Category: Scripture

From the Holy Bible

Never Give Up

On By vickleaIn Scripture9 Comments

I’m a firm believer that since God has left me here on this earth after numerous physical challenges, He has me here for a reason. In my devotional this morning, I read that the writer has passed his “best by” date. Honestly, I had never heard old age expressed that way, but after some thought, I decided it’s accurate. There are many things I can no longer do, but there is so much still left that I am able to do. My physical limitations are there but so is my determination to get things done. I cannot take a bath anymore because it’s way too hard to get out of the tub. But, oh, the nice hot showers I enjoy! I cannot read a book and watch a TV show at the same time because my brain no longer likes to multi-task. But I can still enjoy both, just separately. (Although I must state a disclaimer here that my favorite TV show is now Christian music.) I cannot always remember why I have gone into a room, but while I am there, I occupy myself doing something else that may need to be done. You get the idea. As we age, we lose a lot of abilities, but one of the things I have gained is my thankfulness for each day that I awaken and my eagerness to see what the new day will bring.

I truly believe this Scripture, that my Spirit is being renewed daily as God draws me closer to Him. Today, I go to my new nephrologist, the one I requested since the previous one lacked empathy and compassion. I have no idea what the new doctor will be like, but I know that I prayed before I chose him and expect that God will work through him to help me keep my solitary kidney going for as long as possible. Meanwhile, I am thankful that I have a new doctor to see, thankful that my weight is down some and I have been able to eat a little better lately. Mostly, I’m thankful to be on the earth at this time, just where God wants me to be and I’m looking forward to finding His new purpose for each day that He has given me.

I pray that you will find the peace in your spirit today that you need to face whatever the day brings. Remember that the “best by” day may have passed, but that doesn’t mean you have lost your purpose or your usefulness. If you’re still here, God wants to use you. Be open to His Spirit and let Him tell you just what you can do for Him and His Kingdom today.

Have a blessed and awesome day in the Lord. Be your best. Do your best. In Him and for Him, you are the best you that He made. Be blessed!

Remembering

On By vickleaIn Scripture6 Comments

As I have aged, I have discovered that I am not as capable of remembering things from the past as I once could. The fog of having had a stroke has not helped, so that has been my go-to excuse when someone says, “Remember when…?” Most of the time, I honestly don’t remember. But one very important thing that I want to always remember is God’s steadfast love for me and all of the miracles that He has performed in my life.

One of the ways we can recall all of God’s wonderful acts on our behalf is to testify about them, to friends, at church, in a journal. Just put the words out there so that others can share in the joy you had when you saw God working on your behalf.

Of course, the first thing that comes to mind is healing from my stroke. In January of 2015 when I had a massive stroke (the occupational therapist told me that it was a 19 out of 21 on their scale, whatever their scale was), I could not move most of my right side, could not speak without stuttering and lost my memory for speaking Spanish. The OT encouraged me that the brain is made in such a way that it would find new pathways to get around the ones that had died when I had the stroke. Well, she didn’t say it, but I did, in my mind. I am fearfully and wonderfully made and God would make a way for me to function again. I had to practice walking, telling my legs to take steps until it became natural for me again. I practiced reading, much more slowly than I had ever done before, but I could do it. And I got out old Spanish books from my high school years and practiced my Spanish. Oh, yeah, and I couldn’t write except for illegible scribbles. My physical therapist was a real gift from God. He had been my therapist after my knee surgery and my broken elbow and when he saw on the schedule that a patient was coming in who had had a stroke and saw my name, he told me he didn’t know what to expect. So, with love and patience, he worked with me in all ways possible. He brought out a whiteboard for me to practice writing on. I did OT puzzles and other exercises to build my dexterity in my hands. It amazed me that my left hand was faster than my right because my right had to be trained again. After about three months, I was able to return to teaching part-time and by five months after my stroke, I was working full-time and discharged from PT. Amazing, right? God is the God of miracles and He gave me back my speech, my ability to walk and my ability to use and teach Spanish. Some would say, “Well, of course. The OT said that your brain would find new pathways.” There is no “of course” to it! My PT said that my progress was like a miracle because I progressed so rapidly. To this day, I know to Whom to give the credit for my recovery. God gets all the kudos because not only did He make me to begin with, He healed me when I had an unimaginably scary stroke. I will admit that sometimes my brain fogs and I know that’s the sign that I need to rest, to pull away and just be quiet, whether that means napping or going to bed extra early. But I continue to be amazed each day that I awaken because I know that it is God who loves me enough to allow me to still be here on earth. Since my stroke, I have had four new grandchildren born, and I am so blessed to be able to meet them and get to know them. In fact, Penny was born only a month after my stroke and I told my PT that I needed to get better so I could go meet her. I did! I met her in March, when she was only a few weeks old. Why am I writing all of this? I’m writing my testimony for me to remember and for you to know what a miracle-working God we serve. I am thankful every day for my life that He gave back to me, and I hope that each of you is thankful for all that he has done for you.

