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The Miracle of Our Life

Those who heeds the Word wisely, will find good, and whoever trusts in the Lord, happy are they.  Proverbs 16:20

Lord, You have blessed me all the days of my life. Even when I was at my lowest, You came beside me and lifted me up

I thank you Lord, for You have been good to me. My soul is lifted up, When I think about how your love saved and guided me throughout my life

On this day, when my life has been challenged by illness, I remember the beautiful things You have shown me

There are memories of my mother and father,  who’s love and care helped me each day

God, You blessed me, You created me with eyes that could look intently upon this world, and see deeply into its wonder and beauty

You bore me into a world of Your own creation. A place made for me and all the life that resides here

I can almost feel those cool refreshing breezes, as I recall a view up into the sky when I was a child. When I was in awe of the sight of puffy white clouds, like popcorn, floating by on a fresh spring day

And the wonder I felt when I saw a large butterfly land on a nearby flower. Its bright yellow wings glowing bright in our garden on an April day

I remember the first time I saw granite cliffs towering above me in the valley of Yosemite. And on another day many years later, the view I saw from one of its highest peaks

In this place of wonder I learned about You. From my early days I knew that You were God. I came to know that You were just and good in all of Your ways, and that You had made all that is

My life took a lot of twists and turns over my years. But, the knowledge that You were God stayed with me. Sometimes it was faint, almost absent; sometimes powerful and filling me 

My faith has been a journey. I learned the hard lessons of sin many times over, yet, I always returned to You, for what else could I do?

You were always just to forgive me, though sometimes it took a long time for me to accept the gift of Your incredible mercy

Truly God, You have blessed my life

Even now, and especially now, because of my weakness, I have run back to You. Yet, this illness has become my renewed strength in You

My condition has cleared my eyes and sharpened my mind as to what really matters in life. Things that had occupied my time and attention don’t seem to mean as much now

My life, in relation to You, has come into a sharper focus. It is a source of strength and assurance to me in these days

Your Words are true, Lord; They have spoken to me throughout my life. I cherish all of Your Words, and the revelations You bring through Your Spirit

How amazing is this life You have given us; How incalcuably magnificant is our life

They are gifts from Your loving hands to each of us

Yet, how weak and small are we; For a great part of our lives we think we are in control, that we know best, but God has the final answer

God’s way is always good. His Word directs us towards strength of life and wisdom. They protect us from every kind of danger

Learn to appreciate this life you have been given; It is a miracle…

Learn to appreciate how amazing each and every gift of life is. Be thankful for all that you have and all that you are. 7/5/2026

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An Evening Service

Thus says the Lord, our God, “Who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread forth the Earth and that which comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk on it?”  Isaiah 42:5

One recent evening, I took a twilight walk out through my garden. The stars were just beginning to shine and there was a new cresent moon hanging low in the western sky. It was one of those balmy late summer evenings and the scent of herbs and rich soil graced the soft night breeze. I thought, what a tremendous blessing we have been given in this natural world. Each day we come in contact with so many treasures, wonders from this creation, that we can see, smell, and taste. Things that enrich all of our senses. I am continually in awe at what our God has done through His creative work. Evenings such as these humble me, but at the same time lift my spirits. For I know that even within this vast and complex universe, He knows my name. He cares about my life.

As I looked at the rows of flowers and vegetables, I could almost imagine them at a worship service giving praise to God. Each was standing up tall and straight with their leaves uplifted towards the heavens above. At this time of year they appeared so strong, filled with flower and fruit. There was such abundance being produced here, and I could not possibly use it all. I would need to give much away. What joy was being produced here. I felt just like a guest of this congregation that night, so I raised my arms in praise, too.

As the last twilight dimmed, the sky became inky black. Many distant stars shined brilliantly from horizon to horizon. There, above me was the Milky Way, our galaxy, with its hundreds of billions of stars tracing itself from north to south across the heavens. How profound all this starlight is. Each point another sun, a new and unique place created by our Father in heaven. What wonders lie in these other worlds? Will God allow us to venture out from here and visit them someday? In times like these I can hear the voice of God speak, not audibly, but perceptually, and it echoes throughout all of creation. They are His quiet words that speak of the glory of His power and creative ability.

