A friend recently messaged me with this question: “How’s the lockdown going for you and Gene? I imagine your sailboat is feeling quite small these days.” I smiled. Some days I would agree. Seriously, where does one go to find solitary space on a sailboat? Sailor-Man works at the kitchen table and… [ read more ]
Posts Tagged: prayer
A Simple Prayer When We Need Jesus to Teach Us
The back-to-school season has arrived again. Depending on where they live and work, some teachers have already welcomed their students. Others are busy setting up their classrooms or will soon be doing so. And some—homeschoolers, for instance—are preparing, too, only in a different setting. Teachers play a vital role in their students’ lives. They… [ read more ]
Fasting for a Purpose
Most believers acknowledge fasting as a spiritual discipline. The late author and missionary Dr. Wesley L. Duewel explained it this way: “Fasting in the biblical sense is choosing not to partake of food because your spiritual hunger is so deep, your determination in intercession so intense, or your spiritual warfare so demanding that… [ read more ]
A Prayer to Pray When Someone Hurts You
Our human bent tells us to withdraw physically, or dish up the silent treatment, or seek sweet revenge when someone hurts us. Praying for that individual’s forgiveness seldom enters our mind. But if we profess to be Jesus’ disciples, then we’re to follow His example. Jesus was innocent of all wrongdoing yet He suffered… [ read more ]
3 Promises for When We Need Answers
Several questions sit at the forefront of my mind during this first week of 2019. The one weighing on me most is this, “How should I best develop my teaching materials for my trip to the Middle East in March?” I have to prepare ten sessions to help train young adults for career missions,… [ read more ]
Exhale Stress, Inhale Peace
I haven’t written a blog for a couple of weeks, and for good reason: My daughter-in-law delivered a wee baby boy on December 6th—a month early. Baby’s lungs were underdeveloped, and as a result, he was immediately placed in the NICU. Our son phoned us with the news early that morning and said, “We… [ read more ]
Holidays and Hurtful Family Relationships
American Thanksgiving weekend has arrived, and Christmas is on the way. Holidays draw families together—at least in the physical sense. But sometimes they become an emotional testing ground. This is nothing new. Recall Hannah’s situation. She shared her husband with a second wife, Peninnah. As though that wasn’t enough to create family tension, her… [ read more ]
Help is on the Way
I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the LORD, who made the heavens and earth. (Psalm 121:1,2 NLT) Spending time with my grandchildren brings great joy. The older ones are becoming more independent, but the little ones still ask for my help when we’re together:… [ read more ]
Canceled Flights, Bedbugs, and Giving Thanks
But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God. ( NLT) I’ve just returned from a two-week mission trip that provided lots of opportunity to practice giving sacrificial thanks. The first came when our flight was… [ read more ]
Lessons Learned Aboard a Sailboat
Living aboard a sailboat provides an abundance of devotion ideas. Now that I’m home long enough to feel settled and figure out a new normal, I’m beginning to keep a list. Here’s the first on that list. My youngest daughter—Kim—and her husband David joined us on Friday night a couple weeks ago. Several of David’s… [ read more ]
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