Month: August 2025

Forgiveness

On By vickleaIn Admonition, Scripture2 Comments

Forgiving others is hard, mainly because it is not a once and done thing for us. We have to continually forgive every time the thought comes to our mind about an offense. Forgiveness is a choice that we make each time, not a “I will just think about it later” kind of thing. You know who I have a hard time forgiving? Anyone and everyone who has ever hurt me or one of my children in any way. That means that there are a lot of reminders in my spiritual life to forgive and keep on forgiving. Jesus made sure we were assured forgiveness from the Father, but it is up to each of us to forgive others daily, all day long.

The enemy of our soul wants us to hang on to the burden of hurts and the desire for revenge. That old self really wants payback. But God says He is the one who will avenge us if we will just step back and be still. Part of being still and trusting God is to let go of the heartache we feel from whatever pain the offense caused and to choose to forgive. We cannot forget because that isn’t part of our human nature. But we can choose to forgive each time the offense comes to our mind. I say things like, “This is hard, Lord, but I am choosing to forgive. Help me to let it go and to truly love this person the way you love them.” There is no magical formula for what to say when you forgive someone; you just have to say what is on your heart and really leave it at the foot of the cross.

Forgiveness doesn’t hurt the other person because they generally either don’t care or they are unaware of how you feel. Unforgiveness is a bitter root that starts growing in your heart, and if you water and nurture it with your anger and refusal to forgive, then it will destroy you from the inside out. It can destroy your mental health, your physical health and your spiritual well-being. God knows that we need to forgive for our own good.

There are lots of scriptures about forgiveness. If you are having difficulty with the very idea of letting go of the bitterness and anger resulting from how a person hurt you, I recommend that you memorize verses about forgiveness, meditate on them and ask God to help you to forgive. It is His will, so that’s a prayer that He will answer if you just ask.

The One You Trust

On By vickleaIn Characteristics of God, promises, Scripture, SongLeave a comment

Do you remember during your childhood when you would get a scrape or a bump? That is a normal part of growing up, isn’t it? What did you do when you got hurt? The most likely answer is that you ran as fast as you could to the one you trusted to take care of the problem. Mom, Dad, Grandmother, whoever was the trustworthy adult around at that time. I recall my Nanny (my mom’s mom) always got out the mercurochrome (ouch!), applied it liberally and blew on it to stop the burning the medication caused. Then, she applied a bandaid and told me to go back and play but be careful. I hated the medicine, but I liked the loving care that went along with it.

When my own children got hurt, usually then their dad was deployed, my first response was to pray, check to see if it was something I could handle with neosporin and a bandaid or if we needed to go to the ER and then do whatever was needed to comfort my child. For one child, it was always a cuddle, for another it was to divert attention with a funny story or a song. I was their trustworthy adult and that was a heavy responsibility for growing and adventurous kids. They knew, though, that prayer was first and then action and if I forgot to pray because I was panicking over the extent of the injury, one of them would remind me.

God is our trustworthy refuge to whom we can go when we are hurting or just need to know someone is there. He is always there for those who trust in Him. He cares for each of us, more even than my Nanny cared for me or I care for my children and grandchildren. He is invested in our lives because He created us and He wants us to be okay in this life that He has placed us in. So, running to Him is a no brainer if you have a relationship with Him, recognizing not only His power but also His mercy and great love for you. The world is full of evil and there are a lot of things that can hurt you, but we need to remember to run as fast as we can to God when we get hurt. He is the one with the words to heal and the heart that always cares. He is a good, good Father.

Run to the Father-Cody Carnes

Prayer from YouVersion App, Daily Refresh, 8-13-25

Buried Treasure

On By vickleaIn Admonition, promises, Scripture3 Comments

Here is a photo that I found online of people and a popular hobby, especially on beaches and areas where there were Civil War battles.

They are using metal detectors to look for “treasure.” What do they do with what they find? Many are collectors and go to shows to display all that they have found. We had a speaker come to our church group last spring who is a collector of bullets, parts of weapons and even parts of swords from the Civil War. Fascinating, but not anything I am interested in doing.

