Fighting Battles
So far, 2026 seems to have been one long battle with my health. Shoulder, torn rotator cuff. Back, five herniated discs and a pinched nerve. And then asthma set in and I haven’t been able to shake the cough. I just had a CT Scan on my lungs this week. In all of this, I found myself getting discouraged, which if you know me, is not the usual me. I generally just give it to God and move on. From September when I broke my foot until now, I have just seemed to visit doctors’ offices for one issue or another. I know that it comes with aging, but it hasn’t been pleasant and I have found myself whining to God.
This morning, my dear Savior and Friend stopped me in the middle of my whine and reminded me of who He is and what He has already done for me. Well, that’s not quite accurate. He started by reminding me of one of my memory verses before I went to sleep last night.
With that verse on my mind as I drifted off to sleep, it was also on my mind when I woke up coughing and with my aching back again this morning. God told me that I have tried to “be still” but I haven’t really been still enough to hear His voice, His comfort and His wisdom.
So, how do I fight these battles? By being still and letting God lead and direct me. The pain is real, the coughing is a real pain, but every breath is a gift from God. That realization opens up my world to praise, not whining.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the word that God put on my heart for the year is “trust.” I have been tested over and over about whether I truly trust God or not and many times, I have found myself lacking, going back to the table with the Lord and working to understand what trust is and what it is not. I am not there yet because the battle rages on, but I do know that I am not fighting alone. God is right there, my David to a Goliath and He has all the stones I need to defeat the giants in my life. I just have to be still…not walk away. I have to stand in the battle with the Lord, knowing that He is there winning a victory for me, if I will just let go of the temptation to control things and let Him win.
First-Line Friday: Chase the Light by Suzanne Woods Fisher
I am all about visiting the National Parks, especially since I have been reading Suzanne Woods Fisher’s series called National Park Summers. I am learning a lot and eager to travel, vicariously of course, due to health issues. For those of you still healthy and able, take time to go to a National Park this year and enjoy the creation that God has blessed us with.
First Line from Chase the Light: “Ranger Scout Johnson was the kind of person who loved allowing room for error.”
To God be all of the glory for all that He has created for us to enjoy!
The Insidious Danger of AI
First, let me say that I have read and enjoyed every book by Erin Bartels. Before her dissension to work with AI, she was an author for over two decades with a well-known Christian publisher. I agree with all she says in this essay and hope that you will take the time to read it and pass it along if you also agree. (Note that she uses some language that I do not agree with, but I see the passion in what she writes and understand the fire beneath her righteous indignation.)
My state Virginia is currently in negotiations for a huge data center. It is really all about the money and not the best interests of the citizens. How do you fight tyranny and a takeover of AI? Read Erin’s essay and get some good suggestions.
https://substack.com/@erinbartels/note/p-203644243?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=8f2gn
This all goes back to my previous post “Tethered” because once again, I am reminding you of who is the prince of the power of the air. God is Creator and He created us to create. In using AI, Satan is trying to replicate God’s power.
https://vicklea.com/2026/06/25/tethered/
And so you know the author to whom I am referring, here is a link to a blog about one of her books:
https://vicklea.com/2024/04/18/review-the-lady-with-dark-hair-by-erin-bartels/
Please comment and let me know what you think. Do you have a data center near you or one planned? Please take the time to research the effects of these data centers on the area where you live and of AI on real creativity.
Tethered
We all have invisible tethers that carry us through the day. Some are our relationships to friends and family, knowing that whatever we are going through, they will be praying for us. But what are you tethered to when you are all alone and all is quiet around you?
In our world today, people rarely allow the silence to wrap around them so that they can clearly hear God’s voice when He speaks to us. Instead, this is what just about everyone almost always has on and active.
So, what is this nifty handful of technology tethered to?
A tower with waves of communication in the air that we cannot see, but we know it works because we can check maps, listen to music or books, go on social media, etc. at all times of the day or night. One of our grandchildren indeed stays up most nights to communicate with people on the other side of the world. But I don’t think this tethering is healthy or safe. There needs to be limits and a realization that God is not on the other end of that phone or the tower.
The ruler of the kingdom of the air (including, I think the air waves through which we communicate) is Satan. Let that sink in. To whom are you tethered?
I am not saying don’t ever use your devices or anything radical like that. What I am saying is to be careful. Don’t use the devices without knowing who controls those air waves and who can intervene and cause miscommunication and false information. After all, Satan’s priority is chaos and destruction, not peace and harmony.
So, what are we to do?
We are supposed to be firmly tethered to our vine, the One who is helping us to grow to be more like Him and to produce more fruit for His kingdom. My recommendation is that when you are waiting for an appointment or at a stoplight, don’t pick up your phone. Lift your voice to the Lord, then sit silently and wait for His to talk to you. Be tethered to the vine so that when hard times come, you keep flourishing in Him, not withering away because your devices don’t have the answers you seek.
Just my two cents. What do you think? Convenience or constant temptation? Say no to temptation and yes to time with God, staying tethered to the One who is intent on helping you get Home without a GPS.
My Heart Leaps
There are some important words in this scripture verse for me. First of all is the verb “is”. Present tense…right now, in the middle of my messy and frustrating life. Also, the other two present tense verbs: “trusts” and “helps”. God doesn’t stop being trustworthy or stop helping me just because the challenges get harder. He is right there the whole time.
