Wednesday, April 17, 2024
In the Details
Saturday, April 13, 2024
Breathtaking
Revelation 22:1-5
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as
crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the
middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the
tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every
month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No
longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be
in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his
face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more
night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for
the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
Behold the beauty.
Have you ever seen something so breathtaking you can’t look
away?
On our walk, through Sycamore Park, the Virginia bluebells
are in full bloom. A day after the solar eclipse, we trekked along the paved
trail where there are signs to stay on the path and not walk in the wooded area.
The park personnel are working to restore the flora and fauna. This particular
day, the sky clouded and light rain fell. In that lighting, the blue of the
bluebells shone in gorgeous contrast to the spring green.
All along the path, I couldn’t stop looking at the beautiful
shade of blue that blanketed many areas in the woods. You just don’t see blue
flowers that often and when they’re in clusters, they are simply stunning.
As in awe as I am of floral beauty, I can’t begin to imagine the splendor of heaven. We catch glimpses of what John saw in his vision in Revelation. A river, a tree filled with fruit, eternal light from God himself, oh the glory. The picture painted in Revelation 22 pours hope into my soul. Nature’s beauty in perfect harmony will surround us in heaven.
I hope as you imagine heaven, you see yourself standing at
the throne and praising God. I want to sit by the river and bask in God’s light
and taste the sweet fruit of His presence.
Take a moment from the chaos of this life, imagine heaven,
and fill up on hope.
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
What's in the Woods?
Saturday, April 6, 2024
The Tree's Knees
Psalm 46:1-7
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city
of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
The trees had knees.
In Congaree National Park, my daughter, Maggie, my
grandchildren, Dylan and Zeke, and I hiked along the boardwalk over the swampy
areas. I’d never seen anything quite like the park. The other-worldly feeling
made me wonder when the dinosaurs or gnomes might appear.
Maggie and her family had visited the park before, and she
knew I’d love it. And I did. The vegetation was like nothing I’d seen before.
The trees were huge and fascinating. The Cyprus trees appeared to wear pleated
skirts, and they were surrounded by little stumpy looking knees. Maggie told me
the knees grow up from the roots and help anchor the trees in the muddy soil,
so they offer the tree an extra layer of strength against the wind and storms. The
knees also act like a protection against erosion, which reminds me of how God
anchors me and provides protection and strength.
The verse that mentions the nations in an uproar and the kingdoms
falling brings to mind the headlines today. So much turmoil is in the world,
yet in the Congaree National Park, I felt God’s protection and presence, especially when we encountered a timber rattler.
With God as my refuge, I embraced His presence in the forest,
and I hold tight to it today, at home. He is my strength and He holds me in His
hands.
Wherever you are, if you are a child of God, He sees you and
cares for you.
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
New Life!
Tuesday, April 2, 2024
Children's Book Day!
Saturday, March 30, 2024
Through God's Power
Matthew 28:5-10
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are
looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just
as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and
tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into
Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet
filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met
them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and
worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and
tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
I cannot visit the mountains without hiking to a waterfall.
My daughter Maggie and her teenagers let me tag along on a
trip to Greenville, SC to visit my youngest daughter, Hannah. Hannah and
Stephen are blessed to live in the beautiful Appalachian Mountain region of our
country where a trip to the mountains is just a car drive away.
On one of our exploration adventures we hiked in the Dupont
State Forest, southeast of Brevard, NC, to Triple Falls waterfall. I enjoyed
the spring foliage and the new life popping in the forest, but at the end of
the trail, the true gem awaited.
The falls roared over the rock face of the cliff, and I
stood and let the water spray my face. As I reflected on the power of the falls,
I considered how powerful God is and how humble and loving Jesus is. With
Easter Sunday and the celebration of Jesus defeating death, the truth of Jesus’
life struck me. He lived in obedience to his Father. In living, he knew his
death would come and that he’d carry the burden of sin for every person. He
knew, yet he obeyed. Even as Jesus died, God knew the outcome. God’s power defeated
death and he breathed life into his son and sent his angels to roll away the
stone.
Jesus died and rose again from an ugly death. Through God’s
power, he lives and loves and wants every soul to follow him and meet him in
heaven.
I pray you have a blessed Easter and consider Jesus invitation
to be your Savior.