As I walked down towards the far end of the garden, I could hear the sounds of a hundred Crickets playing their unique song in the Fruit trees. It seemed they had been enjoying this beautiful evening as much as I had. Perhaps, in their own way, they were giving glory to God, too. I could not help, but join them in giving thanks to our great and glorious God. For He has given me an entire lifetime to glorify Him amidst this great congregation of amazing things.

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The Empowered Life

For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:13

May the Lord meet you where your at this day, and His Spirit meet with your spirit

So that you might begin to know the depth of His goodness, and the magnitude of His mercy and grace

May He come to your place in time, and into the situation you find yourself in

So that He can begin to work in your life.; To mend everything that may be broken and heal long open wounds

For our Lord, Jesus Christ, is purely good. Great is His love for all the people of His creation

May the Father of all blessing come to you in the wonder of His goodness and love. So that you might rightly know your place within the Kingdom of God, as His own child

May your heart be filled and your mind struck with awe, as you see the depth of His love for you

So that you might cast out all fear and doubt, and so that He might fill your heart with joy, in great abundance.

Surely, the Lord pours out His Spirit upon His Children. Those that trust in Him, shall surely see His glory

They will leap up from off the ground, where they had once laid broken, and run in strength again, by His power

May the Lord come near to you this day, and come so close as to fill your life

So that your faith might be made complete and His love would pour out through your life as living water

There, your life will become as a blessing. Like a precious gift to be given as an offering for the benefit of many

May the Lord so so take hold of your life, that His life lives through you

So that the body of Christ, the church, may be built up and made stronger, through the outworking of His love in you

May the Spirit of Jesus Christ live abundantly in you, and heal every broken place

So that you may run with endurance. Not growing faint in your own strength, but able to continue on in the power of God

Truly, our God is filled with incredible love for us. His care for our lives, knows no boundary

As we meet with Him each day, and serve Him in faith, our Lord will enpower us through His Spirit to help others and share His message of love to all people. 10/28/2006

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We Ran The Stop Sign

“That you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on just and on the unjust.”  Matthew 5:45

I pray for all the people of the earth that have been affected by the excessive heat this year

For those who have been sickened or suffered loss in Europe this summer; and for those in India, Pakistan, and Southeast Asia who endured extreme heat and humidity that lasted for many weeks

It is saddening to hear of the thousands who have died. The hundreds of millions who have suffered. The losses they have faced and will continue to

It is frustrating to know, that to a large part, we are doing this to ourselves

Many are ignoring the evidence and don’t agree that we are changing our climate. Some say it is necessary. That we need to actually increase our actions that have caused this.

But at what cost does this become unacceptable?

It’s like we have run a stop sign while driving too fast down a busy road and have caused a serious accident at an intersection

But we deny we are guilty. We deny we did anything wrong, and argue that we needed to quickly get on with our business down the road. That it was important to run the stop sign and boost our income to higher record levels

The heat is drying out our planet

Making agriculture more difficult and costly.

Deserts are advancing thoughout the world 

Prime growing regions are facing drought, water shortages, and crop damage

People are starving in high numbers in Africa and other parts of the globe

And it will likely continue to grow worse

God is surely looking down from the heavens above and sees the iniquity of all this going on

He sees the poor suffering, because they don’t have the means to escape. They try, but tolerence is growing thin. The pressure will only grow worse as it gets warmer

Our creator, the God of all the heavens and the earth sees what is happening here

He is not blind to the harm we are doing to His earth and to all the life that lives here

God surely hears the cry of the poor and listens to their plea for help and mercy

The world is growing hotter

Ice is melting at the fastest rate in our history

Oceans are rising. They’re flooding coasts and islands. Small nations are being lost to the waves

Glaciers are shrinking, collapsing, or disappearing altogether, and with their loss, drought will strike those who live below

Storms are being supercharged, flash flooding is becoming frequent, some are unbelievably disastrous and deadly

It is all because we have run through the stop sign

We did not take the time or have the patience to tap the brakes and slow down. All the signs were posted, we saw this coming decades ago

What is going to be the cost of this in lives, suffering, displacement, and in the wars it produces? How can we continue on like we are?

There are answers and solutions to this problem. But the longer we wait to act, the more generations of us will have to deal with this world wide problem.

