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What It Means to Have a Shepherd
What do Abraham, Moses, and King David all have in common? At some point in their lives, they were shepherds. Before these highly respected men became great leaders, they honed some of their management skills in taking care of sheep. Sheep definitely need a guide. On their own they are easily lost or trapped in difficult situations. They are not good at recognizing and avoiding danger. Yet sheep are smart in one way – they know the voice of their shepherd. They know that in him they will find safety, shelter, and nourishment. In essence, it is a strong trust relationship. Describing us as sheep is very fitting as we…
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Untangling the Web of Worry and Fear
The roads are icy and the snow falls steadily. As I make my long commute to work in these difficult conditions, I am tense and worried. In my mind myriads of different scenarios play out – none of them good. Winter driving brings out my worst fears. I am not sure when the fearful mindset began, but I know it gains momentum with these kinds of stressful times. Often, I long for the carefree days of childhood where anxiousness seemed unreachable. Now, worry frequently is my close companion, even when I know it shouldn’t be. Worrisome thoughts tangle our brains, sending off messages that we need to be overly concerned…
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God Knows What We Need
It’s amazing how much God knows I need something, even when I am not quite sure of it myself. Our loving Heavenly Father often gently reminds me of what I require to nurture my faith. I can’t recount the number of times that I have come across a Scripture passage in an unusual place – like a sticky note tacked inside a notebook, in a hymn or song I listen to, or in a piece of Christian fiction I am reading – only to find it absolutely applicable to what I am facing today. Recently I came across this passage: “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity,…
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Being a Huldah
Huldah is a prophetess who lived in Jerusalem at the time of King Josiah in Old Testament times. Josiah was one of only a few God-fearing kings in Judah. At this time of history, the high priest had discovered the Book of the Law, written by Moses, which had been lost for many years. King Josiah asks his leaders to go inquire of the Lord for himself and his people. Josiah knows the Lord is angry for His people turning away from Him. The king wants God’s guidance for himself and the people he governs. The king’s advisors seek out Huldah, a prophetess. The message Huldah gives the king’s men…
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When God Feels Far Away
A mother sits with her dying daughter and wonders if God really knows her pain and suffering. A young man loses a job for which he worked so hard. Why did God let that happen? Let’s face it friends – I could give you example after example of times when we wonder where God is at the moment. Sometimes it feels like we are in a canoe, frantically paddling trying to catch up to where we perceive God is at. When life hurts, it is easy to feel that our Heavenly Father has abandoned us. When life throws us curve balls and things don’t turn out the way we think…
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Being Well Equipped
Recently two of my sons went on a backcountry hunting trip. It involved lots of hiking in treacherous places with elevations that require strength and endurance. One of my sons lives in that area and so had been in the territory before. He was able to train for the trip in the place where the excursion was to occur. My other son trained as well to build his strength, but he lives in a different location and his training area was not as arduous. While both made it through the trip okay, one son managed the trip better than the other. The training he did in the local area could…
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Look and Find
Favourite books for my children and grandchildren, as well as my students, are Look and Find books. These books have vivid pictures filled with many intricate details. The objective of the books is to find particular items within the multitude of pictures on each page. I have had young ones fascinated for long periods of time with these delightful books. I must confess – I enjoy searching with the kids. I love puzzles and mysteries and these books are a fun way to do some problem solving. It’s so exciting to finally succeed at finding the hidden object. Sometimes when we are feeling low, it can feel like we are…
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When Being Thankful Seems Impossible
Lately I find listening to newscasts extremely frustrating. There is so much hurt and pain in the world. I don’t think a day goes by without some natural disaster occurring or major accident or political turmoil being reported. At times, the weight of it all lies heavy on my heart and mind. It is so easy to find myself drawn to thinking about all these unpleasant things and letting those thoughts detract from my day. Perhaps you are similar – bad reports all around us drain us of our energy. We can feel powerless as we learn of all these terrible things going on in our world, many of which…
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The Good Deposit
The chains are binding his hands and feet. His accommodations are cold and dark. Many have deserted him and at times he is lonely for the life he once had. He knows the end is near and that soon he will be in heaven with Jesus and that brings joy; but there is also an urgency to give some parting words of wisdom to his beloved associate in this time of great persecution. The apostle Paul mentors young Timothy. Now that Paul knows his time on earth is short, he feels it imperative to give Timothy one last farewell letter. In this letter, Paul offers encouragement to stand firm in…
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Who Are You Called to Be?
Piece by piece I wade through piles of paper. It is amazing how much stuff I have collected with years of teaching. The task of sorting through mounds of lessons plans and activity pages makes my brain tired. How do I prioritize? Some choices are easy – like ditching old curriculum. Other choices not so much. As I look through some materials, I envision the plans I had to use all these things – grand ideas of what I was going to do as a teacher. Part of my choices as to what to keep center on what kind of teacher I am now. I need to consider what I…
