June 29

On December 10, 2011, I broke my leg. We were bicycling through a park on the Alafia River. I was carrying Coco in a sling and she wanted to get down, so I put her down and she got all messy. I couldn’t put her back in the carrier all covered in filth, so I decided to take her down the embankment to rinse her off in the river. I stepped off the pavement and down I went, dog and all. I heard what sounded like a branch breaking, but it wasn’t a branch! It was my leg! Richard offered to carry me back up the embankment, but I was too afraid of the pain it might cause. I thought that the paramedics could get me off the river bank without moving my leg too much, but I was wrong. I should have let Richard carry me, he would have been more gentle. 

My lesson in this was to trust the one who loves me, rather than a complete stranger. They did a great job, and I’m very thankful for them, but I should have listened to Richard, because it would have saved me from experiencing so much pain. 

Physically, things are going to happen, it’s the nature of being in this world, but what’s most important is protecting your heart. God loves you, and in no way wants you to be hurt, but you have to listen to Him and trust Him. Harm comes when you step outside His will; it opens you up to the enemy’s assaults. The way you hear Him is through the indwelling Holy Spirit, and through reading your Bible daily. Make sure you’re tuned in.

“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. Psalms 91:14

June 28

The wicked have taken up too much of my time. The destruction that is at their fingertips infuriates me. The lies that are concocted to portray Christians as the evil ones, play right into the hands of Satan. Lawlessness and disorder is a part of the enemy's plan, and it looks like he might be winning. We cannot continue to sit back and do nothing! If you haven’t been praying for our country, you need to rise up now, and call on the Lord. Cry out to Him on behalf of our freedom, and ask Him to route the enemy’s plan. Pray fervently. God listens to His children. Don’t wait, pray now!

Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake your law. Psalms 119:53

June 27

There is a lot in the news about gates and walls, most of it is negative. I live in a community that has a gate and walls around it. If someone wants to get in, they will get in, but it will not be as easy as a community without a gate. If you are visiting, we can give you a code or you can call from the box, and we will press a button on our phone and it will let you in.

As a follower of Jesus, you have already gained entry into the kingdom of Heaven. Someone invited you, you accepted that invitation, and completed the requirements for entry. No one will be let in if they are filthy, it’s too posh for that. In Heaven, there will be no guessing as to whether you belong there or not, you will not gain entry without trusting Jesus, and accepting His free gift and spotless cleansing, which is only available through Him. He holds the keys to the kingdom!

If you want someone to live in your heavenly neighborhood, make sure you invite them, and show them how to gain access and have their name placed on the guest list.

But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. Revelation 21:27

June 26

My daughter and I took a little trip over to the Pinellas County beaches. We started at Indian Rocks, and drove along the coastline. We ended up stopping at John’s Pass, which is a big tourist draw that has grown to be overwhelming. It used to be just a boardwalk along the inlet, with a restaurant, a few boats, and some specialty shops, but now has over one hundred stores! After paying to park, and taking a walk on the boardwalk, I realized that I had grown out of that type of environment, and it no longer appeals to me like it did when I was much younger.

What brings you joy in the midst of the chaos? It changes for me depending on where I am. One day it might be the waves of the gulf lapping along the shore, another day it may be the sound of birds chirping and the noise of the cicadas. I am most at peace when surrounded by the unspoiled things of God. Even if you are surrounded by craziness, you can focus on Jesus, and settle in His peace within the chaos. Think about Jesus today, and rest easy in His presence.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27

June 25

The town I live in used to be a small town. Over the years, it has grown immensely. There is a main thoroughfare that, at one time was a dirt road, because it is lined with very old houses that have now been turned into small businesses. This street that was once a dirt road is now four lanes and has a wide turn median, and a lot of cars travel down that road daily. Our thought path is similar to that old dirt road, the more we think about, and contemplate on certain things, the wider that pathway gets, and unless we change our mindset, it will become a four lane highway. If you constantly dwell on “poor me,” well, you’re going to be sad all the time. If you make your mind up that you’re going to make the best of what you have, your outlook on life will change for the better. As my post states, I’m speaking to those who follow Jesus, if you are speaking in a negative tone all the time, how does that reflect on Jesus? Why would anyone want to follow Jesus if they see you down all the time. Change your mindset to an attitude of gratitude, and make that four lane path a positive one.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8

June 24

We bought a tandem bicycle and had it about a year. The day we bought it, we took it for a ride in a park, and then never rode it again. It’s my own fault because I didn’t like the feeling of not being in control, plus I couldn’t see over Richard’s head. We sold it to a couple who will probably ride it until the wheels fall off! Life with Jesus is like being in the second seat of a tandem bicycle, if you truly love and trust Him. He controls the direction you go, you don’t get a full picture of what’s coming because He’s blocking your view, and He’s the one pedaling the most. Our best ride is when we take our feet off the pedals and let Him take complete control! Our worse ride is when we are the ones in the first seat, controlling the direction we go, and doing all the pedaling; we get worn out and lost. Relinquish control of your destiny to Jesus; He’s in control anyway, so why fight it?

