I’m sure some of you are veterans. If you are, you served somewhere either in the United States or on foreign soil. Some of you saw combat flying a plane, driving a tanker, driving a jeep, cooking for the troops, or maybe you were a foot soldier. Some of you were wounded, and most certainly all of you live with the memories of what you heard and saw. Wherever you served, whatever position you held, you were a soldier.

Do you believe in America? Of course, you believe in America and that for which it stands. If you didn’t, you would not have risk your life. You believe in the constitution and our Bill of Rights. Those documents are the foundation of our country. You proudly proclaim your allegiance to our country, because you fought for our freedom.

For most of you who have not been in the military, you believe just as strongly in our country. Most of you have and will defend the principles on which it was founded. You, too, are proud Americans.

I am a soldier, a soldier of Christ. My battles are a different kind. I fight the good fight because I believe in the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the apostles and early Christians we read about in the Bible.

Some say that there is no proof that the Bible is real, or that the testimony of the apostles and early Christians offers no prove of the truth of the Bible. However, the testimony of the apostles and early Christians is proof that the Bible is true.

When the twelve disciples were first chosen, they did not know that this man they agreed to follow was the true, promised Messiah. After Jesus performed His first miracle of turning water to wine, John says they believed on Him (John 2:11). Jesus’ own earthly brothers did not believe in Him (John 7:5). Later, James, his earthly brother, became a Christian and served in the church in Jerusalem (Acts 15:13-29). The writer of the book of Jude was also likely the earthly brother of Jesus. Saul, later called Paul, persecuted the Christians in the first century; but after being taught by Ananias in Acts 9, was baptized and began to preach in defense of the truth.

These are not the only men that suffered for the cause of Christ. The book of Revelation was a warning of the persecution that was to come. A long list of historians testify to the fact that John, the apostle, wrote this book. The persecutions of the Christians have been documented. Let’s look at just one of these historians as proof of what transpired.

The writings of Josephus are important for background sources for early Christians. He provides some details on many events that took place. One of these was the stoning of James, the earthly brother of Jesus. Caesar, the emperor, appointed a new procurator over Judea. He was a Sadducee, a religious sect of the Jews. The Sadducees were rigid in judging those accused of various crimes. The new procurator assembled the Sanhedrin, the ruling body of the Jews, and brought James before them, along with some others. He formed an accusation against them and delivered them to be stoned. (worldhistory.org).

Josephus also records the demise of John the Baptizer. John preached against the adultery of Herod and Herodias. Herodias was not happy with John, and she desperately wanted to get rid of him. Her daughter danced at the king’s birthday party and was granted almost anything her heart desired. On advice of her mother, she asked for John’s head on a silver platter.

Josephus also writes about the apostle Paul. He identified with the Pharisees, another sect of the Jews, during his lifetime. Josephus and his father were most likely in the area Paul was when this apostle was arrested and later killed. (FromtheDesk.org).

Nero was the Roman Emperor known for his persecution of the Christians. One of the key factors in the spread of Christianity was the work of the apostles. Paul, especially, traveled throughout the Mediterranean area. His message was one of hope and salvation. This was different than the worship of idols the people were used to.

Christianity was seen as a threat to the established order. It did not recognize the authority of the emperor over God, and it rejected the idol worship. It also promoted equality among all believers. Nero wanted to assert his power and authority.

After a destructive fire in Rome that may have been caused by Nero, the emperor wanted to blame the Christians. Those who refused to renounce their faith were subjected to horrific persecutions and death. They were fed to animals, torn apart, and even tarred and hung in Nero’s garden where he set them on fire and used them as human torches to light his garden at night.

“Despite the severity of Nero’s persecution, Christianity continued to grow and spread throughout the Roman empire in the centuries that followed.” Nero’s persecution of Christians failed to eliminate Christianity.

