It is not what God needs to do for us, but what we can do for our King, no matter how small, uncomfortable and unpleasant it might be.

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But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. Psalm 33:11 We visited the Vatican on a hot July day, along with thousands of tourists from all over the world who swarmed into St. Peter’s Square. As we shuffled our way down one gallery of the Vatican museum, it seemed impossible to appreciate the contents. I peeked over heads, trying to capture the essence of the vast collection of tapestries lining the walls. I strained my neck to look at the paintings, resembling carvings, which covered the ceiling. Then one tapestry caught my eye. In it, soldiers held swords overRead More →

When you doubt, when you fear, when you wonder if God is doing what he can to keep you safe, slip inside those strong, solid walls. Let God fight for you.

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Give me movies about castles and knights set in the wilds of medieval Britain, and I am happy. Unfortunately, none of my family shares my enthusiasm. So, I rarely watch them. This summer, though, I stepped into the real world of medieval fortresses, palaces and tales of knights in shining armor. It wasn’t in Britain but on the Greek island of Rhodes, surrounded by the sparkling blue seas of the Mediterranean. Inside the walls of the beautifully preserved medieval city, I let my imagination run loose. The city with its Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights looked in near perfect condition. I craned myRead More →

Put your effort in that which lasts forever.

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The grass withers, the flower fades; nothing lasts except the word of our God. It will stand forever. Isaiah 40:8 (VOICE) Forlorn is the word that came to mind as we traveled in Crete. Half built houses lined the road. The lower floors had been constructed. They stood dull and lifeless—grey blocks with gaping holes where windows and doors should have been placed. Metal rods protruded from the top of the blocks, pointing up towards the blue sky—waiting in anticipation for the next floor to be built, yet never came. Abandoned years ago, tall weeds now took over the building sites. Our taxi driver, whoRead More →

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But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure. James 3:17 (NIV) We sat on roughly hewn marble slabs in the shade of a tree and out of the scorching heat before we climbed the Acropolis in Athens. Our guide made sure we had water with us. Then, she began to tell us the history. The Parthenon temple on the hill of the Acropolis was built for Athena, the goddess of wisdom. A huge statue in gold and ivory stood in the temple. “The Greeks believed wisdom came from the head,” she said. The story is Zeus gave birth to Athena from his headRead More →

We live in God, we move in God, we exist in God.

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“For in him we live and move and have our being.” Acts 17:28 I struggled up the worn marble steps of the Acropolis in Athens in searing July heat. With each step, I reflected on the thousands of feet that had climbed this stairway before me. Not only the hundreds of tourists like myself eager to see the ancient temples at the top, but the thousands of worshippers in the time of the Greek empire. They came to the Parthenon and Erechtheion—the two temples—to give reverence to their god and goddess, Athena and Poseidon. Halfway up our group passed through a towering white marble entrance. I felt small. WeRead More →

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Then he prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. Genesis 24:12 Too old for another long journey, Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for his son from among his relatives back in Ur. This was no ordinary servant, but the man in charge of Abraham’s household. We don’t know the manager’s name, but I will call him Agustin, which means “the exalted one.” Most likely, Agustin worked for Abraham since he was a little boy. He watched and learned from his master. Agustin remembered the first journey from Ur, when he helped pack upRead More →

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They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. Jeremiah 17:8 I woke the other morning to a text message: Check BBC. There have been bombings in Brussels. It was from my husband traveling on business and in a time zone ahead of me. It included a link to the BBC News web site. I read with horror about two explosions at the international airport and one at theRead More →

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Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34 There are two locations in Jerusalem where it is thought Jesus spoke these words. The first site is within the large and ornate Church of the Holy Sepulchre. At the top of steep stone steps is the Altar of Calvary. Here pilgrims line up to kneel and touch the rock believed to be where the cross of Jesus stood. The second setting is near the Garden Tomb. From one corner of the Garden you can see a craggy rock face. In it are hollows resembling the eyes and nose sockets of a skull, althoughRead More →

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Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord. Psalm 40:4 Trusting God might be easy to do when life is going well but when things get difficult, what happens? We cry out to God, but when the going gets tough we may also be tempted to turn away from God. So, how do we keep trusting God? The Israelites, after the initial euphoria of liberation from Egypt, found themselves led by God into the desert. He did it for their protection and well-being. Exodus 13:17-18 Yet, living conditions in the desert were wearisome. Desert-like living conditions can test our faith in God. [tweetthis]Desert-like living conditions can test our faithRead More →

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I am pleased to share a sample of my brand new devotional e-book based on what God showed me during my recent trip to the Holy Land.  Focusing on ten ways that Jesus taught us to live differently, the e-book is filled with over 40 full-color travel photos and scripture graphics, thoughtful reflection questions and historical context to put you on the scene as Jesus brought a new way of living to his times and ours.  If you’d like the complete e-book emailed to you, click here to request your free copy.  Approach God Differently To get to the Western Wall in Jerusalem, you have to enterRead More →