Saturday, March 22, 2025 – “Big and Small” by P. Williams
You can look at things more than one way
The rain sprinkles and the rain pours
A sweet soft breeze or a terrible wind
Cold where you need a jacket… cold when
a down coat is not enough
Sunshine that feels so warm… and
sunshine that is over 100 degrees
Green grass… that smells so good when cut…
and grass that is way too tall and “snakey” looking.
A small pebble and a huge boulder
A huge hole like 9-11 and a small hole to
plant a flower.
One apple tree or an orchard
One grape or enough to fill a vineyard
God is like this… loves us each day…
And spreads His love to include the world.
We are so blessed each and every day
Thanks to God for today… and for every day!
Amen
Wednesday, March 19, 2025 – “Jesus Rejects No One” from “Uncovering the Love of Jesus”
Throughout the Gospels, we see all kinds of people coming to Jesus: some with great faith and some, like today’s
paralytic man, with great fear. Unlike others who approached Jesus, this man doesn’t even have the courage to
believe – he’s overcome by fear, knowing the many sins that mar him.
But his friends insist that this new teacher in town can help him. They believe even when he doesn’t. And when
they can’t squeeze into the packed house, they carry him to the roof and start hacking at the packed mud and
branches to make an opening.
As a hush falls over the crowd, Jesus looks at the man on the mat, glances up at the friends peering through the
hole in the ceiling and back down at the man. “Take heart, son,” Be of good cheer.” Jesus looks at him, recognizes
his fear, encourages him, and then pronounces what no one expected: “Your sins are forgiven.” Jesus is much
more than just a miracle-worker; He is God with us.
Jesus pronounces healing; and the man gets up, rolls up his mat, and walks out the door. In one encounter with
Jesus, the man receives the healing he wanted and the forgiveness he desperately needed but didn’t know to ask
for. He walked home no longer a slave to fear but loudly praising God.
Saturday, March 15, 2025 – “Small Blessings and Big Blessings” by P. Williams
The Sunshine warms my thoughts
And makes me smile
God give us so many things
to smile about and enjoy.
I try to Remember to thank Him
every day -- Little flowers, and lots
of rain. The breeze. Love the Night Sky
How thankful that I can sometimes
help others… What a gift from God.
I just talked to my neighbor
Really nice guy who lives with
my lovely and smart nurse neighbor
He is getting ready to muster out as
an officer in the Marine Corps. I look at
them and imagine their future. Both
Motivated – Educated – Blessed.
I see blessings all around me… and I
know you do, too… All Kinds of blessings
big, small, known, unknown directed to Me and
also to all of us.
Thanks God, for all of your daily blessings.
Thursday, March 13, 2025 – The Gate – Daily Devotions
John 10:9
As a friend and I were talking, she mentioned how her dog often lies in the doorway of any room she is in. I said,
“Our dog Lucy does the same thing. It’s so inconvenient to step over her. Why do our dogs do that?” With an
animal science degree, my friend had much insight into animal behavior. She suggested that by lying in the doorway,
the dogs knew when we left and when we came back. They were shepherding us.
I remembered a lesson that we taught the youth at church about one of the “I am” statements of Jesus — “I am
the gate.” In the lesson, we talked about how the shepherd would lie across the open gap in the sheep pen and
literally become the gate to the pen. He did this to keep the sheep from straying or to prevent an intruder from
harming the sheep. Jesus was saying that he is our shepherd and that he is watching over us.
Now, when I see Lucy in the doorway, I don’t see it as an inconvenience. I see it as a reminder of Christ’s loving
care for us all and remember that Jesus is our Good Shepherd.
Saturday, March 8, 2025 – “Teased by God” by P. Williams
I drove by a home the other day
and there were beautiful buttercups.
Blooming several places
Made my day to SEE spring in bloom.
I have Red Bud trees blooming
close to my house… with dogwoods
not far behind.
I love all of the spring flowers
My neighbor brought me beautiful purple tulips.