We know that all of the apostles, with the exception of John, suffered persecution. Many others also suffered at the hands of the Roman rulers. James, the apostle, was beheaded by Herod (Acts 12:1-2). James, the brother of Jesus, was stoned. John the Baptizer was beheaded for preaching against adultery (Matthew 14). Stephen, a preacher in the early church, was stoned because there were those that disputed his teaching of the truth (Acts 6:8 through 7:1-60). His message was clear. He accused them of their ungodly actions, and they killed him for his beliefs.

Why would these men be willing to die? They died because they believed in Jesus Christ. They believed that He came to earth, lived, died, was buried, and rose again. They believed that He returned to the Father where He sits at His right hand. Stephen told the people that he could see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man was standing on the right hand of God (Acts 7:56). His revelation caused the mob to rush on him and stone him to death.

The testimony of these and others, whether in words or actions, is proof that the Bible is true. Even in the face of death, Christians have for centuries been willing to die for the cause of Christ.

We are fortunate that we are not asked to die if we profess our faith in God and Jesus Christ, His Son. That could still happen. That is why many of you sacrificed so much for our country. You would not have done this had you not known that you were fighting for truth and for freedom. So, it was and is with Christians. The heroes of Scripture stood for the truth and are proof that the Bible is true.

Sandra Oliver

What if there were no resurrection?

This very question is asked and answered in 1 Corinthians 15. If there were no resurrection:

• “our preaching is in vain” (v. 14)
• “your faith is in vain” (v. 14)
• “we are misrepresenting God” (v. 15)
• “your faith is futile” (v. 17)
• “you are still in your sins” (v. 17)
• “those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished” (v. 18)
• “we are of all people most to be pitied” (v. 19)

“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead” (v. 20)!

And because of that, we will be raised, too, in glory (v. 43), in power (v. 43), and in victory (v. 57). Because He lives, we have comfort in what lies ahead and an “imperishable” (v. 42), “spiritual body” (v. 44) to look forward to.

But the resurrection of Christ blesses us NOW, too. The book of Ephesians is filled with reassuring promises for those who are in Christ (His church). By my count, there are more than 20! For example, because He lives:

• We enjoy every spiritual blessing (1:3).
• We have redemption and forgiveness (1:7).
• We have an inheritance (1:11).
• We have His power (1:19).
• We have been made alive (2:5).
• We have been saved through faith (2:8).
• We live with purpose (2:10).
• We are members of the household of God (2:19).
• We have boldness and confident access (3:11-12).
• We have strength through His Spirit (3:16).

“These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places” (Eph. 1:19-20).

It seems like each one of these would be enough on its own. But our Christ “blesses and blesses again” as the old hymn says. An awareness of this will help us live gratefully and faithfully here until we are raised with Him there (1 Cor. 15:58)!

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

(1 Pet. 1:3)

By Kathy Pollard

Isaiah 41:4 – “Who controlled the lives of everyone from the beginning? I, the Lord, am the one. I was here at the beginning, and I will be here when all things are finished.”

While hiking the ridge, I stopped to admire a hillside carpeted in a glorious array of white, lacy flowers. My husband chuckled prior to announcing, “I’m pretty sure that’s the weed you’ve been pulling from our flower beds.”

What! I never could have guessed the small and insignificant weeds I forbade in my yard would have bloomed into this beautiful bridal veil display. Absolutely nothing in my yard looked stunning. My flower bed (that cost me good money) featured crunchy brown plants despite my constant coddling.

Reflecting on the beauty of the hillside, I considered my rationale for pulling those weeds. It dawned on me, the flowers I purchased were chosen by me, planted by me, watered by me, and pruned by me. Not so that weed. How dare it grow in my yard, on my watch, and without my permission! I had every right to pluck it. Right?

I’ve told myself it isn’t my fault I’m a control freak. My life, perhaps like yours, has been spent directing others. As a mother, a grandmother, an older sister, a teacher, not to mention an overseer of a guinea pig, goldfish, hamster, turtle, cat, and dog, the director’s chair is mine and my expectations require everyone following my script.

But Isaiah 41:4 reminds us it is God alone who has, since the beginning of time, been in control. God was in control when Adam and Eve came to life in His garden. He was the God orchestrating the parting of the mighty sea. God was in control of the host of angels singing at the birth of His son. And God controlled the earth that shook the prison doors open for Paul.