I read a devotional this morning about buried treasure off the coast of Florida that was salvaged in the twentieth century after being in the ocean since the 1600’s. It is amazing to me the persistence people have in finding things that are so deeply buried in the ocean and under all that sand.

Their persistence is especially amazing since they have a treasure right next to them all the time, but they are not even looking for it.

God’s words to us are like a treasure that we can hide in our hearts and keep forever and it will never rust or corrode. We don’t take it out to display to others, but it is there for us to call on whenever we need it. Sometimes, we can use His words to comfort or guide others. Sometimes, it is just for us to ponder and wonder at the awesomeness of God.

If you are looking for God’s wisdom as hard as you would look for buried treasure, then you would be able to understand the Lord better and His resolve to love us in spite of us. The fact that He treasures us and keeps us close to His heart should give us a clue about how much we should treasure Him.

Look at the last part of this scripture…God made mankind so that they would seek Him and find Him. But He isn’t hiding. He is always as close as the next prayer or words you say to Him.

If we are always keeping our heads down looking for the treasure on the earth, then we won’t recognize all of the gifts that God has already given us. Whatever treasures the earth has will not last, but God’s love, mercy and grace are forever gifts.

Back to the whole looking for treasure concept. Buried treasure is elusive and illusory. It may or may not exist, but the treasure that God gives is ever present and never hides from us. We have to spend time with God to avail ourselves of His wonderful treasure house of gifts that He bestows on His children. Rather than spending time walking around in a field with a heavy metal detector, just pick up your Bible and you will find treasure on every page.

I do want to be a treasure finder, but the treasure I want to find is eternal and life-giving. Hobbies aren’t a bad thing, but whatever you do, keep your focus on God and His Word because that is the true gold in your life.

The Tools in our Toolbox

On By vickleaIn Admonition, Scripture, Song1 Comment

Our bodies are made to house the Holy Spirit and we need to treat them as His tool box to be used when He needs us. Our choices not only affect ourselves but others, as well.

We use our eyes to read and study God’s Word. But our eyes have to be opened by God in order to truly see the spiritual truth there. Sometimes, I am afraid that we just blindly and without really thinking about it read the Bible just to say that we did it. That isn’t what we are supposed to use our eyes for. We need to take the time to let the Holy Spirit allow us to see what treasures God has for us in His Word each day.

God is watching us and so are other people. But most people see and judge us by the eyes of the world. We want our eyes to reflect the love and grace of the Holy Spirit living inside us so that others will want to know what makes us different.

Our ears are meant to be the way we take in the words of knowledge, not just from the Holy Spirit, but also from other people. Remember that we need to be aware of what we are listening to because it is filtered through our minds and gets into our hearts.

God has a lot to say to us if we just listen. A lot of people say that they don’t study God’s Word because it doesn’t make sense to them. One has to listen with spiritual hears attuned to truth and with an open heart; then we can truly hear what God is sharing with us each day.

Our hands are very important tools because we use them to accomplish the work that God has given us to do. Whether it is ministering to a small child or an elderly person or just holding someone’s hand and letting them know we are there for them, our hands are tools that God can use if we let Him.

When God tells us what to do (I call that giving us marching orders), we are to do it with all of our strength, using the hands that God gave us. At work, at play, during family time and devotional, we need to apply ourselves to be pleasing to the Lord.

We cannot know the path our feet are to take unless we study and meditate on God’s Word regularly. This road we walk as Christians can be rocky and filled with pits that are ready to trip us. We have to keep on the correct path for our feet not to stumble because God will lead the way.

One of the most wonderful things that any Christian can do is to use their feet to go to places to spread the Gospel. You may not be called to go to foreign lands or distant places, but you are called to use your feet to go where God directs in order to let people know that God is on His throne in spite of the chaos surrounding us.