We will still have some cold weather…
But now I SEE Spring is really on the way.
God teases us with a few warm days
early on… but we all know we
have a few cold days yet to come.
God might just want us to remember
to appreciate each day – cold or warm.
A day to give thanks for… Another
wonder filled day for you and me…
from God.
Wednesday, March 5, 2025 – “Jesus Loves Perfectly” from “Uncovering the Love of Jesus”
From the first moment of creation, Jesus loved the humans He created. In the garden of Eden, God dwelled with
them in perfect harmony. And even when Adam and Eve chose to rebel and disobey, He didn’t stop loving them,
but promised to redeem humanity and all of creation, so that we may live together again in perfect fellowship for all
eternity. But between that promise in the garden and the fulfillment of that promise stretched thousands of years –
of wandering, waiting, and wondering when God would come and make His home with humans again.
You likely know many stories of God’s people longing to be restored and botching attempts to maintain a loving rela-
tionship with God in the meantime. One failed attempt after another. One dashed hope after another. Who would
come to rescue God’s people from their sin and restore humankind’s relationship with God?
And then Jesus enters the scene. When He came, Jesus perfectly fulfilled the Father’s purpose for His wilderness
testing, because where God’s people failed to obey God time after time, Jesus demonstrated perfect trust and obedi-
ence every time. And He did it all for love.
Saturday, March 1, 2025 – “Every Day” by P. Williams
God doesn’t share with us
What kind of day we will
have tomorrow. But He knows.
We might get up to smiles and grins
or maybe in the opposite direction
of tears and frowns.
What kind of day is best for you.
Having to contemplate and think about today.
Maybe your favorite is busy from
dawn to dusk. Or maybe you
like to travel… or be filled with
anticipation. Clean house… wash car?
Which ever one is your favorite,
You know that one day soon you
will have your favorite kind of day
I like chilly but sunny days
Crisp… but full of sunshine
It lets me see God’s work
the bright sun and the bundled up people
Kids having fun outside
Think what kind of day is your favorite
Lots of choices
We thank God for today and
Every day!
Wednesday, February 26, 2025 - “Dream, Grow, Fly” – from Upper Room Daily Devotions
Ephesians 1:12 – We are called to be an honor to God’s glory.
One morning as my husband and I enjoyed breakfast outside, a juvenile egret wandered from the pond until he
was nearly within our reach. Totally oblivious to us, he looked upward to the trees and rooftops. Craning his long
neck this way and that, he yearned to take flight but couldn’t because he was too young.
Every day, our determined young egret kept flapping frantically for the rooftops. We marveled at his perseverance
and his single-minded focus. Then one glorious day we spotted him high in a palm tree, preening his feathers and
squawking gleefully. God put the dream of flight in this young bird, who instinctively knew what he was created to do.
Ephesians 1:11 says, “We were destined by the plan of God, who accomplishes everything according to his
design.” God powerfully confirmed the words from Ephesians to me through that young egret, renewing my faith
that the big dreams in my heart do indeed come from God: dreams to live boldly and joyfully, even when it feels
uncomfortable; dreams to keep trying and keep growing, even when it’s exhausting; dreams to fulfill God’s grand
calling, even when it seems impossible.
Wednesday, February 19, 2025 – Deep and Wide
Ephesians 3:17-19 – I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power… to grasp how wide
and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may
be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
There is a chorus that we sing sometimes called “Deep and Wide”. If we add in the motions that the children
show us, we stretch out our arms as far as possible to try to show how “deep and wide” that fountain of God’s love
for the whole world really is!
When Christ stretched out his arms on the cross, taking the punishment for our sins on Himself to complete God’s
plan of reconciliation with mankind, THAT was the ultimate example of how deep and wide God’s love is for each and
every one of us! Have a blessed day!