My favorite part of the verse is: “My heart leaps for joy” because no other part of my body is capable of leaping right now. But I can feel the excitement and anticipation in my heart of a new day with God and waiting to see what He will do in my life today. That is what brings a song to my heart and praise to my lips. Not because all if going well, but because God is right here with me in the middle of it all and He isn’t going anywhere.
Review: The Eyes of River by Cindy K. Sproles
About the Book
ISBN-139780825453168
PublisherKregel Publications
Publication Date06/23/2026
Pages: 280
Synopsis
She’s been falsely accused of murder and is desperate to reunite with her brother, River, whose unforgettable green eyes haunt her. The secret in her past is a stinging wound, but it motivates her toward her goal: freedom.
But nine-year-old River, sent through the US Post Office to his late mother’s friend in Knoxville, never arrived. Lizzy’s dream of finding him and starting a new life away from their alcoholic and abusive father is ripped away.
Her hope rekindles as she finds an unexpected confidant to help her dodge the law and save the missing youngin’. As she finds herself trusting him, she discovers the truth of the old adage her momma repeated: And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
My Thoughts
This book filled my heart with longing to help out the children and just to step in and be their advocates. Lizzy Haney has always been a responsible girl, always taking care of her little brother River while her parents are abusive, mentally and emotionally in unimaginable ways. Once her mamma dies, Lizzy is keenly feeling that River needs to escape from their dad so she mails him to a friend. I was totally unaware that this was even a possibility, but the author’s sharp attention to details and research assured me that it was done at one time, so that was very informative. Anyway, the book is layered, with methodical revelations of what has really been happening behind the scenes in Lizzy’s life and the hardship that she has suffered. This is a character-based story, but it is also plot driven. The characters are relatable and so well-developed that they came to life into my heart. The plot is fast-moving and heart-breaking at times. There are so many problems that Lizzy has had to face alone in her young life. The themes of learning to trust God and how to forgive are prevalent as well as the hope for a bright future once the past is overcome. This Appalachian novel is memorable and exceptionally well-crafted by a master storyteller. The writing is crisp and the story is startling and at times breathtaking-stopping. I loved the book and got totally invested in the story and was engaged in it from beginning to end.
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own. I also purchased my own Audible copy of this book.
About the Author
Cindy Sproles is an author and speaker. She is the cofounder of Christian Devotions Ministries and the cowriter of the popular He Said, She Said Devotions written with her cofounder, Eddie Jones. She is a novelist and best-selling author. Cindy’s devotions and articles are published in Christian newspapers across the eastern seaboard, including having been used to represent legislature for the protection of the elderly. She is a speaker to women’s conferences addressing not only the heart of women but also their biblical responsibilities to their families. As a teacher and speaker for Christian Writers Conferences, Cindy teaches writing skills and how to write placing God in the forefront. She is a contributing author to CBN.com and is the Executive Editor for www.christiandevotions.us and a freelance editor for Ironstream Media. Cindy has served in the past as an acquisitions editor and also a managing editor for publishers and she now uses that experience to mentor and coach new writers through her mentoring service, WRAMS (Write Right Author Mentoring Service) she shares with Lori Marett. She is the director of the Asheville Christian Writers Conference, held each February at the Cove, the Billy Graham Training Center, Asheville, NC. She is a certified life coach and mentor, an eldercare specialist, and a special needs advocate. Cindy is an Appalachian-born and raised mountain girl, and her novels strive to show life in the mountains during the1800’s. Cindy is a best-selling, award-winning novelist with her books having been named Novel of the Year multiple times. She is the mother of four adult sons and lives in the mountains of East Tennessee with her husband. Cindy can be contacted at www.cindysproles.com or by emailing cindyksproles@gmail.com.
Purchase Links
Monday Musings: Just Checkin’ In
What do you check on your device every day, just like clockwork and a habit you have formed? For me, it’s first text messages, then email, and maybe social media if I have time. But priorities dictate that I should be checking my heart every day and starting each day with time with God. That’s a habit that is easy to break because God doesn’t have a red circle above His head with a number on it impressing you to check in right away. What He does offer is peace, security, and His presence to calm you, along with answers to all of your questions.
Email tells me what friends and authors are up to. Texts tell me what’s on sale (gotta love that spam!) and how family is doing, along with some nice photos. But nothing there is going to affect my eternity like my time with God. Sometimes, my time with the Lord is abbreviated due to appointments that I have to rush to get to, but I always, always set aside time to be with Him. He is waiting for me, and I know it, even without the big red numbers that are my nemesis of attraction online.
I don’t ever want my time with God to be part of a list that I check off..done! No, rather, I want my time with God to be the most important part of my day, kind of like the necessity of taking a deep breath and feeling the cleansing it seems to bring deep inside. So, when you are just checking your device, how about putting it aside, turning the sound off so you aren’t distracted (I turn mine face down so the notifications don’t annoy me) and then just spend time with the One who created you, knows you best and loves you most? What is God going to tell you today? You won’t know until you check in with Him, will you?
Forgiven
Whoever tells you that you are too bad, too unworthy, too awful for God to forgive you…they are wrong. God is right. He is always faithful. Just as He was the One who clothed Adam and Eve when they recognized that they were naked, He is the One who draws us to Him so that we can have a relationship with Him through the free grace and mercy that He offers. Believe the truth, not the lies.
Mercy Said No-Zach Williams, Carrie Underwood, Chris Tomlin and Brandon Lake
God I Tried But I Fell Again-Chris Stapleton and Lauren Daigle
Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner 