Tag: You Version

True Humility

On By vickleaIn ScriptureLeave a comment

A Humble Beginning (Daily Refresh, 12-19-25)

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Luke 1:35

Generations of anticipation. Prophets foretold it and the people hoped for it. There, in a simple town, it happened. The Son of God took on the vulnerability, frailty, and weakness of man by beginning His life as we all do—as a a baby. Holiness and power were made present in humanity. And to Mary, He was born.

Do you think anyone imagined, after all the prophecies of Jesus’ coming, that He would begin ‌His life on earth as a baby? That He would grow from an infant to a child to a teenager to an adult, the same way that man has since the offspring of Adam and Eve? Even during His ministry, people loved to view Jesus as a conqueror—a man of power that was going to topple the Roman government and establish Himself as their king. They wanted Jesus to show His power in a way that gave them power, too. 

And yet Jesus was humble to His core. 

He willingly began His time on earth completely powerless, born to His mother Mary into a simple life. 

Jesus went from being one with the Father in Heaven, powerful and supreme, to willingly taking on a human beginning, being born as an infant inherently dependent on others. Such humility marked His life and ministry. He did not come to topple governments but, by His loving sacrifice, topple sin by taking on a human life and then giving it up of His own accord. 

The Son of God. Mary’s son. God’s perfect plan made manifest at last.

Humility. It marked Him from the beginning.

My Thoughts

Jesus did not have to come humbly. He could have come as a conqueror, with all the power and might of heaven behind Him. Instead, He was born just as we are, through the labor pains of a willing servant of God. The people of the day looked for a new ruler, a new king to overthrow the Romans. What they (and we) got was someone not interested in power but in real “peace through strength.” His strength was demonstrated in His humility. We would to well in this very divided world to emulate our Savior and show His peace to others who need to know what a real leader who loves regular people looks like.

Mountains and Valleys

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song, Video, YouVersion App1 Comment

There Was Jesus: On the Mountain and In the Valleys (YouVersion Devotional, “There Was Jesus”)

Sometimes, I don’t know what’s harder to remember: to praise Him in the hard times or to praise Him in the good times. He’s with us during both and every time in between. Remember the last time you had a really great day? Did you recognize Jesus with you that day? Were you mindful of His presence? Did you thank Him for that good day? It’s not often that I remember that He is with me when I have a good day, probably because things feel under control. 

Just like in yesterday’s scriptures, trusting that God is with us in difficult times poses its own set of challenges, but as there are scriptures to remind us He is with us during the rough times, there are scriptures to remind us He is with us during the good times too. 

James 5:13 says, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.”

It doesn’t say to sing praise only when times are bad or only when times are good. 

My prayer is that we can always look around and recognize His presence at all times; good and bad, on the mountain and in the valleys. 1 Chronicles 16:11 tells us to “seek His presence continually.” I invite you to do an exercise with me right now: take a look around and thank God for existing in this place and in this time right now. You may not feel anything; you may not see anything, but trust that He’s there with you right now.

‘Every minute, every moment 

Of where I been and where I’m going 

Even when I didn’t know it 

Or couldn’t see it 

There was Jesus.’

My Thoughts

Usually, my life, and probably yours, too, goes in cycles. I’m on a mountaintop and then in a valley (or traveling between the two). Yesterday started to be a regular day for me with an appointment for a Doppler test at my neurologist’s office. My husband was driving, and suddenly (like really fast), the car in front of us braked and Harry had to brake quickly. Praise God for looking out for us! We didn’t hit the car in front of us and the car behind us didn’t smash into us, either. I thought about my verses for this week in Psalm 121:7-8 that remind me that God “keeps me in my going out and coming in.” We continued on our journey and a car darted out of a side road, right in front of us. It was like he didn’t see us or was daring us to hit him or something. Once again, Harry employed a hard brake and I was thankful for God’s calming presence. Yesterday’s trip was like trying not to play “bumper cars” on the roads to the hospital.

Then, I had my Doppler. The technician that does the test has been doing them annually for me for the last nine years, so I am acquainted with him but he has never really been talkative. I decided that was just his personality and just followed his instructions. But yesterday, he was talkative and said more than, “Lie down on the table, please.” He asked if I could get on the table and would I be okay there for a few minutes on my back. Then he chatted with me a little as the test proceeded. At the end of the test, which took less than fifteen minutes, he told me that he saw a little blockage in my carotid and hoped it didn’t get any worse. Well, for someone who has had a stroke, a blockage of any kind is not good news, to say the least. I told him that I would be praying about it, he walked me to the exit and I was done.

So, was all this a mountain or a valley? I honestly don’t know. I felt God with me in the car as we avoided accidents that could have been the result of driver error (the other drivers). I felt God with me when I was with the technician, soothing me to be okay on a hard table with a bad back. And when the technician told me I have a little blockage, I focused on the word “little” instead of the blockage. I knew right away that was something I would need to be praying about in order to achieve peace about it.

Regardless, I knew that God was right there with me. He tells me in His Word that He won’t leave me and that He would keep me as I traveled, and He did, He does, and He will. I contacted my neurologist to ask what the plan is now that my Doppler has been done and I expect to hear from him in a couple of days. Whatever the plan is, God will be beside me.

“There Was Jesus”-Zach Williams and Dolly Parton

Can the Pope Be in Error?

On By vickleaIn Uncategorized1 Comment

Yesterday, the Pope stated that the civil union of same-sex couples is okay with the church. Really? Seriously? Is it okay with God? Has God changed His mind? Or His Word? Just because man has become more tolerant of sin does not mean that God has. So, in my very humble opinion, I think that the Pope has made a grave error. I must state here that I am not Catholic, so I do not revere the Pope as holy or anything similar. Only God is holy, and that includes all parts of the Holy Trinity. I don’t mean to offend anyone, however. I just want you to take an honest look at what the Bible says and what the consequences are of not following God’s instructions. Once again, Dr. Denison says it a lot better than I ever could.

Dr. Denison Oct. 22, 2020 Pope and Gay Marriage

Good News!

In my inbox today, along with Dr. Denison’s newsletter, was good news from the You Version Blog. May these testimonies bless and inspire you just as they blessed me.

Let’s Celebrate Good News!

May you all have a blessed day! Seek God’s face in His Word and find yourself in the hollow of His hand, ready to face the new day and whatever it brings.