I am a Christian, a retired teacher, a mother and a grandmother. I love to read and I love the Lord Jesus Christ! Unless otherwise specified ,all visual illustrations are from the YOU VERSION APP of the Bible.
I have read this verse over and over during devotionals. I have meditated on it and I kept coming back to the same question. Why is the voice behind me? After all, in the well-known “Footprints” poem, Jesus picks up the person hurting and carries them. I finally got an answer to my question today, and I am amazed that it took me this long to discover it.
If God is walking in front of us, we are following exactly where He leads, like the Israelites in the desert. All we have to do is stay on the right path and follow. But if He is behind us and speaking to us, that requires two things: being attuned enough to God to hear His voice and stepping out in faith.
I am perfectly happy having God behind me now. Not only is He my rearguard, He is also leading me in the way I should go if I will only listen and obey with faith in His master plan.
Live Prepared (You Version Daily Refresh, 9-12-25)
Pause and think of the people who, at a moment’s notice, have to be ready for anything. Maybe your list includes first responders, the military, athletes, teachers, parents, pilots, surgeons, or pastors.
But does your list include you?
As followers of Jesus, we are called to…
“…Be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
1 Peter 3:15 NIV
We can’t expect people to observe what Jesus has commanded unless we are also observing His commands ourselves.
Do we want people to learn about God’s love? Then we need to show God’s love to people. Do we want people to learn about Jesus’ compassion? Then we need to be compassionate. Do we want people to give generously? Then we need to be good stewards of our own money. Do we want people to study God’s Word? Then we need to study it for ourselves.
When you give Jesus control over your life, you allow His love, joy, and hope to transform you. As this happens, your life becomes an act of worship that reveals His hope within you.
When you live like Jesus, people are drawn to Jesus in you.
As you worship Jesus with your life, you will be able to honestly say that Christ in you is your hope and glory—and people will believe it because they see the evidence.
They might not like who you are or agree with what you believe, but they won’t be able to find a logical reason to hate you when your life is centered around loving people the way Jesus loved you.
So as you go about each day, aim to live with gentleness and respect toward everyone. And let Jesus’ joy, love, and hope permeate your heart, mind, and relationships.
My Thoughts
Honestly, I am still reeling from the loss of Charlie Kirk. One meme I found online brought tears to my eyes and a new purpose to my heart. It said that one of our Lions was shot down, but the purpose of the enemy, to scatter us and make us unable to function with faith, has been thwarted because the pride has awakened to a new vision of fulfilling Charlie’s mission. So, we do have to be prepared, at all times, to share the hope within us. We don’t know who the next raging, hate-filled person will be, but they are out there, sent by the enemy of our souls to discourage and frighten us not to share the gospel. If we are not prepared and we do not share, then they win, and we know, we know from the Bible and from everything that God has spoken into our hearts, that we win! Charlie is with the Father and we grieve his loss, but we need to be prepared to lift the banner that fell the day that coward shot him down and carry it into a world that is lost and dying.
We all learned division in elementary school, and we found out that it was hard and sometimes tedious. Our nation is divided along political and religious beliefs. And it’s hard and frightening. The era of civil discourse has ended and we are entering an era of violence against those with whom you disagree. If you don’t believe me, check out Blue Sky, an app for liberals that is calling for murdering Republicans. What did Charlie Kirk do to make someone want to kill him? We don’t know yet because the killer(s) have not been caught yet. But there is plenty of speculation about the assassination being politically motivated. In my opinion, that is probably accurate, but I think that the murder goes beyond that and reveals the heart and soul of America right now.
Years ago, I can’t even remember when it ended, the proper way to respond to those with whom you disagreed was to just walk away, knowing that you had agreed to disagree. You would continue with your opinion and they would continue with theirs. Nowadays, though, the evil minds of a few are vocally calling for violence when the other side does not agree with them. The issues are as numerous as the people who propagate them, but the ones that immediately come to mind are abortion, transgender rights, and illegal immigration. Those of us on the right say abortion is murder, there are only two genders and illegal immigration is, well, illegal, so those who crossed the border illegally should return to their homeland, or at least come across the border the right way. Charlie Kirk was a conservative Christian who would debate anyone about his views, not in a manner of “in your face” and “I know you’re wrong and I will prove it.” No, he reasoned with the people who confronted him and some listened and even changed their beliefs while others were angry that he was expounding on those beliefs. May we be mindful to respect the opinions of others and to disagree with love, not with hatred.
What will be the outcome of yesterday’s murder of a young family man who loved his God, his family and his nation? We don’t know, but we can be certain that things will change. The god of this world is alive and active and dedicated to destroying the truth. As Christians, we need to be ready to stand up for our beliefs and not to back down.
