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My youngest daughter learned to swim by jumping off the side of the pool into my arms. Each time she jumped, I moved back slightly until she had to swim a couple of strokes to reach me. Within just a short time, she was swimming on her own. In those moments, her life was in my hands. She trusted me…

Read Psalm 111. The first vehicle I ever owned was an Isuzu Trooper SUV. I loved it for many reasons—the spartan, no-frills interior, the five-speed manual four-wheel drive, the space to transport my mountain bike and camping gear in the back. The only customization was a sticker on the back…

Read Proverbs chapter 1. If you read Part 1 of this series of devotionals, you'll remember the Bible's clear call to be fearless during difficult and perilous times because God—our Helper, our Strength, our Upholder—is with us. All of that is unequivocally true. At the same time, some of you may…

I remember vividly the day I was born again. The Nazarene church our family used to attend was having its annual Fall Revival. I do not remember the name of the evangelist or the song selection or the text of the sermon. What stands out about that night is the strong awareness the Holy Spirit…

I continue to be amazed at the power of words. Genesis recounts that it was with words that God created light from the darkness (Genesis 1). It was words from Jesus that silenced the storms. Words have been life giving in my own life. It seems that at just the right moments, someone has spoken an…

“Breaking news” scrolls across the bottom of the screen on every news network when something the media deems significant takes place. Social media fills with hashtags of the event, and articles are posted on various media outlets. This news becomes the conversation starter before the meeting at…

The word “submission” may sound unacceptable in our day. The hour in which we live is replete with people fighting for authority and power. The pursuit of position over relationship is fertile breeding ground for offense, outrage, critique, and protest often espoused through social media or in…

I have a dear friend in my life who I have always admired. I had him come speak at my church one time. I was happy when he agreed to do so and was a bit surprised since this individual is very successful and busy. I remember picking him up at the airport and grinning from ear to ear as we talked.…

Salt is referred to several times in the New Testament. Though it is quite common today, it was considered a valuable commodity in ancient times and was even a form of payment in some cases (this is where we get the phrase, “worth his/her salt”). Salt was certainly used to add flavor, but its most…

I remember the first time I jumped out of an airplane. Weeks of training in the US Army had led to that moment; I endured the physical difficulties of training and had put up with the elements just to have this opportunity! We trained, we rehearsed, we practiced, for one reason alone…to jump out of…