Our toolbox is God’s Word and our tools are the parts of our body that we use daily to bring glory to Him. Children are taught a song very early in their church attendance. We would do well to remind ourselves that this song applies to us as adults, too.

Be Careful Little Eyes

There are many more parts of the body that I did not cover in my post today. Please share any other parts about which God speaks to you and the relevant scripture verse(s). Thank you for reading my post today and for participating in adding to our tool boxes.

Praising God with a Psalm

On By vickleaIn praise, Scripture, Song1 Comment

Sometimes, I just need to get away from my own thoughts and the doubts that attack my mind, so I delve into the Psalms and choose one to pray or to use as my worship for the day. Today, my Psalm was Psalm 93.

God always reigns, through my doubts and fears and whatever the circumstances are. Saying these verses out loud helps me to remember that God is on the throne and His rule over the world is firm and secure. I can rest in His strength and not have to be concerned about my own weaknesses.

God has been part of all of eternity, so no matter how stressed I am for the time crunch I am facing, I can trust that He is in control of not just the circumstances but my time and how I resolve those circumstances. God knows and understands that I am finite while He is eternal.

I am not a big ocean loving person as far as getting into the salt water is concerned. But I do love to hear the ocean waves as they hit the shore, sometimes with a murmur and sometimes with a roar. The waves remind me of God’s power and how He speaks to me. He speaks to me quietly, but I am always aware of how mighty and powerful He is. He just restrains His powerful voice around me, but He lets me know that He can be mighty on my behalf when I need Him to show those characteristics. He is always mighty and always worthy of praise, much like the ocean and its unfathomable depths cannot be understood but they can be admired as a wonder of God’s creation.

This Psalm ends with a reminder that God’s statutes (His laws and ordinances) always stand firm. He is always holy and His holiness is part of His dwelling place. That makes for some deep thinking because we are God’s temple, we are the dwelling place for His Holy Spirit, so within us remains the holiness of God. That makes me think and be in awe of how much God loves me, oftentimes in spite of me.

The Lord Almighty Reigns-Sovereign Grace Music

Review of Final Approach by Lynette Eason

On By vickleaIn Book Promo, Book Review8 Comments

About the Book

ISBN-13:9780800741228 Publisher:Baker Publishing Group Publication date:08/05/2025 Series:Lake City Heroes , #4 Pages:320

Air Marshal Kristine Duncan is not on duty when a hijacker attempts to seize control of the plane she and her friends are on as they head out on a much-needed vacation. Jumping into action and aided by FBI Special Agent Andrew Ross, Kristine thwarts the attack and the plane lands safely. But as the investigation into the incident gets underway, Kristine and Andrew are confused at every step. Nothing about the investigation goes as it should, and each layer they peel back just reveals another layer of perplexity. 

As the two work together to navigate a web of deception, blame, and personal reckoning, they find there’s more to this story than meets the eye—and more to love and admire about each other. They’ll have to put their skills to the test—and their hearts on the line—to unravel the truth and ensure that justice prevails.

My Thoughts

I always enjoy a new book by Lynette Eason and this one certainly did not disappoint! Air Marshall Kristine is supposed to be on vacation with her friends from Lake City when the plane is abruptly hijacked. She uses her professional skills to try to defuse the situation, is somewhat successful, but ends up not going on vacation as her FBI friends on board have to investigate the hijacking. Nothing is as it seems in this thrilling why-do-it from this master of the genre. We know who did it, but the motive is elusive and the clues just pile up. Kristine and her friend FBI Agent Andrew seem to be chasing shadows as a clue appears and then points in another direction. The story is compelling as they try to solve the mystery and as Andrew and Kristine both find themselves endangered, but they don’t know from whom. Following the clues was highly entertaining, especially with all of the red herrings that led me on a merry chase down several dead ends. With danger getting closer and the friends unable to find a motive, Kristine uses her powerful deductive reasoning abilities as well as events from her past to take us on a roller coaster ride to the truth, a truth that was surprising but not totally unexpected. I really enjoyed the fast-paced plot with non-stop action and the appearances of all of the Lake City heroes from previous books in the series. This book can definitely be read and enjoyed as a standalone, but I would highly recommend reading the entire series so that the backstory for each character can help you understand the intricate connections between each of them.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Christian Fiction with Intense Suspense, Rated PG