I subscribe to a Substack blog called Coffee and Covid. Here is today’s post that spoke to my heart about what is happening these days and prompted me to write this post.
I will close with a photo and a scripture verse that brought me comfort and peace yesterday.
Charlie’s wife and two small children need our prayers. Our nation needs our prayers. Our leaders need our prayers. And our “enemies” need our prayers. I am comforted by the fact that God is still on His throne and although the enemy might have won this skirmish, the victory belongs to the Lord! Pray for our nation on this anniversary of 9-11. May we never forget the unity at that time and may the memory of all who sacrificed their lives on that day ever keep us true to our faith, our family and our nation.
It’s normal—and even understandable—to spend our time, energy, and attention focusing on the here and now. We’re busy, after all. We’re preoccupied. And when we stop to really think about it, it’s difficult to perceive something that’s beyond our five senses.
But in his letter to the Colossians, Paul encourages his fellow believers to look up:
“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.”
Colossians 3:1 NLT
So, as you think about Paul’s words and the realities of heaven, here are four things to consider:
– First, heaven isn’t some vague, dream-like state. It’s a real place, with real people, where God is the true King.
– Second, there will come a day when we will all meet God face to face. We will no longer need faith or hope, because that which we’ve hoped for will finally be revealed.
– Third, our troubles and our heartbreaks (and even death itself) are temporary! Scripture tells us that, eventually, God will do away with pain and death and sickness and suffering—forever.
– Lastly (and most importantly), God is still on His throne, with Jesus beside Him in the place of honor. No matter how crazy, senseless, or heartbreaking the world can seem, we can have confidence knowing that nothing is outside of God’s sovereign plan.
So when you’re tempted to look around at others or look inward at yourself, look up instead. Heaven is wherever God is, and that’s the truest reality of all.
My Thoughts
It’s hard to keep our focus on heaven and God, and sometimes are harder than others. I have found, however, that the more I focus on the things of God, the less the reality of earth and all of its problems bother me. Yes, I may have a broken foot. I will find out next week when I go to the specialist. Yes, it hurts, but when my focus is on God, I think instead of all of the others in the world who are hurting so much more than I am. I don’t have all that I want in life, but I do have all that I need. And for that I am thankful. I am counting my blessings even when it’s somewhat easier and more apparent to count my troubles. God is the King of heaven and one day I will be with Him forever. All of these health issues and financial strain will no longer matter. They are all temporary, but life with God is forever. So, as I struggle with challenges in my daily life, I choose to look up and know that this is not my real home. It’s my temporary abode until God calls me home. Won’t you look up with me today?
Debut sensation Tessa Calloway is on a whirlwind book tour for her instant bestseller, All This Could Be Yours. In a different city every night, Tessa receives standing ovations from adoring fans while her husband Henry and their two children cheer her on from their brand-new dream house.
But there’s a chilling problem with Tessa’s triumphant book tour—she soon discovers she is being stalked by someone who’s obsessed not only with sabotaging her career, but also with destroying her perfect family back home.
Tessa fears the fallout from an impossible decision she once made—what felt like a genuine deal with the devil—appears to be coming due. And she’s realizing that every high-stakes bargain comes with a high-stakes price. If Tessa can’t untangle who’s threatening to expose her darkest secrets, she’ll lose her career, her family—and possibly her life.
My Thoughts
This novel is a brilliantly written multi-layered story that takes the readers on a book tour with a new bestselling author. Tessa is living her dream, on tour with her bestselling book, “All This Could Be Yours” when disruptions, distractions, even threats stop her in her tracks and cause her to remember her past and all she survived to get where she is today. This is a compelling story, with clever nuances of mystery and a hidden past, along with a journey into the present and a book tour that is like no other. From one U.S. hotel to the next, Tessa faces one challenge after another and begins to doubt her own ability to be an author and survive on the road. The novel that she wrote is about persevering and finding strength in difficult situations, and Tessa has to find that for herself just as she encourages her readers on the tour to do and the readers who are actually enjoying the novel. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed being part of this story! Reading is my passion, and I loved going on book tour with Tessa, cheering her on and gasping when she was faced with one unexpected bump in her road after another. The twists began early in the story and just kept coming, much to my delight, as I continued to try to guess who was behind Tessa’s troubles and why. The misdirection was skillfully plotted and made the novel a remarkable page-turner. The characters were so believable that I found myself giving them advice. To Henry, I said, “Get home and call your wife!” To Tessa, I said, “You can do it! Keep believing in yourself!” And to myself, I said, “This is one of the best books about a book that I have ever read!” The pace is bullet-train fast and the characterization is a compelling mixture of human flaws with authentically rich and fascinating characters. This original and creative story is unforgettable and not to be missed by anyone who enjoys great fiction. And this book is great fiction from start to finish, with a strong message of hope combined with relentless tension and suspense. Disclaimer: I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.