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. James 4:10

June 23

When do you say enough is enough? How long do you endure the emotional pain inflicted by others? What if they say they are a Christian? God gave us scripture in 1 Corinthians 13 to explain what godly love should look like. It’s obvious that God doesn’t expect us to tolerate emotional abuse by overlooking it. The pain of emotional abuse may not cause you to bleed out, but it is just as painful, or may be more painful than a laceration, because no one will help you attend to that kind of pain; it's usually endured silently and all alone. The abuser who claims Christianity, is not walking in fellowship with God, and has distanced themselves from Him. Separation from the abuser, even if it’s just temporary for them to seek Christian counsel, may be the best course of action. Be careful that you do not sin while dealing with an abuser, and add to the pain of the situation. Maintain your own calm, and realize that the person inflicting the pain has probably endured the kind of pain they have transferred to you. You must stay in constant contact with God and seek His counsel as you walk out the steps to heal.

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 2 Corinthians 7:10

June 22

How do we fix our attention on Jesus so that we hear His voice more clearly? I always mention hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit, but did you know to hear the Holy Spirit is to hear Jesus? Did you know that He will reveal things that are going to happen? You know it’s true, because we’ve all gotten a twinge telling us not to do something and we go ahead and do it, and the outcome was just what that twinge revealed. That’s Jesus! You might call it intuition, but maybe, intuition is just another name for Jesus. I’m going to be open with you today; I’ve prayed to have the desire for Jesus like Mary, who chose to sit at Jesus feet and hear all He had to say. I can picture her with adoring eyes, and an open heart as He poured out His love to all of those around Him. We can have that kind of relationship with Him today through the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” We must fix our attention on Him! Yes, He will show up in a pinch, and give you a way out of sin, but to hear what He wants to reveal to us, we must set aside time for Him everyday.

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. John 16:13

June 21

I had bought a new patio umbrella because we had a lot of tree limbs cut away from the house, and now my patio is no longer shaded. This new umbrella seemed perfect until the rains started and it began holding water, so I ordered a new and improved umbrella, larger and more beautiful than the previous. I ordered it before I sent the old one back because I needed the box to return the other one in. I had waited one day too long and the return period was over! I called the company to see if anything could be done, and they allowed a refund, but also told me to keep the other umbrella and donate it! Now everyone is happy, especially my husband. The first umbrella is no longer useful because its cover didn’t allow the water to roll off, it collected it causing damage. However, the new umbrella sheds the water and it rolls right off as it should. The first umbrella is like the world and the new umbrella is like Jesus. Did you forget to take down the first umbrella, before putting up the new one? Is it collecting dirt and causing you damage? Take down the old one, you don’t need it anymore. Seek only the covering of Jesus, He is our perfect coverage.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

June 20

Yesterday, I noticed that there were small oak trees growing in my flower beds. The trees abundantly produced acorns, so many that it looked like mulch, and now those acorns are producing trees! I began to pull up, what seemed like hundreds of them. As an oak tree grows, the root grows deeper and deeper into the soil, making it much harder to pull out of the ground. Those tiny oaks are like our children and that’s why it’s important that children receive a firm foundation in the Lord in their early years, while the soil is loose and fertile. Once they are grown, it’s harder to change their direction, much like trying to dig up an oak tree growing in the wrong place. In most cases, the tree has to be cut down because it’s grown too deep into worldly soil. There are tools that can move a large oak, but it’s much more difficult, the roots have grown accustomed to the soil that it was growing in, and becomes entangled in its previous surroundings like chains. If the enemy feeds our children lies, and teaches them his ways, it is more than likely they will be bound by his chains. 

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. Deuteronomy 6:5-7

June 19

I can’t explain to you how important it is to have daily contact with the Father. It is expected! As a part of my daily prayer and worship, I have been following along with the Jewish reading of the Psalms. I’ve finished the Psalms of David and I’m now reading the Psalms of Asaph. One thing I’ve learned is, they complained a lot! We complain a lot too, but we don’t take our complaints to God as they did. They opened up their mouths, and blamed God for all of their troubles, asked Him to stop their enemy and give them favor, all while still praising Him. Do you know why? Because they know that He’s the only one who can fix it! Some of our trouble comes because we are Christians, and the enemy hates us, but maybe God is allowing our trouble because He’s trying to get our attention. I’m also reading the Psalms out loud. Reading aloud keeps my attention on the words, and it fills the air with precious songs, and causes the enemy to move away at its sound. Take everything to the Father, your complaints, your disappointments, your pain, and all things, but remember, above all, praise Him.