Friend, our great God always has been and will continue to be in control. So today is the day we vacate the director’s chair. Our Heavenly Father desires for us to relinquish control and bloom into a glorious and beautiful life with Him.

Father God, may we ever delight in the fact that you have been in control from the beginning and will be till the end of time.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane

John 4:3-4 NKJV “He (Jesus) left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria.”

Days of travel had left Jesus exhausted, so as the Savior rested by the well, His disciples went in search of food. In the heat of the day, the well sat deserted and forgotten, but Jesus waited patiently for her arrival. He knew she would come. He needed to see her for she desperately needed Him.

The woman for whom Jesus waited also felt exhaustion as the sun beamed down. But the task of drawing water lay before her. So, placing one pot on her head and one in her arms, she headed to the well, unaware her life was about to change forever.

From a distance, she could make out the outline of a stranger. Her deserted spot was no longer hers alone. Just perhaps, whoever sat at the well at this ungodly hour was an outcast also.

However, as His form came into focus, she realized He was Jewish. Never could she have imagined this Jew, who sat at her well, would be anxious to speak with her. She was a Samaritan. She was forbidden territory.

But speak, He did, and her heart cringed as His words divulged every shameful detail of her sad existence.

“How is it, Sir, that you reveal these darkest parts of my life?” she surely asked. “Do you also see the deepest secrets buried deep within me?”

She braced for His scorn, but none came. Instead, His words offered hope. His voice filled with respect. His gestures displayed compassion. And as she stood at her old familiar well, she realized she was standing at a new place – a place called grace. Little did she know, His grace was about to change who she was and who she would forever be. She had met the Messiah and oh, how sweet, was this deep well of grace.

Father God, bring us to your well of grace.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane

God has a box? Oh yes! If one looks closely at the dimensions of the ark that God instructed Noah to build, it would likely reassemble a box—a very large box. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.”  But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high. Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit high all around. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. Did God ask Noah to build a rectangular box? Yes!

         God’s plan to save Noah and his family was simple. It is possible that there had never been rain on the earth up to this time, because it was watered with a mist at the creation and there is no record of a change until the rains of flood. Yet, Noah believed God and moved in faith to build the structure that would provide salvation for his family, himself, and a sampling of all the creatures on earth. While God’s plan was simple, the building and collection of provisions may have taken 100 years to accomplish (Genesis 5:32; 7:6).

I find it intriguing, however, that there were several things God did not tell Noah to put on or in the boat that are standard on water vessels—a sail, a rudder, and an anchor. You see, these things were not needed to guide God’s box or stabilize it, because God was in control. He was the rudder and sail that guided them where they would go, and He was their anchor providing the stability they might need.

There are many similarities between the salvation of Noah’s day and the salvation we have in Christ Jesus. God’s plan for today is to redeem or save all mankind spiritually through the church, the plan which he had in mind before the creation of the world (1 Peter 1:20). God suffered long with the human race and waited until the days of righteous Noah, who would build the ark, in which few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. Baptism, which  corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ (verses 20-21). Peter assures us that God’s long suffering continues. He is patiently waiting today so as many as possible can hear and obey Jesus before he comes to judge the world (2 Peter 3:9).

In the church we have no need for a sail or rudder. God’s word is both! Peter explained how the prophecy of the gospel of Christ did not come from the mind of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). That same word guides us today so we may obey Him and lead a life well pleasing to our Savior.

As God’s children in His church, Jesus is our anchor of the soul, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf (Hebrews 6:18-20).

God’s spiritual box definitely exists today. It is the church! Just as the ark was the only hope of salvation for Noah and his family, Jesus and His church is mankind’s only conduit for salvation today! He said, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (Jn:14:6).

I’m so very thankful that I was baptized into Christ and added to the church (Acts 2:41). I have the most blessed of all Saviors who has provided the rudder and sail to guide me through the storms of life, realizing that God is greater than anything threatening (illness, cancer, and even death). Finally, He has given me an anchor of hope that keeps my focus on the fact that He is in control, so whom or what shall I fear???? Are you safely in God’s box, the church He built with His own blood (Ephesians 2:19-22)?

