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Archive for the ‘God’s Provision’ Category

How to Jump-Start Your Joy

Posted in Appreciation, Blessings, Encouragement, Faith, God's Goodness, God's Provision, God's Salvation, Joy, Renewing the Mind, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on June 25, 2026| 22 Comments »

Most of you who read this blog accept the Bible as truth. You’ve considered the evidence, including:

  • thousands of archaeological discoveries, giving evidence of the people, places, and ancient civilizations mentioned in the Bible. Nothing has been found to disprove scripture.
  • such ancient manuscripts as the Dead Sea Scrolls, dating back to 150 BC to 68 AD, that include at least excerpts from every Old Testament book except Esther.

These factors and others support your Christian faith. As a result, you’ve accepted the reality of such scripture as John 3:16:

You’ve believed in Jesus and accepted him into your life. You love him for what he’s done for you and continues to do, including forgiving your sins, encouraging your spirit, granting peace of mind, as well as providing the gift-of-all-gifts, eternal life.

Yet sometimes the joy Jesus promised (John 15:11) seems elusive.

Perhaps you’re overworked and underpaid by your employer. Tension within the extended family causes constant stress, or your teenager argues against every boundary like a relentless, prosecuting attorney.

Each of us needs to jump-start our joy some days—to defy the discouraging circumstances we face.

But how do we do that? Three simple actions can begin the turn from upset to uplift.

You’re no doubt familiar with them, but:

See if these three actions seem good to you:

REFLECT ON GOD’S GOODNESS

Joy starts to percolate when we identify the gifts and favors God continually bestows, as a result of his holy character. For example, we might see:

  • His devoted care (Psalm 145:20a), expressed through the compassion and support of family and/or friends
  • His undying hope, as the sun breaks through thick clouds, reminding us that he specializes in turning darkness into light (2 Samuel 22:29)
  • His loving attentiveness (Psalm 34:15), in the kindness of a stranger who “pays it forward” at the coffee-shop drive-thru
  • His incomparable strength (Psalm 27:14 ISV), enabling us to wait with faith for his perfect plan to unfold
  • His tender encouragement, often bestowed through such scriptures as Psalm 118:6a; 7a:

REST IN GOD’S PROMISES

Perhaps like me, God has led you to a perfect Bible promise during a season of challenge.

I remember fighting heavy fatigue when our third baby seemed perfectly content with intermittent power naps–even at night. The promise of Isaiah 40:29 became especially meaningful: “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”

However, God didn’t infuse me with miraculous energy. Neither did our youngest begin sleeping from sunset to sunrise.

God’s way was to give me just enough strength for each day. His promise held, and in the process I learned deeper reliance on him and greater perseverance.

REJOICE IN HIS BLESSINGS

Spurgeon’s statement above raises the question, how many blessings do you suppose we’ve missed because we’re distracted by our dilemmas?

Author John Eldredge would have us “drink in beauty wherever we can get it—in music, in nature, in art, in a great meal shared. These are all gifts to us from God’s generous heart. Friends, those things are not decorations to a life, they bring us life” (from Wild at Heart).

So drink in the blessing of that worship song, that majestic tree, that inspired painting, those delightful moments at the family dinner table, chattering and laughing together.

These represent just a smattering of gifts that God bestows every day, demonstrating his goodness which he promised long ago:

And by reflecting on that goodness, resting in such promises, and rejoicing in God’s blessings, we can surely energize our spirits and jump-start our joy!

What joy-starters work for you? Please share in the comment section below!

(Image credits: http://www.worldhisotry.org (Keven Eng); http://www.canva.com; http://www.pickpik.com; http://www.rawpixel.com; http://www.freerangestock.com (Paul Morris).

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Father of Light

Posted in Bible Study, Blessings, Encouragement, God's Goodness, God's Provision, Meditation, Praise, Renewing the Mind, Uncategorized, Worship, tagged , , , , on June 11, 2026| 26 Comments »

You, oh God, are resplendent with light

as if full of fire—

blazing with power, dazzling in majesty,

shimmering in an aura of glory (1).

You are the Father of lights—

the Creator of sun, moon, and stars.

from the moment You spoke them into being,

the heavenly lights have never ceased to shine (2).

Neither has your Light of Goodness

ceased to shine upon your people.

You are loving and patient, generous and gracious,

always seeking the brightest, highest good (3).

You are the Light of my Salvation,

showing me the way to heaven through your Son, Jesus,

guiding me home through the twists and turns of life,

the dark shadows of uncertainty and fear (4).

You are the Light of Life,

providing Son-lit days of peace, joy, and contentment

as I avail myself of your calming presence,

and celebrate your continual gifts (5).

You are the Light of Truth,

who graciously shares his omniscient wisdom with his people.

Through your Word you expose falsehoods and evil.

You show me the best way to live—side by side with You (6).

