Is Forgiveness Even Possible? Does (My) Sin Matter? Intriguing question, no doubt. And of COURSE, the answer is “yes”. Today, let’s dig a little deeper to understand more of the significance of that question. Also, read to the end where I’ll be sharing a link to another one of my songs from the day I […]
Does (My) Sin Matter? Read More »
Have you ever noticed that God often seems to take His own sweet time in fashioning our lives and hearts? Perhaps like any true masterpiece, painstaking patience is often necessary when aiming at perfection. Mysterious, Methodical Manifestations For now, suffice it to say that often in the Christian walk of faith, God’s ways seem somewhat
Mighty Works in Progress Read More »
Have you ever noticed that the “hardest” words to hear are often the truest, most profound and ultimately life-giving? Your Best Life The internet is absolutely FULL of people promising you your best life, success and phenomenal growth if you follow a certain success formula. Not to say that that type of growth DOESN’T happen.
Brace Yourselves for Your Best Life Read More »
Have you ever been tempted to ask the age-old question, “Why me?” Has the Holy Spirit within you ever prompted you to ask in return, “Why NOT me?” I recently had an interesting personal experience that some would see as somewhat catastrophic. I’ll tell the story here, but suffice it to say, the Lord has
It is Well With My Soul Read More »
What Do You Bring to the Table? If you were invited to a pot-luck dinner, what would you bring? We’ve recently had a couple of those types of events at our church, and the spread of food was abundant, varied and delicious, as each person contributed what they could to make it a blessing to
What are You Offering? Read More »
It was two years ago today (as I write this on 2/6/2025) that my sister and I sat beside our Dad as I softly sang (a capella) “Daddy’s Little Girl(s)…” and he breathed his last. A moving moment indeed. One that has surely been echoed in many other lives over the past few years. It’s
How Does Your (Spiritual) Garden Grow? Do you seek the abundant life mentioned by Jesus in the Bible? Let’s take a few minutes and look in the Scriptures to find some clues as to Who is truly in charge of this thing called “Life”. At the end, I’ll share another one of my featured songs,
The Master’s Garden Read More »
Want some increased clarity and discernment in your daily life? Do you have a hard time hearing the “still small voice” whispering to you because there’s a horrendously loud and shrill ringing in your ears? Is the true intent of your heart not getting through to others because your conflicting attitudes and actions are drowning
Have you ever noticed that it takes no effort whatsoever to grow an abundant crop of weeds in your garden, but it takes much planning, focus and effort to keep your garden beautiful, healthy and fruitful? Does that tendency remind you at all of your own life, the Church or even our government/society? In continuing
Thorns and Thistles Read More »
Do you know that your way is not hidden from the Lord? At times it can surely feel that it IS hidden from His sight. Have you ever felt that way? Do you know that He can spread the fragrance of Christ in the midst of the deepest, darkest valley of your life? The God
Freedom This week, in carrying on with our gardening theme and celebrating our Independence Day (July 4) in the United States, it seems timely to discuss a little bit about the freedom that we celebrate in the earthly realm, in our “free” country, which affords us the opportunity to even speak of these types of
Have you become a “new creation”, changed to your core and in your very essence, by One who has planted the seed of His Holy Spirit deep in the soil of your heart? Do you believe that God can not only make YOU into someone who reflects the image of His Son, but also work
Genuine or Counterfeit? When given a choice, do you prefer the real thing or an imitation? Genuine money or counterfeit? An actual rainbow in the real sky, no matter how faint … or a colorful, gaudy fake representation, short on colors and substance? A plant that actually bears a harvest or one that looks just
Do you desire for the “garden” of your life to be flourishing, but find that destructive critters keep digging up everything you try to plant? Do the challenges, failures and set-backs of this life find you hiding FROM Christ, or is your life hidden WITH Christ in God? Let’s explore that today… Song of Songs
This week’s blog and podcast is taking a bit of an unexpected turn once again. Perhaps I should start getting used to that! The Lord seems to steer things in a different direction so often, and it does make it interesting at times, to say nothing of getting a little figurative whiplash! This is a
Blossom as His Garden Grows Read More »
Empty or Full? Are your sails empty or full? And while we’re at it, how’s your tire pressure? Have the tires that help you navigate the rocky roads of this life become deflated? Has the wind in your sails become so seemingly non-existent that you’re sitting out in the middle of the lake of life
This blog post is associated with the podcast that can be found here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shining-river9/episodes/11-Wake-Up-e2ib09u Sorry this blog entry took so LONG to get posted! Taxes caused an extra delay, but now, this is ready to be posted after an important housekeeping issue: This week is a bit different than my normal routine, because TOMORROW (4/18/2024)
Wake Up–Can You Hear Him NOW? Read More »
What is Meditation? Have you noticed how our culture and the “world” seems to increasingly attempt to co-opt certain terms that Christians use to apply to “good” things? Words like “meditate” or “woke” (as opposed to being “awake”). Today, let’s “meditate” on meditation:). The Bible often speaks of meditating, but not in the way that
Escaping Through the Flames Do you hear Jesus knocking? OPEN THE DOOR! Escape the flames! Would you rather have a flame that perfected you in the sight of God, or one that destroyed you? I know my answer! In the Spirit, there are doors to OPEN, and doors to SHUT or KEEP SHUT. It may
Yesterday it was one year since my father passed away. I have trouble believing a year has passed already! Even in the midst of it all, God has been good. I recorded a podcast yesterday, which was posted today, and I’ll link to it below. I also posted a video of the podcast on my
Painter of the Heavens Read More »