Hope-Full Living

Life is stressful. Recently I was faced with a decision that would affect my future. No one could make the choice for me. But as I sat contemplating the answer, I was reminded that I am not alone in it. The weight of the question didn’t rest fully on me. My Lord stands waiting for me to ask, and he will answer. The promise pinged in my memory. “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20). And “Do not be...

A valid question. The disciples knew Jesus well. They had listened as he opened scripture to them. They had seen him heal great numbers of people. They stood witness as he cast out demons. He raised a widow’s son from the dead. What part of his limitless and loving care for people didn’t they get? Whenever you’re faced with new fears and challenges, look back. How many years have you walked with J...

No doubt there are times in your past that you would like to forget. But what does God want you to remember about the past? Job had a lot of things in his past that he wanted to forget. God wanted Job to remember these words recorded in Job 19:25, “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.” God wants you to remember what he did in the past — that he sent Jesu...

When I was a seminary student, we were assigned to a local congregation where we did what was called “field work.” Often, as the pastor preached, he would look off into the distance, and say the words, “My church, my church, my dear old church, my Father’s and my own! On prophets and apostles built. And Christ our cornerstone. All else beside, by storm or tide, may yet be overthrown. But not my ch...

The Creator of heaven and earth created male and female in his own image, the image of God. God is our Heavenly Father! Adam and Eve didn’t know what sin was in the Garden of Eden. God gave them the gift of a world of love to care for. Man continues, even today, to disobey God’s Commandments. The Devil is at work to lead us on a dark path away from God. God loves us so much that he sent his own So...

One morning after the Resurrection, Jesus prepared a seaside breakfast of grilled fish and fresh bread. As the disciples climbed from their fishing boats and eventually recognized him, surely smiles spread across their tired faces. After the meal, they shared conversations with Jesus and later fulfilled the mission he had given them. We can enjoy breakfast — or any other meal — with Jesus. Alone o...

Have you ever felt alone? No visitors, no one to talk to? Sometimes we feel forgotten. Feelings can lead to wrong thinking. Wrapped up in ourselves, we lose sight of God’s truth: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5); “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20); “Fear not for I am with you ... I am your God ...” (Isaiah 41:10). These promises help us focus on re...

As older people, we spend more time coming and going to places we haven’t always been. Earlier in life we spent more time making trips to destinations like school events, sporting venues, or even vacation spots. Now it seems our visits find us going to doctor’s offices, hospitals, or other places associated with the effects of aging. We may need others to come with us because we aren’t able to dri...

The scheduler on the other end of the phone says, “The doctor can see you six weeks from tomorrow.” You sigh and ask, “Nothing sooner?” Response is, “We can put you on a cancellation list.” Sound familiar? We are not built to wait. The future is ahead of us, and we want to get going. We want to know what is coming next and what the future will hold. God has promised us a bright future in his hands...

Martin Luther’s early years were dark. He was plagued by the guilt of his sin, rightly understanding that he did not, and could not live up to God’s standards. Nor can we. Seeing this truth clearly brings us to our knees before Almighty God trusting his grace, that unearned, unchanging love. Grace is ours through the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus. We cling to Jesus by faith, a gi...

The graces and blessings we receive are God’s gifts to us. His greatest gift is Jesus Christ. God gave his only Son over to death to be forever present in our lives. Through Jesus, God gives us all that we need to live in union with our Lord so that we may enter the Kingdom of Heaven. With Jesus present, we have heaven on earth. Do we ever take this divine gift for granted? What our Lord gives us,...

I open a scrapbook and trace the photos of my childhood. Some of the memories now only exist in photos, but I can still remember rolling in a mud puddle and flying through the air on a rope swing. How do I recall the deeds of God? I open his “scrapbook,” the Bible. I see God creating a world where his people could live in the joy of his presence. I see sin entering the world; people turning away f...

The excitement was palpable as I drove my husband and two friends to the Hong Kong airport to do teacher training among the Karen people of Northern Thailand. This was Michael’s second trip and the first for our friends. Upon arrival in Bangkok, the group traveled via jeep and river to the teaching site, a 15-hour journey over unfriendly terrain! The day before their expected return, I received an...