How will God look upon all those who are damaging this precious Earth?   8/27/2026

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A Message To The Church

And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you. 1 Thessalonians 4:12

On this day I give praise to our God for His goodness and love towards us, His Holy Church, the fellowship of believers thoughout this entire world. 

We are all connected through our belief in Him and united by our trust in the saving work of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

We believe in Him who died upon the cross as an offering, so that we might recieve forgiveness from our sins; Even the gift of eternal life in God’s presence, forever. Amen

May our faith unite us and help us work together in the Spirit of Christ Jesus. Though we may be distant and unable to worship together, Let us be joined in Spirit, praying for one another.

Though we might live in different countries and have different cultures, may we share in the comfort of knowing that we are all children of the same God. 

Rejoice, that we each fall under the same mercy and grace, given to us by His Son, Jesus Christ.

In these difficult times, may our faith remain strong and our trust in God’s love for us through Christ Jesus be the foundation which we stand upon

Let us praise the name of our God, the one who reigns above all the earth. Singing out songs of praise to Him, for we are the ones He calls His beloved sons and daughters. Let His name be honored above all.

May we give thanks for the gift of our families and towards the great fellowship of believers within His Church. That we might remember more deeply, and be assured of the love and caring Spirit of our God towards us.

Sing a familiar song of joy in the Spirit and power of Jesus Christ. Praise His gift to the church, the precious offering that He gave us upon the cross

I pray that we would feel encouraged to pray for our brothers and sisters in need this day. Both, for those in our own congregations, and those in need in difficult places throughout the world

May you pray that Christ, through His Spirit, would also come to you this day, and show you a need that you might fill

Let us cry out to God that He would help bring peace, where there is now war. And that by His power He would bring people who now stand divided, back together, that God’s love might abound and His church, strengthened

May God’s Spirit work within each of you this week, to show you a new message from His Word. That you would become more assured of His love for you, and gain God’s gift of peace and comfort in these days

Share the gospel message with others. Tell the good news of Jesus Christ, our savior, and the reason for our hope as believers

Finally, may God richly bless you and the church you belong to. Continue to grow in your faith and abound in love and good works towards eachother. 8/23/2026

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Grateful For Your Mercy

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.  Psalm 103:8

Lord Jesus, full of mercy and grace, I thank you this day for looking out for me

Though I am not feeling good, You placed me into the hands of skilled and caring people and they put me on to a strong path for healing

I am grateful for all the care I have recieved

Lord you have blessed my life for good. Even though I have not always deserved it, Still You have cared for me and formed a shield of protection all around my life. 

What could I ever have done to deserve this?

How could I ever thank you enough for blessing my life?

In so many ways your mercy has reached out and surrounded me. It has stepped in and saved me through illness and injury and brought protection when difficult situations suddenly came upon me

When I look back I can see your hands at work in my life and the love that you had for me

And I am grateful Lord, for You have been so good

I see the people you brought near to me. Those who knew and loved me and others who showed up at the right times. They helped show me the way, mended my hurts, and healed my wounds

Each one somehow found the time to help me. Even when their lives were busy and they were dealing with their own things

I see how You hands were at work then, Lord. They are still busy to this day

But, I have not always been thankful, Jesus, and there were times when I took things for granted

Now, I clearly see on this day how You have watched over my life with care

Thank you, Jesus

Your mercy saved my life and healed me

Blessed Savior, I am in awe of Your love and mercy. I am grateful beyond words at how you have cared for me

Life is a journey filled with all the experiences common to life. Yet, it is Your love, mercy, and grace that help carry us through all the hard times

Isn’t it sad that during the good times we may come to forget; And we who have been so blessed by You, fail to remember who has been so good to them each and every day of their life

Oh Lord, you freely give to us each day in full measure

How great is our God, in Jesus Christ. I remember You this day and give thanks

And though I can not even comprehend the depth and width and height of your love, I sense it, feel its power, and understand how it has worked in my life

May I always be thankful, and remember how good you have been to me and be ever grateful for the blessings you have freely given to one so small.  8/21/2026

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Wait Upon The Lord

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! Psalm 27:14

I will wait upon the Lord and serve Him all of my days

Though trial and difficulty come upon me, I will trust in Him

My faith will be secure, a priceless possession I will guard. Though many may come against me, I will remain true to God

For He does battle for me and watches over my life to protect it. He defends my soul and casts a barrier all around me

God lifts me up when I become weak. He strengthens me, and readies me for the fight. Every day He stands watch to guard me from every sort of evil.