Today’s Verses: The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1). The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me? (Hebrews 13:6).

Audios available at http://christianwomanaudiodevotionals.abiblecommentary.com

I feel certain that when Boaz and Ruth formed their family, they had no idea of the amazing things that would happen throughout the history of the Bible. They had one son, Obed. The sum of his life is recorded in the last verse of the book of Ruth. “And Obed begat Jesse”; that is all we know.

The story of Jesse isn’t much different. As the grandson of a Moabitess and an Israelite, he held no special status. He was an ordinary man, living an ordinary life. There is no mention of a Mrs. Jesse, but there is recorded that he had eight sons.
Only four of his sons are named; the eldest is Eliab, and the next two, Abinadab and Shammah. David was the youngest.

We do see Jesse as an obedient servant of God. When God sent the prophet Samuel to Bethlehem to the home of Jesse, we find him ready to accept the prophet’s invitation to a sacrifice to God. After the sacrifice, Samuel asked Jesse to have his sons pass before him, but Scripture does not indicate that Jesse knew this was for the purpose of selecting a king.

As each son passed before Samuel, he was rejected as the chosen one. Samuel asked Jesse to bring David in from the field, and God revealed that he was the future king of Israel.

Later, when King Saul was suffering from an evil spirit, someone in Saul’s inner circle suggested that a harpist be brought in to calm the king. The search began, and David was chosen to come to the palace to play for the king. When Saul’s messengers revealed the need of the king, Scripture says that Jesse took a donkey and placed on it bread, wine, and a kid and sent them to King Saul.

David was so successful in calming Saul that the king sent word to Jesse that he wanted David to stay with him. We don’t know how long he stayed or how often he went home; but we do know David continued to care for his father’s sheep.

The three oldest sons fought in the army of King Saul. Younger brother David was sent to the battle to take gifts to their captain and supplies for his brothers. We know the rest of the story. David faced the Philistine giant, Goliath, and killed him.

The only descriptive term we find about Jesse is found in First Samuel 17:12. It says, “ Now David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. In the days of Saul the man was already old and advanced in years.” His younger days with his sons are not mentioned. Nothing distinctive is shared about his life, yet there are some things we can know.

We know that he had sheep, because David was sent to Bethlehem to tend his father’s sheep (verse 15). We know that David was an obedient son, following his father’s instructions to check on his brothers and deliver supplies. That act of kindness shows Jesse’s generous spirit in sending food to Saul’s army and previously to King Saul.

I think Jesse represents a significant number of people who are just ordinary people, serving God and doing what they can. He serves as an example to us that great things can happen to ordinary people. Much of the good passed along may never be known by the giver. Boaz and Ruth did not know that they would be in the lineage of an Almighty King, Jesus our Savior. Jesse did not know that the Son of God would be born through the descendants of his youngest son.

Jesse lived his life, serving where and when he could. But notice—he never refused to serve. He did not refuse Samuel when he ordered David home from the field. He did not refuse when Saul sent for him to serve him in his palace. He did not refuse to support his sons’ service in Saul’s army.

The words of the psalmist in Psalm 100 give us some beautiful insights about our relationship with God. Be joyful in our verbal responses. Serve the Lord with a happy spirit. Know and acknowledge that the Lord is God. Live like we belong to God. Be a thankful people, and bless the name of our Lord. Acknowledge His mercy and His faithfulness as long as we live.

Sandra Oliver

Judges 2:7 &10 “And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord, that he did for Israel…and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.”

As I walked through the park, I found myself intrigued over a conversation between two pregnant women discussing their birthing plans. I resisted the urge to inquire about a “birthing plan,” fearing I might expose myself as an eavesdropper.