I am so thankful! God is no respecter of persons and what He did for me, He can do for anyone.

“You Are Faithful” by Hillsong Worship

Being Hopeful

On By vickleaIn Scripture7 Comments

These days, with bad news everywhere and being broadcast 24/7, it is often difficult to focus on good things. I have come to the conclusion that this is a choice, to focus on the good things of God instead of the bad things in the news.

So, in that spirit, I choose today and going forward to focus on being hopeful and thankful. Is everything going the way I would like? No, but God is sovereign and He is in control. With that thought as my foundation, I thank God for waking me up this morning, for a cat who keeps me company, for the health of my children and grandchildren and for the opportunity to read Christian fiction from Christian publishing houses.

You may have to look around a little more since most of us, me included, tend to focus on the negative and ask God to change it. I want to focus more on the positive and be hopeful that God who made the entire world and all who are in it has not given up on it yet. He is still on His throne, and for that I am deeply grateful.

Have a blessed day, filled with hope and gratitude for all God has done, all He is doing and all He will do. 🙏🏻

“My Jesus” by Anne Wilson

Scriptural Musings

On By vickleaIn Scripture5 Comments

This morning during my devotional, God spoke to me through various Scripture verses. I am grateful to Him for His Holy Spirit who leads me and guides me each day and shows me truth from His Word.

God works in each of us if we will allow Him to do so. He has a purpose and a plan and it pleases Him when we follow His plans instead of our own pursuits.

When we see others suffering and just pass by instead of being a Good Samaritan, then we are denying the fact that we are part of that suffering. We are all one, together. When one suffers, we all do.

Some of the people who consider themselves wise are not following the admonition to live humbly. I have always heard that if you toot your own horn, then no one else does. We are expected to make humble and wise decisions in ALL that we do, every day in every way.

This is a song that I used to sing in church many years ago, one that still gives me great pleasure as I focus on the coming Day of the Lord, when all of the Redeemed will gather together. There will be only joy, no sorrow or mourning. This particularly touched me today as a fellow co-worker from my school passed away Friday from Covid. He had been vaccinated, so there are a lot of questions in my mind about how this could happen. He was only in his fifties and leaves behind a loving wife and five children. I hope to see him again someday when all of us together go to Zion, singing with gladness because Christ has redeemed us and for all eternity there will be no more sorrow.

Thank you, my friends, for reading through today’s ramblings with me. I need God every day. I need to hear from Him every day. And, while I am still on earth, it gives me great pleasure to share His Word with you. Have a blessed day, filled with His Spirit. Be the Good Samaritan. Be the difference that the world sees and wonders about.