Great is our God. He dwells above all and steers the procession of time. Even the movements of the entire universe is set in motion by His hand.

Yet He considers those who love Him, He does not ignore their cries

I will wait upon the Lord each day, even when I do not hear His voice

I will wait and pray and cleanse myself before Him

When He does not make His presence known; Still, I will wait, until that day when He may be found

Panic will not overcome me. Or, worries, cloud my vision. I will remain calm and wait upon the Lord. For He is always close at hand

As a good servant continues on in their duties, I will be patient and serve Him. I will do His will as long as I have breath

There are times when God is quiet. When we cannot hear or detect His presence. But, He is always there besides us. Surrounding us as a shield

He will continually uphold us. So never lose heart or diminish in faith.

For our God goes before us and will stand with us always. Even to the end of all time. 12/29/2006

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Our God Above All

Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You formed the Earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. Psalm 90:1

The Lord our God reigns.

He is covered in blinding light and His strength has no boundary

The majesty of His presence is above all things

From His throne flows an incredible power that travels out across the entire universe.

His presence is awesome, far greater than anything that He made

This world, our home, was formed by His hands. By them, He carefully crafted the formation of this incredible place within the greatness of our universe

He thought of it and formed it for His own pleasure and desire, as a place for life to exist and for us to live in

God’s throne was established from the beginning. He is from everlasting to everlasting

There is nothing that can move Him from His place

He reigns above all

We see the wonders of this earth and cry out in awe of its beauty and goodness. But you, oh God, are far far greater

Our eyes look out across the vast expanse of our oceans, and shudder the at the power of the tall waves that rage upon it. They roar and rise up to great heights and shake the land as they break upon the shorelines

But You, Our God, are mightier than these. You laugh at the angry waters

And though they crash and roar with tremendous power, they are nothing to You, oh God. You see them and smile, for you cannot be moved by them

We can observe from space the great storms that sweep across our planet

They move like gigantic waves and whirlpools miles above us. Their winds blast the earth. We run and seek shelter from their fury. But You, are unshaken. They are beautiful to you, for they accomplish Your will as they water the earth below.

Even in the harsh vastness of space, which surround us in unimaginable distances. You are not threatened, harmed, or controlled in any way. For the mighty things of this creation have no affect upon their creator. But You guide all things in any way in which you want

Even when a star explodes, or galaxies containing billions of stars collide, You remain unaffected. Or, when Black Holes with their incredible mass and gravity swallow up everything around them; You are not bothered in any way. For You are mighty above all things, and You made each of these for there own purpose

At the end of time when this creation come to its end, You will still reign. Your strength, power, and love will last beyond all of this. In all Your glory you shall remain God forever.

What an awesome God we have. I will continue to praise Him for the rest of my days

The Lord, our God, has made us to live within this beautiful and amazing creation. He has made this place with loving hands and guides it with a steadfast heart

Isn’t it profound that God so loved us that He sent His Son Jesus, along with His Spirit, and Word to us, His children

So that we might live to all the fullness He designed us for. And so that those who love and trust in Him may live in His presence, forever more. Amen. 1/24/2024

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The Incredible Wanderer

The Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens)

One morning a few weeks ago, I stepped out into my yard and entered a familiar place, my pollinator garden. Almost immediately I spotted a plain looking Dragonfly resting on a branch soaking up the early sunlight. It had large eyes, clear veined wings, and a body that was light green and dull yellow. I was lucky that I came out early and it was still at rest, for I was able to sneak up and snap a couple of pictures. Seconds later, it flew up and circled the garden in effortless flight.

I’ve learned something important in recent years. When we take the time and effort to look closer at the life that lives all around us, we see so much more that we ever thought possible. There are thousands of species living in the places near where we live that we regularly pass by and never learn anything about. Some of these are truly incredible creatures that inspire us, wow us with their beauty, or surprise us with a unique ability. Life on this planet is amazing, and a wonderful slice of it is happening every day just outside our doors. As I have looked closer at what lives in the world around me, it became obvious that God did not make a simple world for us to live in. It is truly astounding in its complexity and function, yet in equal measure, it is filled with beauty and life giving qualities. 