Contemporary Fiction, Rated PG-13
About the Author
HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN is USA Today bestselling author of 16 psychological thrillers, winning the most prestigious awards in the genre: five Agathas, five Anthonys, and the coveted Mary Higgins Clark Award. She is also on-air investigative reporter for Boston’s WHDH-TV, with an unprecedented 37 EMMYs and dozens more journalism honors for her groundbreaking journalism and true crime stories.
Hank is on the board of International Thriller Writers, a sought-after teacher and keynote speaker, and host of three popular online events: THE BACK ROOM, CRIME TIME on A Mighty Blaze, and FIRST CHAPTER FUN. She lives in Boston with her husband, a nationally renowned criminal defense attorney. Her brand-new novel All This Could be Yours is out now from Minotaur Books. People Magazine calls it “A nail-biting thriller” and the starred review from Library Journal says, “a love letter to booksellers and librarians amid the suspense and twists. Ryan has written her best book to date, which should be on everyone’s reading list.”
This year has been one of a great deal of travel for me and my family members. Our grandson went to Japan while our granddaughter went to Ireland and then on a cruise around the Greek Isles. Our son went on a business trip to Germany. The trips my husband and I made this year were not as distant, but there were a lot of them. Starting with four graduations in May, we stayed on the road for almost three weeks that month. It seemed that we barely got home when we packed the car again and headed to Myrtle Beach, SC, to see my brother and his family who had flown in from Colorado. Returning from that trip, we spent a few weeks at home, then headed out to Maryland to see our son and his family. And this past weekend was our last trip of the summer. We went to Williamsburg to the Great Wolf Lodge to spend the weekend with our other son and his family. I would not trade any of those hours in the car for anything since my husband and I both got so much pleasure from seeing our children and grandchildren.
One of the things that I purposed to do this year is memorize more scripture verses. One of those became like my mantra for the year.
There was a lot of going out and coming in this year for ourselves and our children and grandchildren. They are still on the move, with one in college at Liberty, one actively seeing employment and one employed and traveling for work. This Psalm has been on my lips as a prayer for us and for our family members as they travel. The promise of traveling mercies is real. Harry and I put a lot of miles on these old bodies this year, and God was with us the whole way, just as He promised. Did unexpected things happen while we traveled? Of course, but nothing that God could not help us handle. When God promises, you can count on His acting on your behalf!
How about you? Did you go anywhere special? Did you pray before, during and after your trip for the traveling mercies that God provides?
1 O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, our shelter from the stormy blast, and our eternal home:
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2 Under the shadow of your throne your saints have dwelt secure; sufficient is your arm alone, and our defense is sure.
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3 Before the hills in order stood, or earth received its frame, from everlasting you are God, to endless years the same.
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4 A thousand ages in your sight are like an evening gone, short as the watch that ends the night before the rising sun.
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5 Time, like an ever-rolling stream, soon bears us all away; we fly forgotten, as a dream dies at the op’ning day.
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6 O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, still be our guard while troubles last, and our eternal home!
My Musings
I was raised in a traditional church, although I did not attend regularly. But hymns were a regular part of every Sunday when I did attend, and I learned to listen to the words as I sang them. Now that I am a Christian, I have found that the words of the old hymns continue to speak to my heart of a faithful God who is eternal and unchanging. The world may change; the standards all around us may change. But God will never change, so we can count on Him to fulfill His promises and to take us to be with Him one day.
A Personal Note:
I am spending the weekend with our son and his family at a water park in Williamsburg, Virginia. This trip was planned several months ago and we all have been excited about spending time together in a relaxing environment. Unfortunately, on the Friday before our trip, I had to go to the ER because of awful pain in my left foot. After x-rays and an examination, the doctor said that he thinks it is just badly sprained but it may have a hairline fracture. So, later this month, I have to see the orthopedic specialist. Meanwhile, I am in an ortho shoe for support and using pain patches. I cannot get in the water with the rest of my family, but I am enjoying seeing their exuberance and excitement here. So, no worries because God is good all the time and I know and believe it even when my plans don’t work out as I expected!
I am hazarding a guess that most of my readers, if not all of you, know the Biblical story of Daniel in the lions’ den. When he refused to stop praying to our God, the king fulfilled his decree and had him thrown into a den of lions. The Lord protected him, and the king saw the truth that the Lord God is the only God worth worshipping.
Have you ever thought about the fact that God rescues us daily, too? Sometimes we are rescued from our own foolish choices and sometimes we have to be rescued because we took a step into temptation.