You are the Light of Holiness—

Pure and perfect, completely separate from all else in the universe.

Through Jesus you already see me as perfect,

yet day by day you are molding me to be holy, like you (7).

You are the Light of Blessing,

making your face shine upon me

with grace, mercy, and compassion,

lovingly exercising your power for my benefit (8).

You provide the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God.

I find it when I seek your Son, Jesus.

His earthly life gives me a glimpse of your glory in human form–

a form I can more easily understand (9).

And now, you have made me a Child of the Light,

Called to reflect your glory to others,

shining brighter, I pray, as the years pass,

till the full light of day–inside heaven’s gates (10).

I praise you, oh God, that your Light shattered the darkness

of evil that first Easter morning—and for all time.

I praise you for the privilege of living in that Light,

Now and into eternity!

* * * * * * * * * *

  1.  Psalm 76:4; Ezekiel 1:28
  2. James 1:17
  3. Psalm 89:15, 34:8-9
  4. Psalm 27:1; 23:4
  5. John 8:12, 14:27; Psalm 16:11; Hebrews 13:5
  6. Psalm 43:3; 119:105; Proverbs 6:23; Ecclesiastes 2:13
  7. Isaiah 5:20; Romans 13:12
  8. Numbers 6:24-26
  9. 2 Corinthians 4:6
  10. Philippians 2:15-16; Ephesians 5:13; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Proverbs 4:18

(Revised and reblogged from June 2, 2016.)

Image credits: http://www.canva.com; http://www.publicdomainpictures.net; http://www.canva.com; http://www.dailyverses.net; http://www.canva.com; http://www.pxhere.com.

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When God’s People Pray

Posted in Courage, God's Faithfulness, God's Goodness, God's Grace, God's Power, God's Protection, God's Provision, Prayer, Seeking God, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on May 14, 2026| 40 Comments »

Harry Leigh-Dunmore listened to waves strike the shore and gulls shriek overhead. A year ago, he mused, I’d have considered this a lark, sitting on the beach under a sunny sky.

But this was May 25, 1940, and Harry found himself waiting on the French coast for rescue while dozens of German panzer tanks barreled westward toward him and more than 300,000 others of the British Expeditionary Forces gathering on the beaches of Dunkirk.

The Germans had blitzed through Belgium, Holland, and southern France, surrounding the Allied forces and leaving them stranded on the coast.

Rumors spread that ships from Britain would soon rescue them, but how could such an effort be mounted in time and for so many? Harry dared hope they’d find a way.

In the distance, he and every other soldier heard the rumble of the Luftwaffe (the German air force) approaching again from the east.

Quickly they spread out and hunched down small and tight, to make themselves difficult targets. There wasn’t enough cover to protect them all.

Meanwhile in England, in spite of predictions that only 20,000 to 30,000 men could be rescued, Prime Minister Winston Churchill had sanctioned Operation Dynamo on May 20, to begin on Sunday May 26.

Vice Admiral Ramsay called for every boat or ship owner willing to participate in the dangerous mission, to gather their crafts around Dover on the southwestern coast. More than eight hundred began to assemble [1].

The plan called for smaller boats to shuttle the soldiers from the shallow waters of Dunkirk to larger vessels and naval ships anchored further out, that would then transport the men back to Dover. French ground forces and the RAF would provide cover.

King George VI, a man of strong faith, received briefing of the plan and the dire predictions. On May 24th he called for a National Day of Prayer to occur as evacuations would begin May 26.

Within hours of that call to prayer, Hitler halted that western-bound panzer assault, just ten miles or so from Dunkirk [2], in order to give the German infantry time to catch up [3].

German General Göring assured Hitler the Luftwaffe could decimate the beach-stranded soldiers, even though only one run per day was possible. (They had to fly from Germany and attack quickly in order to conserve fuel for the return trip [4]).

On Sunday May 26th as the rescue mission began, millions of Britons overflowed the churches into the streets, praying for God’s intervention on behalf of their boys.

On Tuesday, more stormy weather grounded the Luftwaffe. Wednesday brought uncommonly calm waters in the English Channel, making it possible for the smallest of boats to participate in the rescue and make the crossings quickly.

When the storms subsided, fog rolled in. The Luftwaffe still couldn’t fly. In fact, for the ten days boats and ships crisscrossed the English Channel, the German pilots only had two and a half days of good weather for attack.

Even then their efforts were often stymied. One group of about four hundred men suffered machine-gun fire and bombing from about sixty aircraft. Not a single man was killed [5].

Another soldier related that many of his comrades knew Psalm 91 by heart. During the Luftwaffe attacks they shouted the verses together [6].

When each Luftwaffe attack subsided, the scattered men would return in orderly fashion to their places in the lines [7].

Meanwhile, a breeze took the smoke from the German bombs and protected from view the soldiers loading onto boats [8].

