Roses have always had a special spot in my heart. Their beauty can brighten any day.
How can something so beautiful have a thick stem of thorns, and petals so delicate they
fall off easily? I realized what my grandmother meant. Our Savior went to the cross with
a thorn crown, forgave our sins like petals on a rose falling off, and He came back more
beautiful than ever, bringing with Him the most precious gift to us – eternal life.
Find your inner circle friends through God’s help and you can be a blessing to each
other through the good and bad times. They are God’s messengers on earth and a
lifeline.
I am human. Jesus gave us holy forgiveness by dying on the cross for our sins. He also
modeled how forgiveness looks like in our lives.
Peter betrayed Jesus three times as Jesus had predicted at the last supper. Following
His resurrection, as Jesus talked with Peter, He asked him three times, “Do you love
me?” Not, “Why did you do it?”
Jonah’s life was interrupted by God’s assignment to call Nineveh to repentance. How do
you respond to interruptions? I don’t always like them. Yet sometimes what we call an
interruption is actually divine intervention. We learn three key lessons from this.
Sometimes, I think we assume our spiritual development will happen automatically.
While growth can occur unexpectedly, most spiritual maturity comes from a desire to
know the Lord and His Word more deeply. We do not simply grow from spiritual
childhood into godliness without effort on our part—not for salvation, but certainly for
growth as a disciple of Jesus.
God whispered to my heart that sometimes, He needs us in the boat alone. Following
Him might mean parting ways with friends, family, or ministry partners who are heading
in a different direction. It isn’t easy; Christ-followers are often called to stand alone,
brave isolation, or even face persecution for the truth.
One way we become free of ourselves is through praise. True worship recognizes that
God’s character, not our preferences, is the center of worship. Miller writes, “There is a
key difference between the worship of God and superficial distractions. One is an
escape; the other is a return.” Rather than neglecting ourselves, she encourages us to
redirect our focus outward—to God and to others.
Every time I go to the beach, God uses the experience to teach me something about
who He is and how He works. In fact, He has been so faithful to do this that I now look
forward to each trip not only for the beauty and rest, but also for what He will teach
me—and perhaps allow me to share with others. I anticipate He will speak, and I come
ready to learn.
The Bible tells us to be on guard for all kinds of things. Satan’s schemes. False teachers. Pride. Apathy. Greed. Worldly ambition. Sinful desires.
We live in and around these things all the time. We may think they don’t really affect us. Then, one day, we turn around to find them closer than we think.
Back in 2023, I knew a small piece of the joy. Today, I sit with the fullness of all God was doing. And I’m overwhelmed by His goodness.
I saw several God-winks during my cancer treatment. Perhaps the most unusual was the Wienermobile. It came after surgery and before radiation.
I did a U-turn when I saw the Wienermobile. I hadn’t seen it up close since my 20s. I felt an unexplainable joy at this silly truck that took me back to a carefree time in my life.
God’s peace rushed over me. He had heard my prayers and sent this nurse to confirm it.
When fear strikes, ask God for peace and joy. Then watch how He shows up. You may see Him work through a stranger you’d never expect.
Maybe you are walking through something similar.
Ask God to keep you safe and hide you in His shelter.
Then, watch for God’s goodness in the land of the living. It does not always come like we expect. But it’s always there.
Have you noticed that hard and challenging circumstances can become easier when
you have a friend by your side? You can keep going when you have a friend who walks
beside you or encourages you.
The Bible compares a pleasant aroma to a friend’s wise counsel. A friend who invests in
your spiritual well-being is someone you desire to be around or strive to be like. These
people encourage you, give you sound advice, or set you straight when you are walking
away from godly truth. To have friends invest in you is a sweet aroma.
If we are not careful, we can allow our schedules, tasks, and demands to overshadow
the joy and beauty of friendship time. Don’t wait for an invitation, start the process.
True friendships know everything about you – the good, the bad, and the ugly – and
love you anyway. You enjoy life together, share countless stories, and encourage each
other to look more like Jesus
I have never been without a friend. The Lord has always brought me friends even
through the different journeys in life: moving away, disconnection, even death.
The Lord always provided a new friend to come into my life.
My son wants me to cut his hair. This is surprising. He likes his hair long. It’s not just long, but ponytail long. He could play a convincing role as Jesus. He does have beautiful hair. It is thick and shiny and wavy.
This verse is so comforting to us. We know that our God is good, and He works all things for our good. BUT . . . we also must remember that our good may include struggles and pain. Our good may be walking through that tough thing.