As many times as I have read this verse, I never associated it with Daniel in the lions’ den. We are all facing down the enemy of our souls daily and have to stay alert and resist him. He wants to devour us, to destroy our faith in God and to undermine our trust in the Father. But, like Daniel, we can choose not to be afraid but to continue to make the choices that honor our Father in heaven and show that we are Christians and the victory belongs to us.
We need to always keep in mind that Jesus defeated the enemy, all of the powers and authorities in the “heavenly realm” that set themselves against God and His chosen people. Jesus triumphed at the cross, and we win daily battles by making the choices to stand up for the Lord and not to fear confronting the enemy of our souls. We win, and the enemy knows his time is short. So, be ready to face the lions, knowing that you have already won your eternal life through Jesus!
On our drive back from Maryland, I was appalled to receive this news blurb:
The headline is bad enough, but here is part of the story:
You should follow this link if you want to see the news video and more about what the police discovered: New York Post
I read the article to my husband and we discussed how she would have been lauded by the liberals if only she had chosen to have an abortion instead of waiting until the newborn was born alive and then killing the child. What a commentary on how sadly misled our world has become that a young woman, who actually appears “normal”, could think that it’s okay to discard a newborn in a trash bag along with the cleaning supplies from cleaning up the after-birth. To think that throwing a child into a trash bag is exactly what the abortion clinics do. Or worse, they sell the parts for money and make more of a profit from dealing death to the innocent.
Like I said, I was appalled, but I must admit I was not surprised. Much of our society has been on the wrong side of the abortion issue since the beginning. Contraception made it easy not to get pregnant and if that wasn’t available or didn’t work, society accepts disposing of the “mistake.” I just wonder how long it will be before the liberals demand this girl be released because, after all, it was “her choice.” It’s a baby, not a choice, a person whom God created and meant to be loved, nurtured and cherished, not tossed into a trash bag. What a travesty!
My personal opinion is that this cheerleader should have the harshest penalty possible as a statement/warning to others not to follow in her footsteps. But my assumption, given the climate in our society and the fact that Kentucky is a mostly liberal state, is that she will get a slap on the wrist and freed to pursue her dreams while her dead baby never got to have any. I am disgusted, saddened and angry that such a thing can happen in our nation. But more, I am calling out to God for forgiveness for a nation that does not value life and thinks it is disposable at will.
ISBN-13:9780800744731 Publisher:Baker Publishing Group Publication date:09/02/2025 Pages:176
Carol Langstrom hates Christmas. Growing up in a dysfunctional home, with a birthday on December 25 and too many dashed childhood expectations, she would rather avoid the holiday season. And working in the design industry where she manages seasonal decor for wealthy, entitled clients certainly hasn’t helped!
So, this year her goal is to flee to the Bahamas—by herself—bah humbug! But bad weather and God’s radically different plan redirect her flight to blustery Michigan, where she gets stuck on her aunt’s farm and discovers a different kind of Christmas—one wrapped in love, family, and holiday spirit.
My Thoughts
This novella offers a sweet Christmas story with family drama and a developing romance. Carol is planning a Christmas vacation from Washington state to the Bahamas but gets stranded in Michigan when a big winter storm grounds her plane there. Fortunately, she has an aunt she doesn’t know well living close enough to get to, so she ends up at her Aunt Maria’s house to wait out the storm. She makes a new friend named Victor, once a restauranteur but now just caring for his elderly parents. He is a good cook and an all-around kind man who chauffeurs Carol wherever she wants to go, so they get to know each other. I really enjoyed how the story was woven around Carol’s disdain for Christmas and the way she gradually comes to accept the holiday and then actually enjoy it. I liked most of the townspeople and thought that all of the characters were well-developed, even the secondary ones. There is one character who was perfect for her part, but she wasn’t particularly likable and that was purposeful. The pace was moderate, a perfect way for a developing romance to be showcased as I got to know each character’s strengths and backstories. There were multiple themes to the story, all based on faith and including self-discovery, forgiveness and kindness to strangers and estranged family members. This is a perfect story for the Christmas season as it embodies giving, sacrifice and love in one beautifully written story. I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.
Christian Fiction, Rated G
About the Author
Melody Carlson has written more than 200 books (with sales around 6.5 million) for teens, women and children. That’s a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a “storyteller.” Her novels range from serious issues like schizophrenia (Finding Alice) to lighter topics like house-flipping (A Mile in My Flip-Flops) but most of the inspiration behind her fiction comes right out of real life. Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, TrueColors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She’s won a number of awards (including Romantic Time’s Career Achievement Award, the Rita and the Gold Medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest.
Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner 