Tag: pray

Doing Good

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

As a grammarian, one of my pet peeves of misuse of words is when someone asks how you are doing, your answer is, “I’m doing good.” I made it a habit to consistently correct my students who said this because as I told them, Mother Theresa “did good” so what you mean to say is that you are doing fine. After many years of following this habit, I just gave up. After all, it’s in common use now. But as I gave up the grammar rules, I did not give up on the hope that indeed they are “doing good.”

We do good for others and eventually we may reap a harvest, the harvest of their souls that live eternally with God. We just keep doing good in spite of all of the evil in the world that assaults us daily and in spite of the attacks from those who would thwart our good. So, how am I doing today? I’m planning on doing good and I hope that you are, too.

And the passage continues in the next verse that we are to do good at every opportunity. In fact, I think that we are to look for ways to do good to/for others. The young man in line behind us looks longingly at a snack at the checkout counter. Purchase it for him and tell him to have a blessed day. The young clerk in the store looks so weary that a smile is not part of their greeting. Smile at him/her and tell them what a good job they’re doing and that you appreciate their hard work. There are small things we can do everyday and there are people who go about the world doing their jobs but they don’t seem to be seen, like the housekeeping people in the hospital or the man who collects the trash every week. They deserve our respect, our gratitude and for us to take time to do good for them. A prayer is one of the best ways we can do good for others. It may not be seen or heard but my faith says that it will be felt and it will make a difference.

I hope that you all have a blessed day and that you are all “doing good.”

Not a Fan of Change

On By vickleaIn Scripture5 Comments

I am a person who thrives on routine, the same thing day in and day out. In situations where others might be bored or craving something new, I want the old and familiar. That is just me and it’s also why I’m having a hard time right now.

For the last ten months, my husband and I knew that our oldest grandson had made the decision to forego college and join the military. Recruited by the U.S. Navy, he has been a member of the delayed entry program for all of this time, waiting for his specific specialty to have an opening in a school for him after boot camp. Well, the day is almost here for his departure and this Nanna is just not ready for this change. Harry and I have driven over an hour one way every week in order to take Isaac to his meetings with his recruiter and to take him out to lunch so he gets out of the house for a few hours. His parents both work, so we took on that pleasurable responsibility. In fact, when I found myself in Maryland taking care of the grandchildren there, Harry and I prayed about it and opted to be separated from each other so he could continue to spend time with Isaac. Today is the day we say farewell because tomorrow he reports to leave for Great Lakes Boot Camp. My heart is heavy, not because I don’t want him to succeed or because I don’t believe he can, but because I will miss him so. I have all these photos of him as a small, trusting child and pictures in my mind of when he spent weekends with us when he was younger. There is something so vulnerable about him, a neediness to be accepted. So my heart is heavy because I just want him to find his place in this world and find a journey and peace that only God can give. So, change. I just don’t like it, but I know it’s part of life.

Also this week, tomorrow in fact, I am going to my sister’s house. She lives about an hour away and because of health problems, she has to move to be with her daughter in North Carolina. My sister and I don’t see eye to eye on many things, but she has been a constant in my life since I came to Virginia to live almost twenty-three years ago. In fact, she is one of the reasons that I looked for and found a new teaching job her in Virginia, because I wanted to establish roots near family. Anyway, I am going to town to help her sort and pack her books. We both share a love of reading and she has thousands of books (literally) to go through. Because of her limited vision, she can’t do a lot of the sorting and because of her physical limitations, she can’t pack. But I’m convinced that I can help, so I volunteered. What I did not consider is the emotional toll on me of helping my sister to pack to move away. Change. Again, I don’t like it, but it’s part of life.

This morning, after less than stellar sleep last night, I arose seeking the Lord as I generally do. Of course, He met me at the place where I needed Him and pointed me to scripture verses to comfort and lead me through this new part of my life. I’m sharing them with you so that you, too, can take comfort in a God who is merciful enough to provide just what we need just when we need it.

So, I’m off to have a blessed day, taking our grandson to lunch and praying for his success and God’s blessing on His new life. He is looking forward to this new chapter and as the Scripture says, I plan to trust God and be faithful to Him, knowing that Isaac is in the palm of His hands.