By June 4, the mission was complete. Yes, there were casualties, but the British had evacuated 338,226 soldiers, including approximately 140,000 French, Belgian, Dutch, and Polish troops [9].

“Battle of Dunkirk” (1940) by Charles Ernest Cundall

Harry Leigh-Dunmore was among them. After a three-hour crossing, he and hundreds of other soldiers were loaded onto a train. Harry promptly fell asleep; he awoke in Wales [10].

In fact, trains took the Dunkirk evacuees all over Britain.  Women’s organizations provided food and drink at railway stations as the trains passed through.

Once each train arrived at its destination, the men were taken to barracks made ready to house and feed them—another divinely-engineered feat of staggering proportions.

God had answered their prayers; he’d brought about the “the miracle of Dunkirk.”

King George designated the next Sunday, June 9, a Day of Thanksgiving. Citizens and rescued soldiers stood side-by-side in churches across Britain and sang together Psalm 124 [11]:

 

[1] https://www.godreports.com/2017/07/dunkirk-god-answered-prayers-in-miraculous-ways/

[2] https://www.christianstogether.net/Articles/200052/Christians_Together_in/Christian_Life/The_Miracle_of.aspx

[3] https://the-past.com/feature/was-dunkirk-really-a-miracle/

[4] tij.tv/shows/the-miracle-of-dunkirk

[5] https://www.standingforfreedom.com/2025/05/26/this-week-in-history-gods-miracle-at-dunkirk/

[6] https://kinshipradio.org/home/psalm-91-and-the-miracle-of-dunkirk/

[7] https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-involved/remembrance/stories/remembering-dunkirk

[8] https://guideposts.org/articles/angels-and-miracles/miracles/gods-grace/the-four-miracles-of-dunkirk/

[9] https://www.standingforfreedom.com

[10] https://www.britishlegion.org.uk

[11] https://www.christianstogether.net

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Sacred Hands Behind the Scenes

Posted in Appreciation, Blessings, Encouragement, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Goodness, God's Provision, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on April 23, 2026| 40 Comments »

Just for fun, I pulled my God Is Faithful journal off the shelf and flipped the pages to several decades ago—years when Steve served in the pastorate, our three children still lived at home, and I was a stay-at-home mom, then teacher.

God certainly worked behind the scenes for our family and created magnificent poetry. Here are a few examples:

THE POETRY OF ANSWERED PRAYER

11-11-85 I prayed with N. concerning a worrisome visit with her disagreeable aunt that afternoon. The next day N. told me the visit went beautifully. No doubt God not only worked through N., but prepared her aunt’s heart also.

9-27-89 I’d been praying God would affirm Steve during a difficult season. On this date he received a kind and supportive note from a parishioner.

11-7-89 The books my students had ordered from Scholastic Books were long past due for arrival. I’d forgotten to xerox the order form and checks before sending them snail mail, and now had no proof-of-purchase. (This was before online ordering.)

That night I prayed for God to intervene for me. When I arrived at school the next morning, there was the book-order box on my desk.

THE POETRY OF GOD’S FAVOR 

6-18-86 A man came to our door with my wallet in his hand. He’d found it on the sidewalk several blocks away, where I’d somehow dropped it while returning home from an errand. (I’d walked in order to incorporate exercise into the day.)

I hadn’t even realized yet my wallet was missing!

1-13-88  I didn’t set the alarm properly, but awoke anyway the next morning—out of a sound sleep—at 5:15 on the dot, just when I was supposed to get up.

12-26-92 During our family Christmas Brunch (just the five of us—no visiting family), Steve asked the children what God had done for them in 1992.

E. said God had helped him become more focused and motivated at school. H. said he’d helped her feel better about herself and she’d been happier since the mission trip that summer. J. said he was thankful to go to a good school. 

We enjoyed a great time of family togetherness, focusing on God and his participation in our lives.   

THE POETRY OF GOD’S INTERVENTION

3 -25-88 I made it to Spring Break! In spite of 1,000 things to do in an impossible time frame, God brought me through. Actually, what He did was remove about 900 of those tasks!

I couldn’t believe how one thing after another took care of itself or was postponed. God worked out everything superbly.

6-1-89 I drove H. to ballet class in Steve’s new stick-shift Colt, so pleased that muscle-memory kicked in and we arrived with no mishaps or “frogging.” But after parking the car, I mistakenly left it in neutral.

When I came out of the school the car was not where I’d left it, but had rolled across the aisle into the matching spot on the other side, as if I’d parked there instead.

(Sometimes I feel like such a toddler in God’s family—he has to watch over me every minute!)

10-9-90 A contentious issue in our church came to a vote. We heard rumblings that some unhappy people were urging a “no” vote. But the discussion proceeded smoothly with a prevailing spirit of unity, and in the end a strong majority voted “yes.”

God had worked in people’s hearts; Steve felt as though we’d turned a corner.

