Author: vicklea

I love to read! I’m a retired teacher with a spouse of 45 years, three amazing children and nine wonderful grandchildren. I am blessed!

Live in Humility and Grace

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

Learning to Live Humbly (Daily Refresh, 8-17-26)

Have you ever met an angry Christian?

You may have come across Christians who seem to grumble, complain, or even speak harshly about other people. Maybe you’ve even been that person at times in your own life.

If we’re not careful, we can easily become self-righteous within Christianity. After all, we know the truth and others may not. You might see how tempting it can be to look down on others, demean them, or consider them as worse off than ourselves.

But this misses the point of the gospel of Jesus.

The gospel tells us that all of us begin at the same starting point. And it’s only by grace through faith that we come to salvation and learn the truth about God’s love for us.

That doesn’t make us any better than other Christians! In fact, as Paul says in Ephesians 4:2, we should actually be humble and gentle with others, rather than harsh and critical. He says we are to be patient with one another, helping each other in every way possible so we can all grow together.

These ideas aren’t original to Paul. They actually came from how Jesus lived his life. As followers of Jesus, we too should strive to be gentle, humble, and patient with everyone in our lives. Regardless of whether they look or think a different way, every person deserves dignity, patience, and love.

Take some time today to consider a few ways that you can grow in patience, humility, and love with others. It could be slowing down long enough for people to know you care, saying something encouraging to someone, or admitting that you’ve made a mistake.

Make the decision today to live in humility and grace with others.

My Thoughts

I like the part in this devotional that states that we all begin at the same starting point. There are so many things in live in which the playing field is not level, like the nation you were born in, the family you were born into or raised by, the education you have access to. But the one thing we all have in common is we are all sinners and have the opportunity to accept Christ and His grace. Our making that choice doesn’t make us better than other, but it just make us thankful for God’s grace that reached out to us. Thus, we should reach out to others. We aren’t saved to be boastful or hide our relationship with the Lord. We are saved to tell others and extend God’s grace to them, those born in other nations less privileged than ours, those born to the wealthy and to the poor, those who have degrees and those who are laborers or even out of work and homeless. We aren’t better than they are…we are just living under God’s grace.

Choose Patience

On By vickleaIn ScriptureLeave a comment

The Sweetness of Patience (Daily Refresh, 8-15-26)

Have you ever plucked fruit prematurely?

Perhaps you were drawn in by its vibrant color or sweet scent moving through the air. But when you took the first bite, you realized it lacked the ripeness you anticipated. Everything seemed right at first glance, but there was one missing ingredient…

Time.

Even the simple act of picking fruit can teach us about time and patience:

“Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You, too, be patient and stand firm because the Lord’s coming is near.”
James 5:7-8

The author, James, penned these words under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to a community of new Jewish converts to Christianity, dispersed throughout various regions. These early Christians faced many trials, including persecution and opposition, because of their newfound faith. James’ call to wait patiently and endure was more than mere words on a page; they were a lifeline of hope and encouragement in the midst of adversity.

And just as those early believers confronted trials, we, too, will encounter challenges and suffering in our Christian journey. And, just like those early believers, you can choose patience—allowing the fruit of the Spirit to ripen within you, no matter the season of life. And when you do, your character will mature, your faith will deepen, and your relationship with God will become sweeter than you could imagine.

Patience always bears the fruit of perseverance and strength, even today and even for you!

My Thoughts

I am not a patient person. I make plans and execute them on my time table, as much as is possible in a world where other people have a different time table and keep interfering with mine. Traveling and staying with family is an exercise in patience, as I learn to wait for my turn in the bathroom to take a shower, wait for others to be ready so we can go to an event, wait for my husband to come back from an errand so I can eat and take meds. There is a lot of waiting going on around here these days.

Today our granddaughter gets married. After getting engaged back in October and beginning the plans for her wedding then, the day has arrived. Lots of planning and preparation going on! But you know what it makes me think? Jesus is preparing for a wedding too when we (His bride) will finally be with Him forever. Imagine the preparations going on in Heaven for this awesome day! Do we like waiting? No, but it’s a necessary part of our growth so that we are ready to meet our bridegroom and rejoice together forever.

Waiting is never easy but it is always worth it!

