Month: January 2025

God’s Plan

On By vickleaIn promises, Scripture, Song3 Comments

Have you ever thought about the fact that sometimes things don’t work out the way we had expected? But it all turns out okay in the end because God is right there.

I read in my devotional today that Abram turned aside from the promised land to go to Egypt because there was a famine in the land that God was sending him to. What? In Egypt, Abram got a little off the path of faith because instead of trusting God to take care of him and Sarai, he told her to tell Pharoah that she was his sister. Read Genesis 12 for the entire story.

Sometimes we are a lot like Abram. We expect one thing, get another, and then we try to help God by taking matters into our own hands. Believe me when I say that is never a good idea. I haven’t read a single scripture in which God tells man that He could really use his help. Actually, God is generally waiting for us to call on Him for help and then to be patient as we wait for His answer.

The “they” in these verses refers to Paul and Barnabas, the missionary duo in the book of Acts. Notice the last part of the verse. If these two men who had been imprisoned, beaten and cast out of cities because of their witness recognize that entering the kingdom of God is not a stroll in the park, then who are we to expect that?

God promises that in spite of our wandering off the path (also known as His best plan for us) and in spite of our insisting on going our own way, He does not abandon us. That is quite a promise to hold on to. Neither does God abandon His plan for us. He has a plan and He will fulfill it; we just need to be so in tune with God that we trust His plan to unfold, in His time, not ours.

Our response is to speak with a confident testimony to all of the scoffers and doubters around us. We don’t need to be afraid of them because God is still helping us, sometimes out of the mess that we got ourselves into.

I found this song to apply to my post today and hope that you enjoy it as much as I have. It speaks to the scriptures above and trusting God for all things in all times.

Waiting-Healing Place Worship

Secure in God

On By vickleaIn Admonition, Scripture, Song1 Comment

I was reading in Genesis today about Noah and the ark, and I once again noted that God closed the door of the ark, sealing out the floods that were to destroy the earth.

Just as God separated Noah from the judgment that was about to take place on the earth, He calls us to be separate from sin in our lives so that we aren’t not judged unworthy on the great Judgment Day.

Jesus is our door to eternity with God and when God executes judgment on all of mankind, the time for making the right choice is over. The door is shut so that the evil of the world is not welcome in the new heaven and the new earth.

Many people are enjoying prosperity today, the kind that the world gives…fame, riches, and all the trappings that accompany it. But where will they run on the Day of Judgment, the day when it will be too late for them to declare their loyalty to the One True God? What will happen to all of their riches then? Jesus said repeatedly that we need to leave the things of this world behind and concentrate on our walk with God. There will be a day of reckoning, and God will not want to know how much money you made or how successful you were in your own eyes. He wants to see you clothed in the righteousness of His Son, and if you are not, then the judgment of His wrath that He had been holding back will become your new reality.

Are Christians the ones who are wailing? I think we will be the ones around the throne singing a new song of rejoicing, but those who have not accepted the Lord as Savior will be wailing for their destruction is absolute and certain.

There were many in the days of Noah who ridiculed him for building the ark. They drowned in the flood of judgment that God sent. Don’t let the ridicule of the world keep you away from making the choice that will keep you safe in God’s arms for all eternity. Choose life…choose Jesus! He is the only secure place in a world that is overrun with evil. He is the only door to the Father, and He has invited everyone to come in before it is too late.

The Old Rugged Cross-Alan Jackson

Come to Jesus-Sidewalk Prophets

JustRead Takeover and Review Tour: THE NEW LONELINESS by Cindi McMenamin

On By vickleaIn blog tour, Book Review, JustRead Publicity Tour3 Comments
Welcome to the T akeover + Review Blitz for The New Loneliness by Cindi McMenamin hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours

About the Book

Title: The New Loneliness
Author: Cindi McMenamin
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
Release Date: January 7, 2025
Genre: Christian Personal Growth


You Can Overcome Your Feelings of Aloneness
In our age of increased social isolation and growing
reliance on technology, genuine connection can feel
more difficult than ever. But what if community and
closeness are nearer than you thought?