Fall is another word for autumn, the season we are in right now. Fall can also refer to the way we became sinful human beings. For many, fall is a “four-letter word” as we fear losing our balance and landing on the ground. Our rehab centers are filled with people dealing with results of a fall. It is a real fear! The good news is that despite our hu- man frailties, which cause us to “fall” literal...

Several months ago, nerve pain increased in my legs. I began taking Tylenol daily to lessen that pain, but it worsened to the point where walking was difficult. Physical therapy helped, but I now use a walker for stability. My husband also uses a walker, so I have good company as we stroll down the hall together to meals and activities. Recently, arthritis in my right hip caused severe pain, keepi...

My childhood home is now a “Michigan Centennial Farm,” purchased by my great grandparents in 1921. My brother and sister-in-law are fourth-generation farm owners. God has sustained our family in hardship and blessed us in good years. In the hymn, we sing, “O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Be Thou our guard while life shall last And our eternal home!” God has provided for o...

I felt alone with no help in sight. Anxiety about work responsibilities smothered me. My mind bounced from one problem to another, and my racing heart kept in step. When I walked outside to view the mound of leaves that needed attention, a cool autumn breeze blew across my face, prompting me to look up. Fluffy cumulus clouds paraded across the blue sky. I took a deep breath and remembered I was no...

What are our thoughts when we respond joyfully? Our encouraging attitude brings excitement to the group and fills all with enthusiasm. We may hear, “We really appreciate your presence among us.” Discernment is detected even before speaking. The gift of anticipation of what is coming next makes us feel that the living and active God is present. Jesus’ redemptive life, death, and resurrection comple...

Sunday Bible class was blessed with a semi-truck driver passing through town. He was willing to share a prayer, and the events of his trucker’s life in an entertaining, enlightening way. Dave shared how he and other truckers would gather for a moment of prayer as their day started. Weekend driving found him looking for a church to attend. He shared that if he didn’t start every day with a devotion...

My husband’s grandfather went about on horse and buggy in his youth. When he was in his nineties, astronauts landed on the moon. He said, “Bah humbug!” I remember thinking of air travel as a rare, coveted experience; now we hop on an airplane as if boarding a bus. Change! Wars and rumors of wars (Matthew 24:6) accelerate change and history repeats itself. Israel didn’t learn; neither does the mode...

Sunny wasn’t a widow, but she was thrilled to read an advance copy of her friend Teresa’s devotional book for widows. Several of her friends had lost husbands, and she knew a resource like this would be helpful. Sunny never imagined, three months after she read the book, that she’d be one of the widows who needed Theresa’s help and inspiration. Thankfully, God did. In his sovereignty, he provided...

It seems that trouble of all kinds is mounting. The world isn’t what it used to be. Or is it? Truthfully, the same maladies we see today have tormented the world since man fell into sin. Exploring history, we find that the devil has very few plays in his playbook — variations on the same themes. Thankfully, God has a playbook too. It contains just one strategy guaranteed to achieve victory over Sa...

The island was large, the lake much larger. Even when the forecast is good, squalls can happen. That was the scene one sunny day. We were caught in one of those unexpected squalls, donned our life jackets, offered up some ragged prayers, and hoped we wouldn’t be smashed against the rocks. There it was, a large group of rocks with trees, perhaps shelter, a mini-island of sorts, precariously close t...

As a former schoolteacher, I drilled verb tenses into my mostly disinterested students. Some of them didn’t care about “past,” “present,” and “future” tenses. But God does. As we age, we think about how our frailties can impact our future. Let’s see what Scripture has to say about God’s verb tenses. Isaiah 43:1 reminds us of God’s faithfulness in the past when he says, “I have called you by name.”...

According to his human nature, Jesus grew hungry and thirsty. He knew what it was like to feel exhausted, so as he crossed the Sea of Galilee with his disciples, he fell asleep. A storm came up and waves threatened to swamp the boat. The terrified disciples cried out to Jesus for help. He woke up and calmed the storm — and his disciples! Like the frightened disciples, we cry out to Jesus in times...