This is an example of their prayer and song that confirms my observation:

O LORD God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people's prayers? You have fed them with the bread of tears and given them tears to drink in full measure. You make us an object of contention for our neighbors, and our enemies laugh among themselves. Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved! Psalms 80:4-7

June 18

This nation is raging with the ungodly. I am overwhelmed with sorrow thinking that we may be losing the fight against evil in this day. To hear those I once knew as friends, cursing God as if He doesn’t exist, makes me cringe and feel a deep sadness. They don’t know Him, and His Holy Spirit doesn’t dwell within them, they are lost, they are sinners unredeemed. What’s more frightening for them is that some have heard the good news of forgiveness of sins through Jesus, and they’ve rejected Him. When they are prostrate before Him, He will remind them of the times they were told of Him and their rejection of Him, at that point it will be too late and He will sentence them to hell. Our time is very short here on this earth, and during this time we need to do everything possible to bring those we love and care about into the sheepfold, but once you’ve been rejected because of Jesus, shake the dust off and move on, just as He told you. The good news is, we will dwell with Jesus forever, and we win in the end!

And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. John 10:16

And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. Matthew 10:14

June 17

Is your anxiety so high that it causes you to feel like you’re taking on the world when you’re not? I was having a conversation with someone, and they expressed that they couldn’t keep cleaning up after someone who kept making messes. This person felt quite burdened, and overwhelmed. After mulling over this situation, I realized that the burden being felt wasn’t theirs to carry, and in fact they hadn’t done anything to clean up after the person making the mess. In their mind they were doing the work of cleaning when they had only thought about it. If you are feeling anxious about a situation, you might need a reality check. Tell someone your story, preferably someone who is less anxious than you, and have them give you their honest opinion. You may be fretting for no good reason. That overworked feeling was uncalled for. Maybe the same thing is happening to you, and you need to see it more clearly. If you can’t find a knowledgeable human to help you, ask God for clarity.

"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:34

June 16

When the water is really clear on the beach, it’s perfect for snorkeling. So I got out my new full face snorkel, looking like an alien, I began looking for sharks teeth. With the water being as clear as it was, I could see things I’d never seen before. I stayed in the shallows so I could filter through the gravel, and there in the gravel was a tiny fish cleaning the broken shells. Then I started noticing some unusual things, almost like a cloud coming over, but it wasn’t, it was a school of new fish that were clear, but all I could make out was an eye. And as suddenly as I saw this, another school of larger fish followed behind them in an eating frenzy. But that’s not all, another larger group was following them! It was an incredible sight, and a little eerie because they were eating each other, was I next?

Here is the comparison: The world is full of enemies, ready to gobble you up, but you have been chosen to be spared and grow in Jesus. Pray for boldness and don’t keep it to yourself. Spread the good news of Jesus, so that those who have also been chosen to be spared may come to know Him early on, before the enemy sinks his teeth into them leaving permanent bite marks.

I pray this for myself today, and you should do the same.

And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, Acts 4:29

June 15

There are no cars on Little Gasparilla Island, being there is no bridge to get to it, however, there are golf carts and a dirt path that runs the length of the island. There is little reason for it, other than to give you something to do in the evenings, like visit neighbors, deliver building materials, or explore. Our grandson and his momma are staying with us for the weekend, so we took them for a ride to see the sights, and like any child, he wanted to drive. He’s only four so he doesn’t quite reach the peddles, but his Pawpaw allowed him to steer. Let me tell you, it was quite a ride! We ended up in the bushes, and zigzagging all over the road, but that was the only way to teach him how the cart maneuvered, and that it was up to him to tell it where to go with the steering wheel. We were relieved when Pawpaw took over the steering because he knows how it works. 

This is how God teaches us. He sets us on the path, and allows us to do the steering, but when we run into the weeds, He will help us get back on track, headed in the right direction. Sometimes we have to let Jesus take the wheel, because alone we make wrong turns and get off of the path He sets before us.

“Behold, I go forward, but he is not there, and backward, but I do not perceive him; on the left hand when he is working, I do not behold him; he turns to the right hand, but I do not see him. But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold. My foot has held fast to his steps; I have kept his way and have not turned aside. Job 23:8-11

June 14

Early spring I planted a gardenia bush. It was loaded with blooms, more than I’d ever seen. However, when I transplanted it into the ground, about half of the blooms fell off. What I hadn’t realized is that the gardenia doesn’t like to be transplanted, and will sulk. Some of its leaves turned yellow and fell off, and a lot of the blooms never fully opened. It was sad. With the summer rain, it started producing new growth; it had acclimated to its new environment! But that’s not all! It has started producing new blooms! I can’t explain the overwhelming joy I felt when I saw a freshly opened bloom on this little tree, and then to see little buds all over it put me over the moon! 

