I Am Jesus

In the scorched earth of the October 7th war and against the black shroud of inconceivable inhumanity, death,  and mourning, I unexpectedly discovered a riot of living and colorful resilience, hope,  and even joy among Israelis during our recent trip to the Mid East. I had not imagined this response, and it captured my attention…

A Second Book

This morning while picking up the house and getting ready for the day, it occurred to me with stunning, non-negotiable truth that this November I am turning 75! I did not wince at this serendipitous reminder. Pastor Olen Griffing, a very wise man, mentor, and friend told me once that it is only in your…

Firsts

My grandson, Emmett, wiggled and wiggled as I tried to put on his pajamas. His silly mood made us both giggle and fall on the bed with laughter. Then suddenly, Emmett grew quiet and still for a moment, and his eyes gleamed and grew as big as planets.  “Marmee, we saw Christmas lights tonight!”  “Yes, we…

Summing up 2024

And preparing for 2025! Poetical Christmas thoughts as I discern the times and transition into a new season. The Needless Loss I hear the whys within the questions And wait. I see the darkness within the night And grieve. I see the tears within the weeping And groan. I hear the cries within the screams…

Kneeling

I’ve spent a lifetime  bandaging my feet, partly from ill-fitting  shoes, traveling too  many miles in a day,  losing my way, making  a wrong turn, or  carrying too many  burdens. Also, there are the roads I’ve traveled  long just to gaze upon ancient stones, a rusted  filigree, or become dizzy with the scent of an …

Every Sparkle Shouts

It’s easy to look at the condition of the world and despair or grow cynical about the message of the birth of Jesus: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:14. At Bible Study Fellowship, we have been studying the book of Revelation. We just finished chapters 4…

Transformation

Transformation Is there any gold in the world more valuable than this— other than the golden moment when the red, red rose bled into the desert wasteland, transforming it into a green green garden? Bonnie Saul Wilks Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days.    The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring…

Go into all the world…

At age 14, Elizabeth Elliot of the missionary-famed book, “Through Gates of Splendor,” spoke at my church. She told the heart-wrenching and brutal story of her husband’s death, along with 4 other missionaries, at the hands of the Acau Indians in South America. She stayed on, along with her young daughter, after their deaths to…

The Zeal of the Lord

Here we are a number of years ago in Odessa, Ukraine, the birth place of the Messianic Jewish Bible Institute. “For out of Jerusalem will come a remnant, and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this,” (Isaiah 37:32). The above scripture was part of my…

The Frayed Hem

Earth’s latitude and longitude run as high as humankind’s intelligence and as long and wide as our strength and life span. Here we live caged.  We run the circled courses of these by the second—up and down and around—our machinations are profound. We are curing cancer and changing sexes, flying beyond the moon and putting steak sauce…