My thoughts were taken back to the excitement my husband and I felt when we discovered we would be parents. But a birthing plan? I could not recall one. We showed up in the maternity ward, that baby popped out when he was good and ready, then we took him home. I left the hospital with my beautiful newborn in arms thinking, “If this nurse only knew I had no clue what to do with this baby when I got home, she should never allow me to leave with him.”

We gratefully found the plan in Deuteronomy 6. It went something like this: Parents must fill themselves so full of God’s love and truth that the stories of Him would constantly overflow into our children – when we walked together, sat together, and even as we lay down at night.

What could happen if we failed to follow this plan? We could suffer the same catastrophe the children of Israel suffered long ago. You see, Israel had witnessed God’s incredible miracles, yet they neglected to tell their children those stories. So, an entire generation grew up without any knowledge of God.

Since the children were never taught God’s stories, consider what principles they missed:

Their children were blind to the power of God because they never heard the story of creation.

The story of the Tower of Babel was never shared, so children were unaware God hates pride.

The children never heard of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, so there was no concept of the importance of trust and obedience.

The story of Lot’s wife went untaught, so children were unaware of the consequences of sin.

The children did not know the story of Joseph, so forgiveness was irrelevant.

Their children were never told of brave Rahab, so the Father’s loving redemption was lost.

What happened next was inevitable: “There arose a generation who knew not the Lord.”  The trail of blame lead right back to parents who failed at the most important task God placed in their hands.

Friends, our children grow up quickly and there will come a day when opportunities for training them will diminish. We must be diligent, for if we fail to teach our children who God is, the world is ready to teach them that God is not!

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane

The unassuming Evening Primrose has a place in the garden, if only as a trap crop. The small blooms are somewhat pretty, and the flowers have a lovely, mild taste. The oils from the seeds are medicinal and have been used for decades in folk medicine.

Here is the bigger claim to fame, though. Japanese beetles are attracted to its leaves, which they find even tastier than our roses and peach trees.

Satan has a few trap crops in his garden of lies. He lures the unsuspecting into a dark place by some very enticing schemes.

Here’s one: “Caring.” One of the flashiest of virtue signals in Satan’s arsenal of spiritual weapons is the falsehood known as “caring more” — allegedly than you, or Christians in general. Professing “compassion” for those in flagrant and willful sin is supposed to be alluring enough to shame us into smiling upon evil, in the guise of “caring” about those caught up in evil practices.

The lie is then compounded by another whopper: “Christians are just self-righteous and are happy in their belief that others who are different are lost.” Non-believers just don’t get it; we DO care enough to tell the truth so our loved ones are NOT lost eternally. Their “caring” facade is revealed to be false.

Another effective trap is “Fun.” Anything in that category has to be good, right? Wrong. While Solomon did tell us to enjoy life, he reminded us that we will answer to the Creator (Ecclesiastes 11:9).

Meanwhile, Satan and his henchmen shout, “You do you!” And, “Whatever floats your boat.” Sure, Satan wants us to “find ourselves,” because in this search, we are not generally searching for God or His will.

Then there is the age-old favorite — the pursuit of money. Money isn’t a bad thing. We all wish, many times rightly so, that we had more of it (Ecclesiastes 10:19). But all too often the trap is set; the LOVE OF money, which is the “root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). To respect the way economies work and to trade our hours and hard work for money is commendable, up to a point. However, too many are snared by the trap of pursuing riches to the detriment of all else.

Notice, if you will, that none of the above “trap crops” are bad in and of themselves. Those Japanese beetles would probably get nice and fat and healthy chowing down on my Evening Primroses. But morning comes and they’re still groggy from the cool of the night air, and I come along with a jar full of sudsy water, flicking the shiny irridescent little monsters into the foam, where they cannot escape. I put the jar lid on, give it a few shakes, and the destructive bugs are dead, never to devour another rosebud again.

When we are lured in by the devil’s traps, we don’t stay in the safety of a productive, pleasant life. The fake compassion convinces us that all sin is OK, and we leave God. The fun and frivolity that was so harmless at first takes over our lives and we neglect what’s important. The money that we deemed so important has made us bitter to the ones we love when our financial hopes are not met.