A Friday Blessing

On By vickleaIn Scripture3 Comments

Well, here I am in PA ready for the big wedding day tomorrow. Well, not actually ready. I am in my pj’s waiting for an optimum time to take my meds and to get dressed and ready for the day. The rehearsal is this afternoon and I am excited about all of the festivities. Harry and I are not part of the wedding party but are invited to the dinner and I am looking forward to meeting Josh’s family in a casual setting. That being said, I am with family and don’t have a lot of time, so here is a blessing for you from Peter.

Have a wonderfully blessed day!

Walking in Light

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

Last week we had a big storm that came up suddenly. Just as suddenly, we lost our electricity. I grabbed my phone that was beside me and called the electric company. It was about nine at night and since we live rurally, everything was total darkness. After calling Dominion, I turned on my phone’s flashlight, checked on our granddaughter and then went to bed. The lights came back on about three in the morning, so not as bad as it could have been.

When we walk around in the dark, it is easy to stumble and fall. That is why I reached for the closest thing I had that would provide light.

Now apply that truth spiritually. When we walk in the darkness of the world, we need to make sure we have the light of Jesus shining brightly in us. We may not mean to stumble but we probably will if we don’t carry the light with us. Jesus is our light wherever we go and we shed that light to a dark and crazy upside-down without God world. They cannot see Jesus unless we bring the light; rather, they just stumble around in the darkness and don’t even realize that they are falling for lies and the deception of the deceiver.

Light doesn’t seem very important until there isn’t any. Be a light to a dark world. Their “electricity” won’t come on without Jesus and they will be totally lost forever if we don’t help with our little beams.

Being Joyful

On By vickleaIn Scripture3 Comments

In the current season of my life, I have been having difficulty being joyful. It seems lately that every time I turn around, another doctor is telling me something that is wrong with my physical body. It’s enough to cause discouragement, but I am determining to choose joy. I do believe that joy is a choice and the contentment that follows that is a gift from God.

We have a reason to choose joy even when the news from our doctors (or the national/international news) is bad. We are all headed towards death. Not a happy thought, I know. But earth is a temporary home and we were never meant to get comfortable here forever. We are just passing through. So when the doctors give a bad report, I turn to the Lord and know that He is right there and it is His report that is most important. His report says that each day I am on earth, I am a little closer to joining Him in Heaven. I hope that is true of all of you, too. No, I don’t like the idea of leaving loved ones behind to grieve or leaving things I have started half done. But when God calls me home, whenever that may be, I want to make sure I am ready to go, not dragging my feet and telling Him that it is too soon. I want to be joyful every day, no matter how much time He has planned for me here on earth. My diagnoses don’t surprise God or make Him anxiously wring His hands. He already has a place for me and knows the very day, hour and minute I will join Him. He guides the doctors and their treatment plan because that is what I am praying and believing for.

So, joy is a choice and I am choosing to be joyful. Today we are going to MD and then onto PA to join our beloved family members and friends there for the wedding of our granddaughter. There was a while there when I didn’t think the doctors would allow me to travel, but my PCP said my heart is stable now, gave me cautions for along the road and reminded me that when I return I have tests with the cardiologist. (Of course, I do. And the nephrologist and now injections in my back at orthopedics.) But nothing will take away my joy and anticipation of seeing family and the happy occasion of a wedding. I appreciate your prayers as we travel and hope to have time to post along the way, but if not, I plan to be back in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, choose JOY!

The yellow rose bush in my yard and my favorite flower.

Giving Mercy and Compassion

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

Here’s What Mercy Really Looks Like… (Daily Refresh, 8-10-26)

What would you do if you ran into someone who offended, upset, or greatly wronged you? 

The Pharisees in Jesus’ time taught that it was excessive to forgive someone more than three times. But Jesus’ teachings set a standard for extravagant forgiveness. He emphasized that we should forgive others generously and continuously.

The outward expression of forgiveness can look different for everyone, but true forgiveness should offer mercy and compassion to those who hurt us. 

Forgiveness isn’t easy. Showing compassion to someone who hurt us goes against our natural desire. At times, it can even feel overwhelming, unfair, and impossible. But showing someone undeserved forgiveness and compassion is what mercy is … and it’s what Jesus does for us.  

God so loved the world that—despite our constant mistakes and continual rejection of His presence—He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die for us. Although we didn’t deserve His forgiveness or love, He offered it to us anyways. And now, anyone who believes in Jesus can receive unlimited mercy and unmerited grace.  

It’s because God freely offers us mercy that He asks us to show mercy also. 