5-29-92 I was registered to attend a week-long class, held at a hotel. When I arrived the desk clerk said the class had been canceled. Just then, another attendee, Ruth, approached the desk. We deliberated about what to do.

Though it was early evening on a Friday and the offices of the host school would likely be closed, we decided to call anyway. 

A woman just happened to be there who told us the location had been changed to another hotel. Ruth and I were among those who’d registered early, before the change, and somehow had never been notified.

*     *     *

God’s sacred hands do indeed weave poetry into our lives! And . . .

You’ve no doubt experienced episodes of God’s goodness similar to those described above. Please share an example in the comments below.

Your illustration of God-woven poetry may be just what someone else needs to read!

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Uplift

Posted in Bible Study, Blessings, Encouragement, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Goodness, God's Power, God's Promises, God's Provision, God's Refuge, God's Strength, Hope, Intimacy with God, Meditation, Peace, Praise, Prayer, Renewing the Mind, Seeking God, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on April 16, 2026| 48 Comments »

A prayer in the midst of distress:

Heavy concerns weigh upon my heart, Lord,

beyond my abilities to remedy.

My thoughts bounce from faith-affirmations 

to faltering “what-ifs.”

I wonder, “How long, O Lord; how long?” (Psalm 6:3)

And so I come, to curl up on your footstool (Psalm 132:7), 

to rest in your comforting presence ( Psalm 62:1),

to catch my breath, slow my heart rate, and

look to you for uplift in my mind and spirit (Psalm 145:14).

I hear your tender voice reminding me:

“I am watching over you (Psalm 121:8),

surrounding you with my unfailing love (Psalm 32:10). 

Just as I’ve promised in my Word,

I will provide guidance for the path ahead (Proverbs 3:5-6)

and the power to endure (Isaiah 40:29).

I am faithful in all I do, never forsaking those who seek me (Psalm 36:5; Psalm 9:10).

Remember, I have always been your help (Psalm 46:1);

I have always sustained you through every challenge (Isaiah 41:10).”

Thank you, Father, for your reassurances.

Already I feel strength returning to my soul (Psalm 138:3)

and hope cheering my heart (Psalm 94:19).

I praise you for your attentiveness (Matthew 10:29-31)—

your watchful care, unfailing love, and reliable guidance, 

your unstoppable power, everlasting faithfulness, and ever-ready help.*

I picture you reaching down,

cupping my chin in your hand,

and lifting my head to look into your eyes (Psalm 3:3)—

eyes that speak-without-words of your love,

compassion, patience, and forgiveness.*

And in my heart I hear you reaffirm:

“Know this:

As you come into my presence and

allow me to lift your head (Psalm 3:3)—

To encourage, edify, and inspire your spirit,

I will bestow multiple blessings, including:

ALLEVIATION—

As I firmly support you to bear these burdens (Psalm 68:19),

ANTICIPATION—

for the intervention I can provide (Isaiah 64:4),

CONSOLATION—

to ease the distress (Matthew 11:28-29).

INSPIRATION—

to press on with confidence (Galatians 6:9),

LIBERATION—

 from crippling guilt and nagging doubts (Romans 8:1; Isaiah 41:10),

MANIFESTION—

of my comforting, empowering presence (Psalm 23:4), and

RESTORATION—

of hope to fuel your spirit and faith to carry on (Isaiah 40:31).

“Then the uplift of your spirit will become evident

In the uplift of your face (Proverbs 27:19),

as trust supersedes concern, and

expectation displaces doubt.”

I praise you, Lord—

You’ve heard my cry for mercy.

You are my strength and shield;

my heart trusts in you, and you help me (Psalm 28:6-7).

Hallelujah!

*Psalms 103 and 145 celebrate many of God’s awesome attributes.

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The Favor of God

Posted in Blessings, Encouragement, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Goodness, God's Promises, God's Provision, Uncategorized, Waiting on God, tagged , , , , , , , , , on March 19, 2026| 51 Comments »

(An addendum to one of the stories in last week’s post:)

“John just called,” Steve informed me.  “He and his wife Peg will be in town on business this weekend, and want to visit the church on Sunday. What would you think of inviting them for dinner afterwards?”

‘Let me check with Mom—‘see if she can help,” I responded. “It would be nice to get acquainted with them ahead of our move.”

John served as chairman of the staff-parish relations committee for the new church Steve had been appointed to. In seven weeks we’d be moving from west coast to east coast in Florida, as determined a couple of months previously by those in charge. 

The visit in late April was arranged and dinner planned. My dear mother helped with preparations, since we were already stretched quite thin with Steve’s church responsibilities, mine as an elementary teacher, our three kids, and packing already underway.

As some of you know, we lived in parsonages during Steve’s ministry. Until 2010 or so, these clergy-homes were also supposed to be furnished.