Have a blessed day, filled with peace and the knowledge that although all around us may change, God does not change and is always there.

Courage in a Post-Christian World

On By vickleaIn News Reports4 Comments

I have tears in my eyes as I write this post, for I honestly never thought that our nation would fall so far so fast. The Equality Act, passed by the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday, is a marker of how far we have fallen. There will no longer be protection for the Christians in our nation who do not want to bake for same sex couples or for pastors who do not want to perform same sex marriages. Being a Christian these days is thought to be some kind of racism because we stand against sin and immorality. But stand we must! If Jesus could go to Golgotha for us and pay the ultimate price, then we can stand for the truth and for righteousness.

The next years, and possibly for the rest of my life, will be difficult for those who believe in the truth and morals of the Bible. We believe that there is such a thing called sin. We believe in God who established laws and precepts for us to follow, for our good, always. We believe that God is not prohibiting behavior because He is a spoilsport, but because He knows what is best for us. Our nation has lost its moral compass, led by a man who is blinded by saying he is a Roman Catholic, so that makes everything he accepts “okay” for the nation.

I’m here, standing up to the unrighteous majority, and stating that what the national leaders are doing is a disgrace to this nation and will only lead to God’s judgment. For many years, I have heard, “If God doesn’t judge the U.S., then He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.” Well, I don’t believe that God will end up apologizing to any sinfulness incarnate. The U.S. is following in the destructive steps of Sodom, Gomorrah and the Roman Empire.

I am saddened beyond belief because I don’t want this for my children and grandchildren. So, I am standing up for truth, in spite of the fact that I am aged and can only do so much. But I can do one thing. I can speak truth to lies, I can call sin what it is and I can refuse to accept that man is his own god. There is One Truth, One God and One Judge and He doesn’t reside in D.C. or any state capital. It’s time for Christians to stand boldly and say that we are not afraid of what man can do to us. Same-sex marriage is an abomination, period! The LGBTQ+ movement is straight from the pits of hell, because man wants to do his own thing instead of following God’s plan. Teaching school children to accept that they have no gender or that they can choose their gender is evil. God created two genders, male and female, period.

I’m sick and tired of hiding and not saying what I think. I see our nation headed straight to hell, literally, and I cannot stay silent. I am angry at our lawmakers who are supposed to represent us but who are instead legislating a morality that they themselves believe in and that they are forcing on ALL Americans. It is time to call your Senators…burn up the phones in D.C. and let them know that the Equality Act is not for equality; it stands for repression of the faith-believers. Let the Supreme Court know that your opinion is that they need to actually enforce the Constitution of the United States. The Equality Act strikes at the heart of the First Amendment. We may go down, but let us go down fighting against this tyranny. Let us stand with courage for what is right and not be afraid of the powers that stand against us.

To contact your U.S. Senator, go here: Senator Call List

To contact the U.S. Supreme Court, go here: Contact Supreme Court

I am not giving you a script to read as you call. Instead, I am trusting you to pray, call and speak. Be a voice for the Christians so that we at least try to stop the downhill roll to destruction. I leave you with today’s article from Dr. Denison, which is what inspired me to write this column today.

Dr. Denison February 26, 2020

Pray, Speak, Stand.

A Promise When We Pray

On By vickleaIn Scripture3 Comments

This is a wonderful promise from God’s Word, but did you read it carefully? We have to ask “according to God’s will” in order to receive the answer that we desire. How do we know God’s will? I submit to you that we know it by spending time with Him, reading His Word and just talking to Him. It’s fantastic to be able to pray and have our prayers answered! But what is better is to be able to sit quietly and just talk to the Father.

“Jesus I Believe: by Big Daddy Weave

Pray for the United States of America

On By vickleaIn Scripture8 Comments

Keep on praying. That is God’s commandment to His people. He doesn’t say that we should only pray when we need something. He says to continually pray…in good times, in bad times, in times of plenty and times of need. So, that is my commitment this year. I do not like the new President for many reasons. But I am committed to pray for him, his safely and for wisdom for him as he leads our great nation. Please join me in this prayer, for our nation needs its Saints to pray.