If I could, I would buy every one of you a copy of this book!! I cannot loan you mine because I want it near at hand. Whenever I am feeling overwhelmed by the storms of life, I want to be able to pull this book off my shelf.

Andrea Thompson has overcome abuse, cancer and other traumas . . . and come out smiling!! . . . .

In these verses, God is commanding that specially prepared oil be continuously brought for the priest to keep the menorah – the lamp – continuously lit. Hanukkah commemorates the miraculous provision of this specially prepared oil after the Maccabean Revolt.

About a hundred years after Alexander the Great conquered the Holy Land, his successors had long departed from his relatively benevolent rule. Antiochus Epiphanies prohibited the practice of the Jewish religion and tortuously murdered . . .

As a child, I had a distorted view of God. I envisioned Him as a condemning judge seated in heaven on a golden throne. He was constantly watching me; waiting for me to mess up, so He could bop me on the head! Naturally, I had no desire for a relationship with a God like that.

Imagine my relief when I actually read the Bible and found out that God is NOT a condemning judge but a Loving Father! He smiles down on me with eyes of love, . . .

This passage encourages me today. Like Habakkuk, I’ve been standing and praying for “my people” for decades. I had begun to despair over my vision for my loved ones.

God’s answer to Habakkuk encourages me greatly: . . .

Spring of 2016, I attended the School of Creativity at Bethel Church. At the time that I registered, I would not have said that I was a creative. In fact, my confession was that there was not a creative bone in my body. I signed up for the conference, because I felt the familiar nudge of the Holy Spirit. I was being obedient.

The first day of the conference, the lies that I had believed, fell off like a discarded garment . . . .

The subtitle in my Bible says, “Discipleship is costly.” And that has been my attitude toward these verses. I must give up my rights (deny myself) and go through some difficulties (carry my cross), but it will be worth it in the end. Perhaps you have had the same attitude too. Thanks to my pastor’s sermon yesterday, I have a fresh perspective.

Pastor reminded us that these words come from the One Person who loves us the most. . . .

My favorite testimonies to read are resurrections. I love to hear peoples’ descriptions of heaven when they have come back from the dead. Scripture says precious little about heaven, so I cherish those glimpses behind the veil.

Blake Healy didn’t need to be resurrected from the dead to describe what is behind the veil. He can see into the Spirit realm any time he wants to! . . . .

I attended my first military funeral today. We honored the service and passing of Robert Reeves Sansing, my Mother’s husband.

I thank God for the years that He shared Bob with us. Bob’s life of integrity was a beautiful example to our blended family. He faithfully served his God . . . his family . . . and his country. I am proud to be among the mourners wishing I could have had more time with Bob . . . .

God is kind to everyone, even to people who are not grateful for the incredible sacrifice He made for them. God is kind even to evil people. And God expects the same from us. He wants us to have mercy for the mean.

This phrase in Luke is at it at the end of Jesus’ teaching on loving your enemies. I think of an enemy as someone known to me, but not in close relationship. For example, I would consider an abusive . . .

Now I am seeing the Trinity of God Everywhere and in All things!!

I noticed that the Old Testament priests were consecrated with water, blood and oil (Leviticus 8).  That is three things!  I wondered if these could represent the Trinity.  As it turns out, they do! . . . .

I delight in finding the Trinity of God hidden in familiar passages of Scripture.  I discovered one this one in the contents of the Ark of the Covenant. 

The Ark of the Covenant contained three things:  1-the stone tablets upon which the finger of God wrote His covenant, 2-a golden pot of manna, and 3-Aaron’s rod that budded (Heb.9:4). 

It is easy to see how the stone tablets symbolize God the Father because . . .

The trinity of God is right here in this first sentence!  In fact, these four words speak volumes: God said, “Light, Be!”

In the beginning God – “Elohim” in Hebrew – created the heavens and the earth.  “Elohim” is God plural; coupled with a singular verb it denotes the majestic plural.  So the character of God that is emphasized when He spoke His first Word is that of plurality and unity and power. 

The Spirit of God is “ruah Elohim” in Hebrew.  “Ruah” is breath or wind.  So the Spirit of God is the breath of God.  This is important because our voice is carried on our breath.  Without wind . . .