At the time of this move we lived in a lovely middle-class home that fit the current guidelines for parsonages.

This house (over 2000 square feet), included four bedrooms, and even a study. It leant itself well to holding meetings in the living room while the children could be in a separate family room.

Three years previously the church had purchased the house and some new furniture. This is the home that John and Peg saw, as we enjoyed getting acquainted with them.

John would tell us later he was struck by the contrast between our current home and the one we’d be moving into—with approximately 1200 square feet of living space and long-outdated furniture. 

Storage would be another problem, given the insufficient kitchen cabinets, small closets, the detached garage (where bugs and critters could create havoc), no attic, and of course no basement in Florida.

John knew the time had come to provide their pastor a home similar to what other professionals with three-year advanced degrees own, that met the scripture-directive of “double honor for those preaching and teaching” (1 Timothy 5:17).

But John had to wait for the committee to meet and funding to be appropriated.

Soon after John’s and Peg’s visit, Steve and I traveled across-state to tour their church and parsonage. That’s when we realized some of the challenges to come—in the deficient housing provided and in the church situation.

On the way home, we heard Jeremiah 29:11 quoted on the radio:  

Days later, a devotional suggested repeating “all the promises from God’s Word you can remember.” I determined to write in my journal as many as I could find that fit our circumstances. including:

I knew God would enable the five of us to thrive in the small house, or he’d provide another home. But I struggled with “what-ifs.”

Meanwhile, John rallied the staff-parish committee; they voted “yes” for a new parsonage. A week later, the administrative board passed a resolution to purchase a four-bedroom house and allocate funds for some new furniture.

Still to come: a church-wide vote, with the district superintendent presiding.

Of course, a few hiccups occurred. After one disappointment, I wrote: “We still have our promises from our never-failing God. . . I put my trust in You, Lord, by an act of my will, not by what I see happening! 

“You know our needs, you know what’s best for this church. Guide us into Your plan in Your timing, and give us wisdom and grace to accept whatever You have for us. We do want what you want!”

And I copied more scripture-promises.

In mid-June, the move into the small house went smoothly.

A week later the church-wide conference voted by a wide margin to relocate their parsonage. 

Mid-July our daughter and I flew to Austin, Texas to meet my newborn nephew. Steve called one evening to say a suitable house had been found, similar to our previous home but a bit smaller at 1800 square feet. The kids would love the pool. 

I trusted Steve’s appraisal, and agreed the church should make an offer.

As our children started school, we were settling into our new home—just two blocks down the street.

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Surprise!

Posted in Appreciation, Encouragement, Faith, God's Grace, God's Power, God's Provision, God's Strength, Maturity, Renewing the Mind, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on March 12, 2026| 44 Comments »

Our daughter-in-law’s alarm sounded at 4:00 a.m. a few Sundays ago. She needed to work on writing a grant, assigned to her on Friday and due the following Wednesday.

Of course, no time during the work-day had been provided. (How can bosses consider such directives appropriate?)

H. intended to accomplish several hours of work before church. But when she opened her laptop, a message proclaimed that a key code was needed.

WHAT key code?

H. checked her list of passwords; no code. And nothing she tried allowed her access. Finally she woke our son E., who’s quite computer-savvy. But he too was stymied.

H. got dressed and drove to her office to work there, frustrated by the time lost. E. continued his efforts to unlock the computer. He called Apple, but they couldn’t help without the code.

E. texted us to pray, then kept searching for a solution. About twenty minutes later he found what he called a back door, but still needed a password not on their lists.

“Lord, what might we have set as a password?” he prayed.

He sat for a few quiet moments, and suddenly, a scene from the first Ghostbusters movie popped into his head, when one of the characters used a password. E. typed it in:

And H.’s computer came back to life.

No doubt you tell stories of happy-surprises within your family, illustrating God’s attentiveness, generosity, power, and more.

But not all surprises fall into the “happy” category. 

UNHAPPY SURPRISES

They also come in the form of cancer diagnoses, family members announcing a divorce, or the company’s decision to relocate you across the country.

Doubts of God’s attentiveness and power begin to fester. What then? Debbie Macomber would challenge us to:

And Charles Spurgeon offers this nourishing faith food:

“We have gone through many trials. They have never been to our detriment but always to our advantage . . . He who has been with us in six troubles will not forsake us in the seventh. What we have known of our faithful God proves that he will keep us to the end.”

MIXED-BAG SURPRISES

A third category of surprises includes those that cause delight and doubt. 

For example:

L. had invited our family over for dinner a few weeks before we’d be moving across-state.

With her gift for interior design and crafting abilities, L. had created an inviting home. She showed me her guest room, recently refurbished and exuding a warm welcome, given the restful color-scheme, well-coordinated furniture, and attractive linens.

I oohed and aahed over L.’s surprise-display of her handiwork, truly happy for her success and the wherewithal to make it happen.

