Beloved of God.
Esteemed, dear, favorite, worthy of love.
What manner of love is this?
Raindrops — glistening tears from heaven’s throne — began to fall. Slow, but steady. The last of the animals entered the massive vessel. I imagine Noah prodding them with a staff, steering them to their stalls. As tufts of lamb’s wool brushed against his robe, did he gently caress the fleece and ponder the ways of God?
Read More
Lord, You are the Lord God Almighty, the Omnipotent One, the Maker of Heaven and Earth. And You are holy. Purify my heart so that I, too, might become holy.
You have redeemed me and called me Your own. You have made me Your righteousness through Jesus Christ, and for that, I am so thankful. Yet, I know I still harbor things in my heart that are not of You.
Read More
High atop the mountain ridge stands a lone evergreen surrounded by the stark, barren trunks and branches of a full forest of deciduous trees. Oak and locust, elm and maple packed in like a crowded marketplace speak clearly of the dead of winter.
But one solitary evergreen stands alone and shouts life.
Read More
Lord, what would I do without You? Where would I be? You are precious to me in all Your ways. Hold me close and wrap me in Your love.
When I think of You, peace descends and washes over my broken places. When I sit still, cease striving, and remember You are God, You steady my heart and capture my restless thoughts.
Read More
I opened the well-worn devotional seeking to garner strength for the day. The reflection was on the necessity of spending time in God’s presence, relishing the beauty of His holiness, and soaking in His grace.
But it was the last sentence that penetrated my heart:
“He walks in glory on the hills and longs for men [and women] to join Him there.”
Read More
Lord, You promise me strength for each day of my life. When I am weak, You promise to be strong. I hold fast to this gift of Yours — I believe it and I rely on it. Some days I am just plain worn out, but then I remember Your promise and it causes me to look up and I smile because of Your grace.
Because of You, the weak say, “I am strong,” the poor say, “I am rich.”
Read More
Picking up my coffee cup, I turned my head to look out the window toward the lower end of our property. There’s an old chestnut tree there, haggard from decades of mountain weather, barely standing, its branches stark against a winter sky. Even though I’m thankful for God’s love, I could relate to those stark branches reaching toward heaven.
From a distance, I could see bright pops of crimson on the bare branches.
Read More
Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference
Offering hope, healing, and freedom from your crushing pain.
Learn to be fully aware of the Lord's presence in your life with my new resource,