Outward Appearances

On By vickleaIn Scripture3 Comments

bible.com/bible/1171/1sa.16.7.MEV

We are frequently deceived by outward appearances and judge people accordingly. My prayer is that I will look deeper, at the person that they are on the inside, the character that they have developed and the integrity that they demonstrate. Some of the most handsome and most beautiful people in the world are the most selfish and judgmental. It’s not the beauty on the outside that matters to God and it shouldn’t matter to us, either. Each of us is created to be a unique part of God’s creation. We need to find our place in this world and stand tall, knowing that we are children of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

May God bless and keep you close to His heart today.

Happy Labor Day!

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

It’s that time of year when thoughts turn to another year of work, another year of school, another year of setting and trying to keep goals. Yes, it is Labor Day. Did you know that this day was established back in the late 1800’s when people marched in NYC demanding better pay and time off? Of course, they were working twelve hours per day, six days per week. These days, there are many who have decided just to remain at home and get the paycheck from the government who has so willingly decided to make them dependents. My thoughts on that come from the Scriptures.

We are to work so as to not be a burden to others. Our primary goal is to do the work of the Lord, but we also have to have a job that pays for our food and shelter. The government, also known as the taxpayer, does not owe us anything.

Harsh words, right? I have read in several books that in establishing the colonies, several of the governors used this Scripture to make sure that the people understood that working was to be undertaken by everyone. How far we have come from this! It has become the responsibility of Uncle Sam to feed us (EBT), to shelter us (HUD) and to meet our medical needs, too. That was not how God established things to be. Work=Eat. Simple equation that we need to return to. I know what you are thinking: But, Covid….Yes, there was and is a pandemic (I prefer my daughter’s word for it, the “plandemic”), but God doesn’t say to work and eat as long as there are no dangers to your health. I don’t see any conditions to the statement above. We did what the government said to do for over a year. China sent us a virus, tanked our economy, influenced our election and still has many too afraid to go out to earn a living. Work=Eat.

The final word for Labor Day is that we should not get tired in doing good for others. I don’t know about you, but I am most energized when I have a purpose, a reason to get up in the morning and to get my day started. Imagine if every day, each of us awakened with a sense of having a partnership with God and doing good each day for someone! What a different world it would be! Instead of “me, me, me”, it would be “you, you, you.” I would like to live in such a world, a world where people are kind just because it’s the right thing to do, where people understand that we are all humans sharing this planet until God calls us home to be with Him. Our time on earth is finite, but our kind words and deeds can last forever. We just have to reach out to a hurting world and give them the same hope that Jesus has given us.

My prayer is for each of you to have a blessed Labor Day, reflecting on God’s goodness to you and directing it out to others. 🙏🏻

A Nation Worth Dying For

On By vickleaIn prayer, Scripture7 Comments

The brave men and women who were killed in Afghanistan yesterday laid down their lives for others. They had families at home, waiting for them and now mourning their loss. What are you willing to die for? Your loved ones? A stranger? Your nation? Dr. Denison’s Forum today brought tears to my eyes as I reflected on the sacrifices that our armed forces face daily. My husband served for over two decades and each time he was away, I prayed for his safety, but I never really thought he was in harm’s way. I never considered that he might not return to his family whole and sound. My heart aches for the families who will never see their loved ones again. And my soul cries out to God for a nation that sacrifices so many because of the incompetence of the leadership. Lord, have mercy on your people and lead us to the right path.

Dr. Denison August 27, 2021

Evil Days

On By vickleaIn Scripture9 Comments

As the days become more and more evil and more people are turning away from God, it is up to us who bear His Name to be wise and to use the time we have wisely. Look at the newspapers. Listen to the news. There is nothing happening that surprises God, but there is a lot of evil in the world. It reminds me of the “days of Noah” when people thought that everything they did was just fine. And then, the floods came. God promised not to destroy the earth with another flood, but He also promised a new Heaven and a new earth. Perhaps we need to be looking up more and less at our electronic devices. Just a thought.

Have a blessed day, filled with wise choices.