But I did wonder why she didn’t ask, “Nancy, are you feeling all right? You look a little green!”

Surely my face betrayed the envy in my heart for that beautiful room.

You see, we’d recently visited the parsonage* that our family of five would soon be living in—small, sorely lacking storage, with long-outdated furniture, and no color-scheme at all.

Not only was I struggling to say good-bye to a loving congregation, but also to the pleasant, new-to-us parsonage the current church had purchased and furnished just three years previously.  

Perhaps you too have struggled, when others enjoy circumstances you desire.  Again, the question arises:

What then? 

Since that night in L.’s home I’ve learned:

That would include prayer for the person we envy, that they might flourish. No doubt you’ve heard “prayer changes things.” That includes the person praying.

In addition, we can be attentive to what God has supplied and express gratitude for all he is and all he does—like the unknown Puritan did who wrote this prayer:

“When I think upon and converse with Thee, ten thousand delightful thoughts spring up, ten thousand sources of pleasure are unsealed, ten thousand refreshing joys spread over my heart, crowding every moment of happiness.”

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

I praise you, God, for the numerous happy surprises you provide.  And for those times when surprise comes through difficulty, I praise you for your ministering presence, providing wisdom, grace, and strength. May I be faithful to avail myself of your enablement. 

*A home provided by a church for their pastor and family, sometimes furnished.

Image credits: http://www.pickpik.com; http://www.canva.com; http://www.freerangestock.com (Enieda Nieves); http://www.ropbymhome.com (Pierce Martin); http://www.canva.com; http://www.dailyverses.net.

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Mother from Far Away

Posted in Courage, Dreams, God's Faithfulness, God's Goodness, God's Provision, God-Given Abilities, Heroes of the Faith, Perseverance, Service, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , on February 26, 2026| 33 Comments »

     

Maria (pronounced Ma-RYE-ah) Fearing and three friends stood at the ship’s rail, eager to see the coastline of their destination: Africa. For twelve days since leaving New York they’d waited not-so-patiently for this moment. Now it was almost upon them.

Maria remembered when missionary work in Africa first caught her interest. She’d been a teenage house slave and nanny for the youngest six children of the Winston family, on their plantation near Gainesville, Alabama. 

At bedtime, Mrs. Winston read Bible stories to her children as well as tales of missionaries like David Livingstone. How wonderful, thought Maria, to share about Jesus with people who’ve never heard of him before.

Slavery ended in 1865; Maria was twenty-seven. Becoming a missionary was still out of the question; she had no education. But Maria found employment in Gainesville as a live-in maid, grateful to God for the skills she’d learned in the Winston household. 

Five years later, Maria heard about a school founded by two former slaves and for former slaves, Talladega College, which included grades 1-12 as well as college courses.

Talledega College

Students could work on campus and pay their way. Maria traveled the 150 miles to Talladega by walking and catching rides.

She began her schooling with the youngest children. They teased at first—a grown woman with six-year-olds! But Maria played with them at recess and earned their affection. 

While at Talladega, Maria met Lucy Gantt and Lilian Thomas. Though much younger than Maria, the three women became close friends.

Setting her mind toward success, Maria made quick progress toward completing ninth grade. That qualified her to teach in a rural school for the children of former slaves.

Perhaps her classroom looked similar to this one.

She soon achieved another goal, purchasing a small home. Sometime later Talladega invited Maria to return and serve as assistant matron. She accepted.

In 1894 William Shepherd came to the school to tell about his missionary work in the Congo (now Zaire).

Maria remembered Mrs. Winston’s stories and how she’d dreamed of becoming a missionary. When William invited others to join him, Maria volunteered.

However, her interview with the Presbyterian mission board did not go well. She was fifty-six years old, and though perfectly healthy, Maria appeared frail at just five feet tall and ninety pounds. 

“We’re very sorry, Miss Fearing, but we cannot support you,” they declared.

Maria didn’t acquiesce. She met with a church leader, asking him to vouch for her; friends also interceded on her behalf. With their recommendations, the board relented, if she’d pay her own way. 

Maria thanked God he’d inspired her to buy a home, which she happily sold, and with a $100 donation from Telladega women, arranged for the journey. 

Now it was June 1894, and she found herself standing next to her two friends from Talledega, Lucy and Lilian, who’d also volunteered. Lucy had since married the missionary William Shepherd, and together the foursome watched the coastline of Africa come into view. 

However, their journey was not over. They still faced the arduous trek to the mission station, over land and down rivers for 600 miles or so, and taking another six weeks. 

Finally they arrived at the Luebo Mission. Maria began to help the couple in charge however she could, while focused on learning the language. She became quite proficient in just one year’s time.

Also at the one-year mark, the mission board decided to pay her at half rate, then full salary after two years. 