Saturday, 2/15/2025 – Red Hearts and Roses by P. Williams
Sun and Stars and Moon and Rain
Chocolate and Hearts galore
Grocery Store full of balloons and
Red cupcakes with Sparkles
At least this has been a fun week
A Hallmark Holiday… But you can’t
help but smile
It is… a nudge to all of us
Give your loved ones a big hug
Remember to say “I Love You” to
Our precious partners and family
So I will thank God today
Because I feel He must have
Had a helping hand… helping Hallmark.
Pushing Us to remember the
Love and Wonder that fills our lives.
Heart shaped boxes of chocolates and red roses
Makes us ALL smile!
So today I will Thank Him for
Valentine’s Day… I love you God!
Wednesday, February 12, 2025 – “God’s Love” from Upper Room Daily Devotions
Romans 8:35 – Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
I vividly remember the day I received bad news from back home. I was in seminary in a foreign country, and at that
moment, I felt lost and in despair. I could not help but ask, Where is God when it hurts? Where was God when all
these things were taking place in my life? I believe that life brings hard circumstances to us all. But God cares deeply
about each of us. God spoke and is still speaking to me in the midst of my pain.
In the vast African forest where the seminary is located, I was listening to the songs of the birds and the noise of the
bugs when my attention was drawn to Romans 8. I heard God speaking to me through the holy scriptures in the midst
of my pain. The first thing we learn from this passage in Romans is that we all go through suffering. That’s why the
apostle Paul asks, “Who will separate us?” The answer resounds: No one and nothing can separate us from the love of
God! God’s love outweighs the pain. Sometimes God delivers us from the pain and other times God delivers us in the
pain. No matter what the circumstances, we are surrounded by God’s love.
Saturday, February 8, 2025 – “Worry” by P. Williams
Worry… Something all of us have to
deal with every day.
How do you cope with “worry”? Do you
get a headache? Lay down and go to sleep?
eat and snack… or drink too much?
We each handle worry differently.
Some of us even hide our worry and
pretend everything is alright.
We all know there is no cure for
that “tap you on the shoulder worry.”
That “in your face… can’t get it out
of your mind worry.”
So I will share a thought from
Franklin Graham that I think helps.
He says “I just think about who is
going to meet me on the other end” and
everything is ok.
God Bless Each One of You, Amen
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 - “Psalms” from Upper Room Daily Devotions
Often I do not know how to pray. Usually my prayers are check-the-box requests delivered in a steady, professional
manner. The psalms show a different way of praying that is eloquent, raw, and emotional. They pull us in deeply to
what the writer was thinking or feeling. In many of the psalms the author shares feelings — good and bad, uplifting
and disturbing, but always honest.
Though about one third of the psalms are laments, almost every one ends on a positive note. This encourages
me always to try to end my prayers on a positive note. But if I cannot, if I am feeling too broken, confused, or crushed,
then it is okay to end where I am. I am confident that God would rather hear an honest prayer that does not end on a
high note than one that is falsely hopeful.
The psalms teach us how to talk to God — to give God not only our requests but also our emotions. Prayers do not
have to be as eloquent as the psalms. They just have to be honest and heartfelt.
Saturday, February 1, 2025 – “Thankful for Today” by P. Williams
I decided to be thankful for today
The sun is out but I did have a little rain
I have been thinking a lot about Western North Carolina
Today:
I showered in my own bathroom
Then made up my bed
I drank 2 cups of coffee and
I am going to cook a hamburger and
fix myself a salad for lunch…
on my stove… in my kitchen
I put on a load of clothes in my Washer
Dried them and put them away in my
chest of drawers
Do you see my train of thought?
I am so thankful for these basic
gifts from God.
Gifts this morning and every morning
Gifts from God to you and Me
Due to flood or fires so many are homeless
or close to it…
I especially thank God today for
simple, everyday things… necessities…
that we all take for Granted every day
I’ve spent time in my life when I
didn’t have a lot… but got along just
fine because God always takes care
of us… every day.
God Bless each one of you
Amen