About the Author

Lynette Eason is the best-selling, award-winning author of over sixty books. Her books have appeared on the USA TODAY, Publisher’s Weekly, CBA, ECPA, and Parable bestseller lists. She has won numerous awares including the Carol, the Selah, the Golden Scroll and more. Her novel, Her Stolen Past was made into a movie for the Lifetime Movie Network. Lynette can be found online at www.lynetteeason.com and www.facebook.com/lynette.eason and @lynetteeason on Twitter.

Purchase Links:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Baker Book House

Christian Book

Target

Books-a-Million

Audible

Apple Books

Verb Tenses

On By vickleaIn promises, Scripture, Song2 Comments

As a Spanish teacher for over almost four decades, verb tenses have always interested me. I notice verb tenses as most people note adjectives and adverbs. I want to know when something happened or if it’s a progressive, ongoing thing. Look at the tenses in this scripture verse today.

The verse starts with God shows His love for us. Some translations say demonstrates, but no matter which version you read, this verb is in the present tense. This is an ongoing action…it happens constantly. We are sinners saved by grace, but we are still sinners. And God’s love keeps showing up for us, helping us to clean up our act and to be more like His Son.

The next verb says that Christ died for us. That is a completed action. Christ died once for all and he said “It is finished.” The sacrifice that God the Father sent Him to earth to complete is done, one time, on the cross. We are still sinners, but He died so that we can leave that sinful life behind and be washed clean in His blood. He died once but He loves forever. Tenses are interesting, but they are also important.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t like being around people who need to take a shower or bath. The smell often makes me try to hold my breath or I gag. I have come across homeless people who smell like this and it is not a pleasant odor. Now, consider that we were all unclean, wallowing in our sins, but God loved us right then, no more or no less than after we accepted His Son as our Savior. God loves the sinner even in the midst of our pig sty of sin and guilt and shame. Then, when we accept the sacrifice He made for us, He is the One who cleans us up with the precious blood of His Son and makes us righteous before Him. We didn’t have to get clean first and then come to the Lord. In fact, we cannot do anything to clean ourselves of our sin. That takes the blood of the Lamb, and that is the free gift of a loving Father.

Washed in the Blood-Faith&Grace

Prayer from the YouVersion App, Daily Refresh, 8-07-25

Tired of Doing Good?

On By vickleaIn Admonition, prayer, Scripture4 Comments

It is very easy for me to get up and right away declare that I am tired. Sometimes, it’s because I didn’t sleep long enough, and other times it is because I didn’t sleep well enough. But that is not the tired I am talking about today. Today I want to address the walking away from those who have needs that we can do something about because we are just too self-centered to want to step out of our comfort zone and lend a hand. God’s word tells us not to get “weary in doing good.” For me, I find myself weary of helping others when I don’t feel appreciated. But that is not what the verse says. It doesn’t say to stop doing good if you don’t feel appreciated and no one thanks you. I remember the ten lepers whom Jesus healed and only one came back to thank Him. What if the Lord had said, “That’s it! I’m done. I did all of this and one…only one thanked me. It’s just not worth it!” But He didn’t. Jesus continued to reach out and touch and change lives all the way until the end of His ministry. In fact, even on the cross, He reached out to the thieves on either side of Him. Always selfless and ready to sacrifice. He is our model for doing good and how long we should keep doing it. We may never see people change or show gratitude towards us or to the Lord, but we have to keep doing because the harvest is coming one day, even if we don’t see it.

A prayer from the YouVersion today. I hope you will join me in saying this prayer wholeheartedly, mean it and look forward to ways to be like Jesus so that others see Him in you.