Maria and Lilian cared for forty-four children who’d been orphaned or rescued from the slave trade. They called Maria Mama Wa Mputu, Mother from Far Away.

Perhaps the Luebo school looked similar to this one in Malawi, Africa, 1905.

She and Lillian taught the children household skills, preparing them for domestic employment when they left the mission. But they also taught reading, writing, arithmetic, and Bible knowledge.

All her life God had been preparing Maria for this position, beginning with training in the Winston home, her time as a nanny, and then a teacher. 

The school grew. Some of the new students were those Maria herself purchased out of the slave trade from her meager salary and with funds sent by friends from Talladega. By 1903, 203 students lived under their care—with the help of more teachers. 

Maria also contributed to the translation of the Bible, the catechism, and a number of hymns into the local dialect.

In 1915, at age 77, Maria traveled to America for minor surgery, but when she prepared to return to Africa, the mission board said no, she was too old. 

Maria must have been heartbroken, yet she continued to serve, establishing a Congolese art exhibit, sending the proceeds to the mission at Luebo, and teaching Sunday School until age 93.

After touching countless lives with the grace of Jesus, Maria Fearing died at age 99. 

In the year 2000, she was posthumously inducted into the Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame.

SOURCES:

Diana Lynn Severance, Her-Story, 342. 

https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/columns/femmes-scriptura/meet-maria-fearing-african-american-missionary-to-congo/

https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/maria-fearing/

https://faithfullymagazine.com/maria-fearing-remember/https://placefortruth.org/maria-fearing-and-the-mission-to-the-congo/

Lorelei Siemens, “Maria Fearing: From Slavery to Missionary in Africa,” http://www.youtube.com, 2-26-25.

https://placefortruth.org/maria-fearing-and-the-mission-to-the-congo/

IMAGE CREDITS: http://www.picryl.com (3); http://www.flickr.com; http://www.picryl.com.

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Bible Hugs

Posted in Encouragement, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Goodness, God's Provision, Uncategorized, tagged , , , on February 19, 2026| 57 Comments »

Not long ago I meant to type into the search box, biblehub.com, a site I visit frequently for research. (If you’ve not visited there, it’s well worth exploring.) But this time, instead of hub I typed hug.

Bible hug.

After a slight snicker, I thought, Wait—scripture does offer hugs-of-sorts, in the form of encouragement, comfort, and assurance—providing occasions when I can almost feel God’s embrace.

Sometimes those hugs have come in preparation for what’s to come, sometimes in the midst of pain or trouble, and other times after the fact.

For example, a Bible hug in preparation for what was to come:

Steve and I were driving home after a visit to the next church (three hours away) where he’d been assigned to serve as pastor, beginning in six weeks. Melancholy enveloped me.

Three times in eleven years, the powers-that-be had chosen to move us, although neither we nor the current church had requested it. This was the hardest part of being a pastor’s family in our denomination.

Suddenly, on the Christian radio station we were listening to, the host read a scripture I’d surely heard before, but it took on fresh significance that day:

I clung to that promise over the next weeks of packing, taking care of the million-and-one details a move requires, and saying painful good-byes.

And look what God did at our new church:

He prospered us in new relationships, grew our faith (especially concerning our finances and those of the church), and blessed us as we watched him grow this community of believers—in number, spiritual maturity, and outreach—for thirteen years.

*       *       *

A Bible hug in the midst of pain: 

Spring semester my freshman year of college, I received news that a friend back home had died, the result of a car accident. She’d been in a coma for over a week.

It seemed impossible. So many people had been praying for Shelly. Why did God say “No?”

She was only eighteen, as smart as they come, and scheduled to go to Spain as a short-term missionary that coming summer. Shelly was also an accomplished pianist, and had just won second place in a talent competition.

Why didn’t God intervene for such an outstanding young woman? My faith was beginning to falter.

I shut myself in the dormitory broom closet and searched my Bible for an answer. It wasn’t long before I came across these verses:

Verse 36 in the New Living Translation says, “Everything comes from him . . . and is intended for his glory.” 

That includes the death of my young friend. My place is not to beg for answers that I likely wouldn’t understand or accept anyway. My place is to trust.

*       *       *

A Bible hug that provided closure:

Years ago Steve worked under the direction of a pastor whose words and actions could be downright unkind. We’ll call him George. 

The situation intensified when, behind the scenes and unbeknownst to us, George engineered a change of position for Steve—elsewhere in the state–while we were on vacation. I was pregnant at the time, due just one month prior to the move.

God taught me much during that time, including the wisdom of James 1:2-4:

The next few months provided many opportunities to practice perseverance as we endured continued difficulty with George.

We also developed self-control, not talking to people in the church about what he had done (except with a few mature confidantes), in order not to cause strife or division.

I learned that love is not a feeling, it’s an action. With much prayer, God gave me grace to be genial with George. He also helped me understand that much of his untoward behavior came from insecurity.

