Was Jesus forsaken on the cross? Educated and religious Jews used a unique technique to recite memorized psalms. And so did Jesus when passers-by yelled insults at him as he hung dying on a cross. He wanted his people to know he was fulfilling a prophecy that predicted his specific suffering.
Misc Devotional
The Glimpse of the New Kingdom
My former pastor, Pete Briscoe, gives us a “little glimpse into what it might feel like when we get [to the new kingdom].” His description is so beautiful I must share it.
A Life With God
Since my word for 2023 is with, I enthusiastically dove into "With: Reimagining the way you relate to God" by Skye Jethani. The author’s thesis is, "Our true selves cannot be discovered by living under, over, from, or for God. It is something that will be revealed when we are fully with God."
The Difference between Envy and Jealousy
Do you know the difference between envy and jealousy? I did not until I heard a message from Jamin Roller at Citizens Church, Plano, Texas. I owe these thoughts to him.
Read a Book from Your Childhood
Read a book from your childhood. This self-care suggestion caught my eye because I’ve never seen this idea on any list before. So during my recent convalescence from Covid (yes, that dreaded virus finally caught up with me after three years), I reached for the “Barney Mysteries”—five books all starting with the letter R—by Enid Blyton.
Please Put Up with Me: A Call to Forbear
I walked into my bedroom and sighed in annoyance. My husband’s closet door remained open, the light shone brightly, and several drawers of his dresser lay wide open—again! Google “pet peeve” and you will find all sorts of things that irritate us.
Moses’s Five Reasons Why Not and God’s Five Assurances
As I prepare for yet another opportunity to deliver God’s message, I am tempted again to fixate on my inadequacies. How ironic that the first message I ever delivered in front of my fellow Christian Education classmates was on Moses's call (Exodus 3–4) and his focus on “I am not” rather than “you are God.”
Word of the Year 2022
Goodbyes said to guests. Linens washed. Christmas decorations taken down and stored. Fridge restocked. Time to organize myself and my new year. Set up a planner. Select a journal. Reflect on the previous year and the new one. And choose a word for the year.