The world will tell you to hold onto your hurt and allow it to shape you. But Jesus wants to release you from the pain of your past by changing your heart’s posture toward others. This isn’t easy—it is often an act of continual, painful surrender. But Jesus doesn’t expect us to go through the process of forgiveness alone. He offers to help us if we are willing to trust Him and honor His teachings.

Jesus isn’t asking us to do anything that He hasn’t already done for us. And when we offer mercy to someone who has wounded us, we illustrate how God’s forgiveness has impacted us.  

So is there anyone you can offer mercy and forgiveness to today? Spend some time with God, ask Him to search your heart, and give Him any hurt you’ve been carrying.

My Thoughts

Forgiveness is more than letting go of the hurt and the anger and the betrayal you feel. It is also extending mercy and compassion to the person who hurt you. It is wanting God’s best for them even though they hurt you.

For many years, I thought that I was forgiving when I just said the words every time a person and their past transgression against me came up in my mind. I would just say to myself, “I have forgiven them. It’s in God’s hands now” and try to move on. But I found that I never really moved on until I acted in love towards that person. Include them in an invitation? So hard…but so necessary! Offer to help them when you see that they are struggling? Yes, that too. Whatever it takes to show the mercy and compassion that Jesus gave to us is what we should be doing. I will not say it’s easy but I will say that the feeling you will get afterwards of freedom from a burden you have been carrying is worth it. I will not say either that I have arrived and practice mercy and compassion all the time. That wouldn’t be true because God is still working in my heart and life to make me more like Him and this is something that needs a lot of work. I am more prone to say under my breath, “Go get ’em, God” than I am to ask God to help me forgive completely.

People will always fail us because that’s what they do. We have expectations, they fall short and we hold a grudge. If God held a grudge against us every time we fell short of His standard, I am not sure that Heaven would be populated at all with any of us. But God doesn’t hold grudges. He constantly forgives us and prods us to do likewise. When we say to ourselves that that person doesn’t deserve forgiveness, remember that neither do we. And forgive them with an open heart of mercy and compassion, just as Jesus forgave us.

Prayer, the Beginning and the End

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

Have you ever thought about when you pray? I start my day with a short prayer of thanksgiving that I woke up, before I even get out of bed. And I end my day by praying about God’s character, His promises and intercede for family members. In between, all day long, I just have a long conversation with God, with short snippets like “I need some help here,” or “I am feeling lonely and could use a reminder of your love.” God is always there, ready to answer.

I really like this illustration because when we start the day with prayer, our hearts are unlocked to allow God to speak to us all day long. Jesus often went away in solitude to pray. He didn’t give a long and loud oratory; He just talked to His Father and that’s what I try to do. Sometimes, I am irate about what is happening in my life and I tell God just that. The time I spend talking to Him ends up calming me down. I may not ever be able to see things from His perspective, but I do take time to ponder and not to blame and insist on my way.

Ending the day with prayer gives me the peace I need to fall asleep. A lot happens each day, much of it out of my control. But when I pray, I know the One who loves me best is “at the wheel” and will perfectly handle the worries that I hand over to him. I just have to remember that God answers in His time and in His way, not mine. So, with that thought, I can roll over and sleep in peace, knowing that God has never left me and never will.

I will close with this verse that is one of my least favorites to use because it has been misused and abused so much. The whatever needs to line up with God’s will. And it will be yours, in His way, in His time. I always remember when I read this verse that God says His ways are not our ways or His thoughts our thoughts. His way is better. Thus, although this verse is true, it needs to be understood through the context of who God is and what Jesus was really saying here. He was NOT saying that His Father is our “fairy godmother” ready to grant our wishes as soon as we utter them. After all, Jesus prayed for the cup of suffering to be removed from Him, but He went to the cross and died. Why? Because He also prayed, ”Not my will, but yours be done.” That is how we should approach our requests to God, with the attitude that God knows best and we don’t. God has a plan in mind that we don’t always know but we can participate in it if we spend time in prayer and ask to be included in His plans, not just ours.

What thoughts do you have about this verse? It sometimes makes me cringe as I hear the “name it and claim it” advocates preaching it while they also give you the address to which to send funds to them. Then, I think to myself that it isn’t God’s fault that people misuse His word. He means it all for good, so I am going to lean on this verse, knowing that it’s true because God says it and He doesn’t lie.