My garden is not safe for the destructive insects. I’ll lure them in and then happily dispatch them. Satan will do that to us as well if we take the bait.

“Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things” (Ecclesiastes 11:9-10, NASB).

by Christine Berglund

I can think of many older women (aside from my own family members) who made an impact on me. One of the most interesting was a woman named Eloise Ousley in Manchester, GA. When her husband would leave town, she’d invite my sister and me for a sleepover. Her kitchen table would be piled high with lots of wonderful treats for the three of us to enjoy during movie marathons. I didn’t think much of it at the time (except that it was fun), but now I realize how remarkable that was. We weren’t related, we hadn’t known each other long, and we weren’t peers. She was probably 50 or more years older than us. She just took an interest and wanted to do something special.

There’ve been women who made the Bible come alive in Bible classes. Women who took an interest in mentoring teen girls. Women who weren’t afraid to share their knowledge and skills with me when I was a newlywed. And women who’ve shown me living pictures of contentment, a quiet spirit, joyful service, and a Christ-centered marriage. And you know what? I’m STILL learning from them and I’m so thankful!

God designed it that way. He instructed the older women to teach the younger (Titus 2:3-5). He wants us to view older women as a valuable resource for wisdom, guidance, and encouragement. They are a precious, essential element for a healthy, growing church!

I know what you’re thinking. You ain’t no spring chicken. You’re right. I’m more of an autumn chicken. I’m not sure what season of chicken you’re supposed to be before you officially become the “older woman,” but I acknowledge I probably hit that category years ago. That means it’s my turn. And maybe it’s your turn, too. Now we get to create special memories for young people. And we get to try our best to be examples of light and faith and womanhood. Let’s prayerfully and humbly take up the torch!

“Older women…are to teach what is good, and so train the younger women…”

(Titus 2:3-4)

The most fun news of 2024! I’m a grandmother of six now. One more sweet Colley baby is being formed by our Creator and  Glenn and I are praising and praying for this little one daily. Our baby’s Father hears our pleas to heaven and for heaven, ultimately, for all six of our little grandchildren and for their parents. We are in awe at the profound blessing we have already have been given, but we anticipate cradling this sweet bundle in our arms next March. It will feel really good to have a baby’s tiny fingers around my thumb again. And it will be the norm for all of me to be wrapped around a tiny baby’s finger. (And, as I rock this baby next March, I will rock on back, in my mind,  a few decades, to a nursery in Pulaski, Tennessee, where I rocked his/her daddy in the middle of lots of nights, and it will feel amazingly sweet!..way sweeter than it felt in my twenties–the decade of sleepless nights!)

If you know me at all, you know I’m over the moon. There are some very special children in my life. Ezra, Colleyanna, Maggie, Eliza Jane, Ellis  and sweet baby Colley are at the heart of this group. But some of you who are reading are my “daughters” in a precious spiritual way and your children are mine, too. That’s a big blessing of being in the big family of God.

Layla, Henry, Sasha, Elizabeth and Mel are specifically  in my prayers tonight because of physical struggles. If I try to imagine prayers without the names and plights of babies, I’m hard pressed. I’m so thankful Jesus made it so clear about how much He cares for our little ones.

And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.  Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.  Mark 10:13-16

I pray I will, in all ways, always, do all I can, as time goes by, to put THE good news down deep in the heart of this little one who is OUR good news! I know his/her parents will do just that.  God is so, so good! Just when you think you’ve had a little more than you can patiently take of some grief or problem, God says “See! I am doing a new thing!”

I’m so thankful for the original and ultimate  “new thing” of Isaiah 43:19 that also began with a tiny baby in Judea, and is the answer to all my griefs and problems! I can’t wait for heaven where all the tears are wiped away, all the evil is overcome and “all the things” that burdened are in the distant past of  a world that’ll then be ashes…a melted planet (2 Peter 3:10).  In the meantime, though, there’s a lot happening on the pre-burned-up planet that’s key to getting the people I love to that new place around the throne!

I love you fiercely to eternity, already, sweet baby C-3!

Cindy Colley