The New Loneliness is about experiencing the
authentic relationships God created you for by
identifying and overcoming today’s biggest relational
obstacles. Cindi McMenamin explores how our
current cultural environment and dependence on
electronic devices have hindered our ability to
connect, and she offers uplifting guidance, biblical
insights, and encouraging action steps to help you


● release feelings of inadequacy and shame by realigning with how the Lord sees you and understanding His purpose for you


● take confident steps toward nourishing healthy, in-person relationships by learning to slow down and operate from a secure attachment to God


● thrive within new friendships and community with practical guidance for making life more meaningful and preferring faces over screens


God did not create us to live in isolation. Journey with the Lord from aloneness to abundance, and flourish as you deepen your relationships with God and others.


PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Bookshop

My Thoughts

This book is a practical guide as well as a devotional for women who are suffering through loneliness. I was particularly drawn to the scriptures at the end of each chapter which lead the reader to be reflective and honest as well as to draw the reader closer to God. There are also challenges at the end of each chapter that encourage the readers to dig deeper and think harder. This book is a good resource for those who are dealing with loneliness as well as anyone who wants to minister to those suffering from the new loneliness caused by social isolation in today’s world. The topic is compelling, relevant and a welcome breath of fresh air for those who deny that loneliness is even possible in today’s high tech, connected all the time world.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher as part of a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

______________________________________________________________

About the Author

Cindi McMenamin is an award-winning writer and national speaker who has ministered to women for nearly 40 years. She is the author of 17 books, including When Women Walk Alone (more than 160,000 copies sold) and When a Woman Overcomes Life’s Hurts. As a Bible teacher, her passion is to help women strengthen their walk with God and their relationships.


Connect with Cindi by visiting StrengthForTheSoul.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

1) winner will receive a copy of The New Loneliness, Beholding and Becoming by Ruth Chou Simons, Well Lived by Sally Clarkson, and a $50 Amazon gift card!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight January 8, 2025 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on
January 15, 2025. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

God Is Holy

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song2 Comments

This morning in my devotional, I read several scriptures about God’s holiness. Thus, I was enticed to dig in and find out more about what that means to me as a Christian.

The characteristic of holiness is ascribed to God repeatedly. In fact, one source I consulted (see footnote) reports that the word “holy” is used 431 times in the Old Testament in Hebrew and 180 times in the New Testament in Greek. When we think about God’s attributes, we generally think of His mercy, grace and love. Holiness seems to be a part of God that I don’t think about too much, but perhaps I should. God is holy because He is separate from His creation; in fact, the Bible says no one can look at God and live. Moses got to see the back of God from a cleft in a rock, but He did not see God face to face. That marvelous privilege will happen when we live with Him in a new heaven and new earth, where He is the ruler forever and ever.

But why does the Scripture constantly admonish us to be holy? Is that something that happens as soon as we become Christians? No, rather we are “becoming” holy…we will not be complete until we are in His presence.

I cannot imagine the entire earth being filled with God’s glory, but I am excited about it. The angels called God holy, and God tells us to be holy as He is. We are supposed to be separated from the sinful world and sacred to Him, our Creator and Redeemer.

Our God is holy and we can be like him but we cannot be Him. He is the Creator and the One worthy of all of our praise and adoration.

