“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.” Psalm 39:7 Not a lot of things are worth waiting for, but hope... definitely worth waiting for. Be encouraged today in the midst of waiting. God it there and He is always on time.

I love the message of Hebrews 12:1-2 and the importance of keeping our gaze... our focus on Christ, especially in difficult times and circumstances. Let's talk about it on today's Morning Manna.

The great St. Augustine famously wrote, “In essentials—unity; in non-essentials—liberty; and in all things—charity.” It’s important that Christians stay united on the essentials. Do you know what the essentials are? Let's talk about it on today's Morning Manna.

What is perspective? Perspective adds a breath of fresh air to the otherwise suffocating demands of life. It opens new dimensions that enable us to cope with the predictable . . . it eases the tyranny of the urgent. Let's talk about it on today's Morning Manna.

If you want to make your life count, Jesus wisely explains how. He says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you abide in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” Our challenge is to be devoted to living in and for Jesus, in a way like a branch is attached to a vine and depends on it for life. Are you abiding today?

A dear friend of mine posted a picture of beautiful flowers with these words on top; "Even the most beautiful flowers must first grow through the dirt." That's so true and love the way it matches up with Matthew 26:25-34. Let's talk about it on today's Morning Manna.

Life is really just a series of decisions. Most of them are small and seem inconsequential, while others could change the course of our life. Whether choices are major or minor, we need to know how to make wise ones that align with God’s will.

Most people would agree that we have a lot to be thankful for. After all, many of us live a lifestyle full of conveniences. We live in comfortable homes, wear nice clothes, and have reliable transportation. We have no shortage of clean water or healthy food. We have access to quality healthcare and education, and basically live a good life with a lot of freedom, safety and security. It’s easy to take these wonderful blessings for granted and begin to focus on what we don’t have.

You don't always have the power to control, but you always have the power to surrender. Many struggle in our current situation with feeling out of control. It's a stressful time to be sure, but remember that our God is in control and our responsibility is to surrender to Him those things we cannot control.

Today is Good Friday. We celebrate the cross with an old hymn by Issac Watts from 1707 called, "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross." Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice for us!