I have an opinion, but I don't have a microphone. I have a perspective, but I don't have a microphone. I have a solution, but I don't have a microphone. I have a voice, but I don't have a microphone. I have a plan, but I don't have a microphone. I have a way, but I don't have a microphone. I have a strategy, but I don't have a microphone. I have encouragement, but I don't have a microphone. I have an answer, but I don't have a microphone. I have an alert, but I don't have a microphone. I have a joke, but I don't have a microphone. I come with hope, joy and love, but I don't have a microphone ..read more

It would be nice to actually 'see' thankfulness, to have a visual representation of it... we'd all probably have pictures on our walls of it, photos on our phones, ornaments around our homes, and other tangible items that remind us of what thankfulness looks like.  But, today's devotional is not about what thankfulness actually looks like; afterall, it's not actually tangible, it's not something you can touch, hold, or grasp. Thankfullness is an attitude, it's a quality of your personality, and it is certainly a perspective of life around you.  Remember, Colossians 3:15 states; "And ..read more

Have you ever tried to listen to someone complaining, someone describing a horrible woe, anguish, or delimma? Many times in my life, I've encountered "that's over my head" dilemmas, or "I have no answer for that" questions, and even "that problem is just too complicated to know where to start" predicaments, and they all leave me discouraged, disappointed in myself, or even worse just completely helpless and somewhat useless.  Now, depending on the predicament (significance), you can just 'chock it up to experience' and keep moving along.  But, there are many, many times this occurs a ..read more

"Blood is thicker than water", "Friends don't let friends...", "Until death do us part", and a small flurry of other 'no matter what you do' sayings that define how permanent many relationships are. But, they are faulty; because there is separation, there is division, there is abandonment in this world. Somehow, somewhere, sometime, there is something you will do, or something someone will do to you that will cause you to distance yourself... for good or bad, we all experience 'conditional love' and brokenness in our lives. Unfortunately, it sets the stage for distrust toward God, too. Jesus t ..read more

Not sure how you grew up, but me... I'll bet I was well into my teens before 'the future' really crossed my mind. Sure, I worried about attending an upcoming concert, the weekend camping trip, maybe even a hint of a concern about the weather for a vacation trip. Otherwise, I don't recall being all too worried about 'where' dinner was coming from, let alone who was making it, not to mention where those ingredients were coming from. As I've aged... not so much! Retirement, Investment Strategies, Conservation, Vacation or Days Off Planning... and small flurry of other 'worries' about a career, th ..read more

Yes... at first glance that does seem like a questionable title for a devotion, but today we are getting encouragement about keeping our contact with the Lord current, consistent, and much more second natural in our lives. The thing about 'pleasure points' is that there are countless points through our day when we receive/obtain pleasure, satisfaction, or even just comfort through things we do, things we consume (eat, drink, inhale, etc), and even the interaction we have with others. The amount of the pleasure isn't the key factor for this devotional... just that we consider that we have them ..read more

God doesn't tear down any barriers we put up between Him and us. God doesn't set up any barriers between us. Now, is it just me, but isn't it odd we aren't very, very close to God? The only barriers keeping us apart are our own! Sure, physically close is not part of the equation, but it seems like we'd be much more spiritual, much more content, and certainly much more 'heavenly minded' than we are as a people, let alone as individuals. Mostly, one of the key things that keeps us from being closer and having a more consistent fellowship with him is actually life itself! I mean, we fuss over o ..read more

It is very, very simple to choose peace. It is quite a whole other thing to apply that choice! Consider the last time you had a gut-wrenching decision to make... many times, that quickening from our Lord IS the path He wants you on, but too often we choose something safer, something less ridiculous appearing (to those around us), and maybe even something not quite so challenging for our lives. His peace is at stake, so just how do you chose that path, and stick with it? Our devotional today reminds us that His presence in our lives is a perpetual and consistent sounding board of His love in ou ..read more

I know, the typical phrase is, "synchronize your watch", so pardon me as I make a spiritual reference to that well established phrase. Way too many times through my day, through my week, through my life I have gotten my spirit sort of out-of-sync. Something of a disjointed feeling, or 'pending doom', or maybe even just an unsettled and restless feeling of anguish, fear, and/uncertainty... and I finally hear 'that still small voice', and get linked back up with the Lord, and sort of Synchronize My Spirit. Something of a 'balance of life' occurs, and my soul is rested and comforted again. See, P ..read more

How many times have we heard that? Someone telling us to be quiet so we can 'hear that'; like we can hear what they are hearing... or, think they are hearing. Yet, we attempt to eliminate 'other noises' to better help us identify 'that sound'. Our devotional today goes along those same lines... quieting ourselves so we 'can' hear the very voice of God... the calling... the leading. Now, not just anyone can hear God's voice... not just anyone can follow His leading... it's not a coupon, or some promotional sale thing going on. Life in and with the Lord is unique, special, many would say 'ordain ..read more