In order to grow abundantly, sometimes you have to leave your small pot! You may not know why it’s happening, but God will sometimes move you out of your comfort zone because He knows you will flourish in your new environment. When we look back we can see why. Hang in there if you’re having some growing pains, God is still right there with you!

You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it. You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. Psalms 65:9-10

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. James 5:7

June 13

Although the legal definition of adultery differs in nearly every legal system, the common theme is sexual relations outside of marriage, in one form or another. Wikipedia

The woman caught in adultery was about to be stoned, but Jesus said to the group, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” Everyone walked away. But what I think we all forget is that he told her, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” He forgave her, but told her not to sin anymore! 

Everyone learned a lesson that day, the scribes and the Pharisees because none of them were without sin, but also the one caught in the sin, the woman. He wanted her to change her behavior.

Tread carefully my friends. We’re all sinners, but don’t get so upset with those who are trying to snatch you from the fire of hell. If you’re a man that wants to dress like a woman, or a woman that wants to dress like a man, you go ahead and do your thing (though the Bible says not to do that either, but the lines are quite blurred with the current styles), but don’t let it cross over into sin by having sexual relations outside of the Biblical definition of marriage, which is between a biological man and a biological woman.

If you’re a Christian and trying to help snatch someone from the fire, make sure you are doing it with love, and not hateful speech.

And then there is this, the reason why it’s important:

He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself. He will get wounds and dishonor, and his disgrace will not be wiped away. Proverbs 6:32-33

June 12

Our daughter “in-love,” Hannah, bought a new wagon for our grandson Trey. Inside the box was an advertisement for a red Tesla car for kids. Just like the adult car, it was quite expensive, and of course, he wanted it. He asked everyone to get it for him, but no one complied until he talked to his Pawpaw. Richard searched all over the internet to find him a red car, with no intentions of purchasing a $500 Tesla. He found one, a Mini Cooper, hoping it was in good condition, we drove thirty minutes to check it out. It turned out to be missing parts, and looked as though it had been in many collisions. It wasn’t good enough for our grandson. On our way home, we checked the internet again, and a Dodge Viper became available. We put the address in the GPS and journeyed again. This time the car was in excellent condition, worthy of our sweet grandson. The excitement in his eyes was worth all the trouble. 

Are you waiting for prayers to be answered? Trey doesn’t know the backstory of how we found his car, all he knows is that his Pawpaw got him a car. God also has a backstory to the prayers you’re waiting to have answered. There are things He’s working on right now, but the pieces must fall into place, so wait patiently. Bring all of your request before the Lord, no matter how trivial you think they are, then write them down, and watch the hand of God working in your life.

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. 1 John 5:14-15

June 11

Are you telling yourself the truth? There may be passions hidden deep within your heart that are causing you to do what you do. I’m asking myself this as well. I may be causing myself stress by searching for peace in places, and things rather than Jesus. 

My friend sent me a video this morning about a neurologist who went into a coma because of a brain infection. He had a heavenly experience that he attributes to something that goes beyond his brain, because his brain wasn’t functioning at the time. He was a nonbeliever that now believes! 

After watching this, the first thing that came to my mind was, the wisdom from above. Our brains help us function on this earth, but are nothing compared to the wisdom that comes from God, it is pure. 

My point this morning is to find your peace in Jesus, stop searching for places and things outside of Him. His peace is not in a physical place, it is in your heart, and it’s in the wisdom that comes from above that we cannot attain without Jesus and His Holy Spirit. Tap into that heavenly wisdom today and rest in the presence of the Lord.

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. James 3:17

June 10

Imagine living on a barrier island with no bridge. The early morning commute could get very complicated if a storm is looming, or if the heavens break open, and the wind is a torrent. Life would be interesting to say the least. Being perched on the bay side of the island this morning, got me to thinking about the difficulty of full time residency on an island such as Little Gasparilla. As with any other choice in life, you have to give weight to the things that are important to you. If living on or near the beach, and fishing is important to you, then you give weight to that, but if convenience is more important to you, then you give weight to convenience. My point is, we shouldn’t candy-coat the truth. Being a follower of Christ is not easy, and it’s getting more difficult day by day, because of the endless fight against the enemy. However, having peace in our soul, and the promise of daily communion with the Holy Spirit, and an eternity with our Savior, outweighs any tormenting we could face. Is it worth it? It most certainly is!

For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Luke 14:28