Encouraging Words Devotional

John's phone rang.  It was the call that all parents hope they will never receive. His teenage daughter, who had recently received her driver's license, was involved in an accident. Would John come?

One time Jesus said to a busy woman, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things" (Luke 10:41- ck. NIV). I can certainly relate to Martha. How about you? If you're like most women, you don't worry about just one thing. Because we're good at multi-tasking, we usually have a whole collection of things we're anxious about.

Many, many children today are growing up in one-parent homes. Maybe when you were a child your father turned his back on your mother for another woman, and your home was torn apart. You may not think you're worth very much or surely your dad would have stayed with the family.

A fighter jet pilot flying upside down at tremendous speed became disoriented.  Confused as to which way was up and which was down, he pulled the flight stick in the wrong direction. A few moments later, flaming wreckage was all that remained.

Bill wore a t-shirt with holes in it, jeans, and flip-flops--his wardrobe for literally his entire four years of college.  Admittedly, a bit strange, though very bright, Bill had become a Christian while attending college.

In Bible days, each Jewish man 20 years and older was expected to contribute voluntarily a two-drachma tax every year for the upkeep of the temple in Jerusalem—that’s about a third of a dollar.

It's pretty common these days for people not to answer their phone calls until they know who is calling. But the person who refuses to return phone calls is just plain—well, rude.  It's as if the caller is not important enough to deserve a return call.

Recently someone asked me, "How do you decide what ministry opportunities to accept and what ones you should say 'No' to?" The question is fair enough.  My husband and I receive many invitations to minister each year—more than we can fulfill. We have to make hard decisions whether to say "Yes, we'll be there," or "No, I'm sorry we won't be able to do that." Here are some principles that help us determine God's will and will perhaps help you in your priorities as well.

For a long time now I've been fascinated by a verse I found in Psalm 131. It's the second verse, where the psalmist writes, "…I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother…is my soul within me."

"Why? Why did Dennis have to die?" The question screamed in Jean Galang's mind.  This 14-year old boy had all of life ahead of him. So many hopes, so many dreams. But now, in the church's summer camp, of all places, Dennis had drowned in the swimming pool. In a daze of disbelief and heartbreak, the camp was shut down and everyone went home.