27:6 Parenting teens is both inspiring and intimidating. Some say that parents cannot be friends with their teenage children. I would argue that as parents, we have the potential to be the closest friends our teens have. A true friend is willing to wound, although kissing would be so much easier. As a parent, there come times in my… Read More
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Given Over
I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord. 1 Samuel 1:28. “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them. Then he went down to Nazareth… Read More
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Oh Good, Your Feet Stink Again!
Let them sacrifice thank offerings. Let them talk about what he has done as they sing with joy. Psalm 107:22 I never thought I’d be thankful for stinky feet. That fateful evening, just before I left the house, he sat on the sofa stretched out long, poking me with his bare feet as he tried to persuade me to let him try a new recipe. Even as I pushed those stinky toes away, I loved… Read More
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Treasure These Things
For all mothers everywhere. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:19, NIV Among my most precious earthly possessions is an old trunk. Scratched and battered, it sits squat and square by my desk. On the front, just below the scuffed brass latches, is the hand-lettered name and address of one of my life-mentors. This trunk was all she carried with her almost a century ago when she… Read More
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The Sound of Feet Running (Or, How to Resist the Devil)
For our grown-up warrior, who helped us hear the sound of feet running. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. James 4:7-8 Some said we were living near the very gates of the enemy. Deep in the heart of the ancient walled city was an old mosque, made famous over the centuries by the pilgrims who journeyed… Read More