When I went back in to have a morning cup of coffee, I thought about the visitor I had just seen. It looked a little different than other dragonflies I had seen recently. So, I uploaded my pictures and used an app to help me identify it. It came up as a Wandering Glider. Hmm, something I had never seen before, and I felt honored that this new visitor felt inclined to stop by this tiny garden within God’s vast creation.

As I sipped my coffee, I began to read about this creature. There was a lot of information about this one, perhaps because it was an unusually widespread insect. Infact, the most widespread Dragonfly on the entire earth. But, even more surprising to me was its ability as a long distance traveler. This small bug is perhaps the most exceptional migrator and navigator I had ever heard of. Some populations of the Wandering Glider have multigenerational migrations that span over eleven thousand miles. They travel across continents, the worlds highest mountain ranges, even vast oceans to follow the wet warm seasons of winds and moisture such as the famous monsoons.

I read about a scientist who studied one of their most amazing journeys. He found that a very large population of these insects migrate across the entire Indian Ocean from East Africa to India, nearly two thousand miles. Out over the water, these Dragonflies cannot land, or eat, but somehow they have enough strength to cover this distance flying nonstop in about five days. They use an inate knowledge of the weather and seasons to follow the monsoons and weather patterns of this region. They ride on the winds of these storms at just the right times and altitudes like fine skilled sailors. Back and forth they fly from Africa to India and from India to Africa over and over, for multiple generations. It just so happens that these weather patterns bring rains which wet the land, allowing this dragonfly to successfully lay millions of eggs into puddles and ponds on both continents. Being the voracious preditor they are, their larva consume literally billions of mosquito larva in these pools of water, keeping the pest populations in check and reducing the spread of infectious diseases like Malaria and Dengue.

After a couple days, the Wandering Gliders who had visited my humble garden moved on, likely to the north to a place of there own knowing. But I have not forgotten them. Life is truly surprising, and I’m reminded what an incredible place this Earth is when I see something that may not appear that special, but really blows me away. It strengthens my belief in God to see these wonders in the world that He created. I believe we all benefit from eachother and that this place is not just for us, but for all the life that lives here. It strengthens my resolve that it is absolutely worth protecting, because all of God’s creatures and plants each can tell similarly amazing stories. How important then that we try to save this place and keep things intact as best we can. For God created all of this abundant creation for our benefit and also for the prosperity of the life that lives here. 

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Let All The Earth Praise Him

“Oh Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth!” Psalm 8:9

Shout praises to the Lord of all creation. Give glory to Him who reigns

Sing songs of gratitude for His mercy and love; give thanks for the multitude of His blessings

Sing forth all you mountains. Bend low, every hillside. Tremble, before His power and majesty

Raise your branches, every tree. Reach them high towards the heavens. Dance as the wind of His Spirit rustles through your leaves that catch the sun’s glowing light

Give honor to Him, all you vineyards; and blessing you fertile fields. For He has given you richness in great abundance, so that you might bless all the earth with plenty

Call forth you songbirds. Cry out every Eagle on high. Give honor to Him, darting swallows, for He has given you the wind beneath your wings

In thanksgiving bow before Him. With gratitude give him praise. For He has fed you from His abundance and placed the miracle of life within your frame

Call out you azure heavens. Raise up you mighty thunder clouds. Give glory to Him who stands above you, and stirs you like dust beneath His feet

Shine forth, every golden sunbeam. Illuminate God’s good earth, whom He alone has made

Give light to all His children, so they might glory at the beauty of His creation

Whisper soft hymns, you quiet waters. Reflect forth images of His goodness and mercy. Give drink to all those who thirst, and life to all that lives and breathes

Give honor to the God of the heavens, sing praise to Him who made this Earth

Offer, each day, a sacrifice of grateful thanksgiving for all the good things He has done

Our God is higher than all of His creation. He is greater than anything known

Sing, for He is awesome

Raise you voices, because of the magnitude of His glory

Lift up His name, for He is more than worthy of all of our praise. 11/5/2006