After the fact, I could count it all joy that we’d faced such trials. I’m a better person for the lessons learned in self-discipline, integrity, and perseverance.

Years later we had occasion to meet George again. God had obviously been at work in his life; he was a changed man.

*       *       *

Of course, these are just a few of the Bible hugs received from God over the years. Perhaps we’ll revisit this topic again in the future.

In the meantime, please share in the comment section below a Bible hug you’ve received. I’d love to read your stories; no doubt others would too!

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Surprised by Prayer

Posted in Bible Study, Courage, Encouragement, Faith, God, God's Goodness, God's Love, God's Power, God's Provision, God's Strength, God's Will, Peace, Perseverance, Prayer, Uncategorized, tagged , , , on February 12, 2026| 41 Comments »

Currently my prayers for others include healing from illness, avoidance of surgery, a smooth path ahead into a new life-phase, and guidance for an important decision. 

Good things for good people.

But not long ago I had occasion to peruse Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonian church.  Four times in three short chapters, Paul expressed his prayers for these Christians facing persecution and trials (2 Thessalonians 1:4).

His prayers surprised me.

Did he include protection from their enemies? No. Rescue from persecution? No. Lives of peace so they could share about Christ without threat? No. 

Instead, Paul asked for God’s empowerment, encouragement, strength, understanding of God’s love, endurance, and inner peace.

Why were these qualities uppermost in his mind? 

First, GOD’S EMPOWERMENT would help them live true to their faith (1:11 CEV), so they might honor God and God might honor them (v. 12).

And what might that honor look like?  Shalom—which includes inner tranquility, divine wholeness, prosperity of soul, and more (1)—even during trials.

We too can ask God to empower those we pray for, that they might honor him, experience his shalom, and anticipate the supreme honor of hearing him declare, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (2).  

We’d do well to pray the same for ourselves. 

Second, GOD’S ENCOURAGEMENT AND STRENGTH would lead the Thessalonians to always do and say what is good (2 Thessalonians 2:17 GNT).

In the previous verse, Paul reminded these readers of God’s love and grace to them.

Perhaps he wanted to stir up memories of God’s goodness on display in the past, and once inspired, they’d be fueled to show goodness to one another within their church—to keep one another lifted up. 

And that integrity would draw those outside the church to Jesus (3).

Third, GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF GOD’S LOVE AND ENDURANCE, provided through Christ (2 Thessalonians 3:5 GNT), would cause their confidence in him to grow.

Then, when challenges arose, the Thessalonian church would remain steadfast and unflinching in the face of persecution.

Down through the centuries Christians have suffered for their faith. Even now in Asia and Africa, Christ-followers bear up under imprisonment and torture.

Meriam Ibrahim was just such a prisoner, sentenced to death for refusing to become a Muslim.  Her second child was born while Meriam was behind bars. 

Finally her captors threatened to torture her with one hundred lashes followed by hanging, but Meriam later stated she never even considered acquiescing to her captors. 

An international campaign for her release saved Meriam’s life. She now lives in the U.S (4). 

Though we and our loved ones may never face such circumstances, we’re wise to prepare ourselves, and pray for endurance to stay the course—for all of us.

And last, PEACE—Shalom—from the Lord of Peace himself (3:16 HCSB).

Here shalom is not just alluded to; Paul prays for it specifically, that the Thessalonians might enjoy “at all times and in every way” this most sublime blessing.

No doubt, Meriam experienced such inner tranquility and deep, settled confidence. It can be ours also, as we stand on the strong foundation of:

  • God’s promises. He is a refuge, a stronghold, who never forsakes those who seek him (5). 
  • God’s sovereignty and perfections. With flawless wisdom he always acts rightly (6).
  • God’s power. Sometimes he rescues, as he did in Meriam’s case. Other times, in his wisdom of all things, he deems it best not to. It’s then we see his miraculous power to carry his followers through, as he has thousands of martyrs who’ve gone to their deaths praying and singing.

So what about our prayers for good outcomes and guidance? Are they improper somehow? Not at all. In another letter, Paul told us to pray about everything.

So I’ll continue to pray for D. to be healed, for N. not to require surgery, for C.’s path ahead to be made clear, and A., as she and her family look to God for guidance.

But I’ll also add God’s empowerment to persevere, his encouragement and strength to live with integrity in spite of challenges, to experience God’s love in palpable ways, and to rest in his shalom. 

California landscape by Thomas Hill (1829-1908)

Notes:

  1. Isaiah 32:17
  2. Matthew 25:21
  3. Matthew 5:14-16
  4. (https://www.eauk.org/idea/five-famous-christians-who-went-to-prison.cfm )
  5. Psalm 9:9-10
  6. Psalm 145:17

Image credits: http://www.publicdomainpictures.net (5); http://www.dailyverses.net; http://www.picryl.com.

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