Category Archives: Shared Devotions

I this happened to you as a child, what direction would your life have taken?  I shudder to think had it happened to me.  Certainly, my spirit would have been crushed, paralyzing me with self-doubt and a debilitating sense of low self-esteem.  Yet somehow this child persevered.  Despite the humiliation, shame and malicious abuse he…

My brother, May I begin my letter to you by sharing a couple Bible readings that mean a lot to me.  In chapter 7 of Romans (verse 24), Paul writes about himself— “Oh, what a miserable person I am!  Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?”  Thank God. …

“I need a little favor, shared my friend.”  “Wondering if you can help?”  By now OI have learned to ask questions before saying yes.  You’ve probably found yourself in similar situations, regretting an impulsive nod.  I volleyed, “What’s up?”  “I want to give a gift in someone’s honor,” he continued, “Can you make that happen?” …

READ: PSALM 136 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!  His faithful love endures forever. (V. 1) Our monthly men’s luncheon for November was held in a family style restaurant and consisted of traditional Thanksgiving fare.  Unfortunately, the restaurant was hit by a perfect storm of supply and cooking problems.  Just after our…

READ: LEVITICUS 23 The Lord said to Moses, “Give the Israelites instructions regarding the Lord’s appointed festivals, the days when all of you will be summoned to worship me.” (V. 1-2) Astounding was the word that immediately came to mind upon learning that Painted Lady Butterfly’s made up a 9,000-migration journey during their 12-month lifetime. …

READ: PSALM 121 The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever. Fear is a powerful emotional response to an external stimulus that threatens our physical, mental or spiritual well-being.  Like other public safety-first responders and military personnel, I had to learn to manage my fear in life threating…

READ: PSALM 1 For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction. (V. 6)  The original tires on our vehicle needed replaced as they reached their useful tread life.  I resorted to researching proper replacement tires on the web.  It did not take long to…

READ: JUDGES 6 His friend said,” Your dream can only mean one thing-God has given Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite, victory over the armies united with Midian!”  (V. 14) The local Florida weather forecasters began warning of some possible violent evening storms throughout the day.  We had just arrived for our annual snowbird escape…

Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.  Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting life really is. (V. 4) Following a round of golf, my friend Steve and I engaged in a conversation concerning the fragility of life.  He had just returned from attending his younger brother’s funeral in Vermont…

READ: ISAIAH 26: 1-5, 12 Lord, you will grant us peace, for all we have accomplished is really from you. (V. 12)   Throughout my life I have been a planner and organizer working from lists of things to do to meet my goals at home and work.  The larger life impacting goals I was…