Is Jesus called “holy”? Of course, because He is the Son and has always been with the Father from the beginning. But Jesus doesn’t make us holy; He shows us the way to holiness by living according to the standards he set forth in His words to His disciples. The resource I used stated that even our best efforts cannot make us holy. That is the work of the Holy Spirit. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that “holy” is part of the name of the third person of the Trinity. He is the One who continually works within us to help us to be holy. That still small voice that reminds you of commitments to God and things you should be doing, wise choices you should make? That’s the Holy Spirit that resides in each of us once we have become adopted into the family of God as His children. God doesn’t just say, “be holy.” He sends a helper to aid us in our quest to be more like Him. (John 14:26)

I have not arrived at holiness yet, and I don’t know anyone who has. I think that Enoch, the man who walked with God and never died, must have reached that goal, but I don’t know for sure. I am on a quest to be better today, closer to Him, more “holy” if you will, than I was yesterday. Will I fail sometimes? Yes, more than I want to, but I am still striving to the goal of holiness because God says to be holy. He didn’t wave a magic wand and say, “Okay. You’re holy now.” We have to make wise choices every day, every hour and every minute in order to move towards the holiness that God wants to see in us. Does that mean that we are not righteous before God? No, I may be wrong, but I think righteousness is different than holiness. Righteousness is the right standing with God that Jesus gave us by dying for us on the cross. Holiness is what we strive towards in our daily walk with the Lord.

I am not sure I am making sense here to anyone but me, but I hope that this post has made you think about holiness and how God is holy all the time and He doesn’t have to work at it. He just is holy! Praise His Name!

**Source: https://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/what-is-the-biblical-definition-of-holy/

Holy Forever-Chris Tomlin

Holy Is the Lord God Almighty-Chris Tomlin

Banished/Driven Out/Cast Out

On By vickleaIn Admonition, ScriptureLeave a comment

These verses are very sad, aren’t they? Adam and Eve were living in a perfect world, in total harmony with God and nature. Then, they sinned and God banished them from the Garden of Eden that He had created for them. Not only that, God put cherubim with a flaming sword to guard the tree of life. God, who made man in His image, casts him away from the closeness that he had enjoyed since creation. The hopelessness and despair must have been overwhelming.

Lest we decide to blame Adam and Eve for all of mankind’s problems, the Bible is filled with reminders that we are ALL sinners. Not one of us would have been allowed to stay in the Garden of Eden! We can now stop pointing that finger at Adam and Eve and point it back at ourselves. We are sinners. We are the reason that Christ had to die for the sins of mankind.

Aha! Hope follows despair if we know that Jesus is our Lord and that He died for us. God didn’t just send man out of the garden. He already had a plan for the redemption of mankind, if man would only believe and accept His free gift of salvation.

Like many of you, I have been watching with horror as a great swath of Los Angeles burns. I have been praying for the people there and for the firefighters and rescuers. But I have also been praying that no one has to suffer the eternal fires of hell. These fires in L.A. look hot and unrelenting. Imagine if you can the torment of eternity in a fire created by God for those who choose to go there. Yes, that’s right. If we don’t repent and ask Jesus to be our Savior, we are choosing to spend eternity separated from God and in the eternal fire of damnation.

As you sit mesmerized in front of your screen, please pray for all the people in L.A. But, more importantly, pray for the souls of all those who have not yet come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Let’s pray together that they come to salvation before Judgment Day.

Marriage Ordained by God

On By vickleaIn marriage, Scripture6 Comments

My husband Harry and I have been married 51 years. When we had our fiftieth anniversary, we had a trip planned to travel by train and see the western part of the United States. Unfortunately, my health had other plans for me. Nevertheless, we celebrated quietly together. No one knows except the two of us all of the struggles we have had to overcome to stay together. Our adversity started before we were even married since my mom didn’t approve of Harry and did everything she could to dissuade me from marrying him.

Then, the military kept us separated for years. We moved, I stayed in new housing and Harry was deployed, sometimes for nine or ten months at a time. We figured out that we had actually been together physically a little over half the time that we have been married.

We persevered through it all, especially the disagreements that we had over how to live, where to live and other daily decisions. I had gotten used to doing everything and when Harry retired from the military, he wanted to take over and I just wasn’t ready to give up control. So, yeah, lots of problems.

Still, we stayed together, in spite of all of our difficulties and hard times. Why bother? After all, I was alone most of the time anyway and had learned to lean on God and not my absentee husband. The answer lies in the scripture above. God brought the woman to man; God ordained the union. We both believe that God brought us together (meeting on a bus, no less) and that He has been with us through everything…three children born in three different states, twenty five moves and eleven different states plus D.C. and now ten grandchildren. He has never forsaken either of us. We are companions for life because that is what God made us. He gave me to Harry, but He also gave Harry to me.

Devotion is most evident when you least expect it. Like when I had a massive stroke and was in ICU for several days. The doctors told Harry that there was nothing he could do, he should go home and rest. Instead, he settled down on the floor with a pillow and slept next to me. There was no chair or other place he could sit since ICU visits were supposed to be short. But he refused to leave me, telling them that hospitals scared me and he was not going to leave me alone there. He also quit his job so he could be at home with me, taking social security early.

God knows we have needed each other. When Harry was floundering for a new career after leaving the military, I was his encourager and his help for online job searches. I am still his tech support, in spite of my lack of a lot of knowledge.

God ordained marriage, one man and one woman for life. That is what Harry and I believe and we are committed to our vows before God and to each other “until death do us part.”

The God of Creation

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song5 Comments

Today is the day after Epiphany, the day I take the Christmas decorations off the tree and put all of the Christmas things away. It is usually a sad day for me, a day to miss all of the pretty decorations and the fun times that we had as a family together. But this year, I am in a more reflective mood. I took everything down and put it away and then I sat in my chair to do my devotional. Outside the window next to me, I can see the birds hopping around in the snow, eating the birdseed that my husband scattered for them yesterday. They remind me of how much God loves all of His creation.

I really don’t like snow because it’s so cold and so slippery. But it is a beautiful part of God’s creation and from inside my warm home, I can look out at the light reflecting on the white surfaces everywhere and marvel at God’s ability to create such beauty from nothing. What are you looking at in nature today that shows you God’s wonderful creation?

This verse was my memory verse a couple of weeks ago, and it is a favorite of mine. The same God who created all of the world that I know sees me, and nothing is too hard for Him. When I think I have reached the end of my rope, God lets a little more out for me to hold on to and He always reminds me that He is the One holding the other end.

I have not been doing a lot of suffering lately, but I do have friends and family who have been going through some rough times. If we are suffering according to God’s will, we can be assured that the faithful Creator is aware of what we are going through and is right there with us. When I think that I am in a wilderness and no one else is going through what I am enduring, God reminds me that His Son suffered and endured so much more than I ever could or will. He also reminds me that I am going THROUGH the wilderness; I am not supposed to camp there and have a pity party.

God of Wonders-Paul Baloche

Happy Epiphany!

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song5 Comments

Contrary to popular belief and most Nativity sets, the wise men were not at the birth of Jesus. In fact, since it probably took them a couple of years to travel to see Him, He was likely a toddler when they arrived. Nevertheless, they left whatever they were doing in their own homelands and traveled far away, not knowing where they were going, but following a star to the place of the Messiah.

My big takeaway from the visit of the Magi is that they were willing to leave things behind and press forward towards where God was leading them. They didn’t make excuses or try to find a replacement, they just went and did what God called them to do. How often do I drop what I am doing and listen to God’s voice and immediately obey? I would guess that my answer would have to be almost never. First of all, I do not hear God’s audible voice very often and when I do, it is usually for wisdom or comfort, not instructions to do something. I would like to think that if God told me specifically to do something, I would, but I just don’t know and I don’t exactly trust myself to act quickly when God says to. Thus, I really admire the Magi who did act quickly, perhaps even spontaneously, to follow God’s plan.

My word for this year is “listen” and I am hoping and praying to hear more from God this year. My busy life has settled into a routine of household chores, reading and reviewing books along with daily devotional time. But I am willing and ready to hear from God. I would like to hear from my readers, too. Has God ever told you to do something and you acted on it? How did it turn out for you? After all, we all have a purpose and are part of God’s plan, so we need to be attentive for when He is calling on us to help carry out the plan.

We Three KIngs-Reawaken Hymns