He’s Already There (and Here, and Everywhere!)

Sometimes, when I pray for a particular person, I say, “God, please BE with …..” But I’ve had to rethink that wording. Because God is already with ….. Instead, what I really mean to pray is that God’s presence will be felt and acknowledged by the other person; that God will move and act in such a way that the focus will shift to HIS almighty power and provision in a certain situation.

God is omnipresent. There is no place in Heaven or on Earth where God is NOT. In fact, the only place where we could be removed from God’s presence is in Hell. In fact, the most horrifying aspect of Hell is that it is the complete absence of God’s presence. The misery, torture, and fear of Hell is a direct consequence of God’s absence.

There are many situations in our lives when it may seem that God is absent, or that God has turned His back on us. Sometimes, this is really because WE have chosen to turn our backs on God. He is right there, but we are deliberately looking the other way. Other times, God is there, but He chooses not to remove an obstacle or circumstance that is causing us pain or grief. We don’t always know why He seems silent or inactive. But He is there, inviting us to trust His timing and wisdom in every situation. He delights with us, and He grieves with us. He may not give an instant answer to our questions or doubts, but he sits with us, ready to hold our hand and wrap us in His loving care. He doesn’t give up and leave us when the going gets rough. He is closer than a whisper, and He sees and hears everything. No matter what darkness we face, His light can guide us through.

The Psalmist, King David spoke of this with wonder:

⁷I can never be lost to your Spirit! I can never get away from my God! ⁸If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the place of the dead, you are there. ⁹If I ride the morning winds to the farthest oceans, ¹⁰even there your hand will guide me, your strength will support me. ¹¹If I try to hide in the darkness, the night becomes light around me. ¹²For even darkness cannot hide from God; to you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are both alike to you. (Psalm 139:7-12 The Living Bible)

The Apostle Paul also spoke of God’s abiding presence, through Jesus Christ:

³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ³⁶As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

³⁷No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39 ESV)

Jesus Himself promised His eternal presence as well:

Matthew 28:20–“…And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Hebrews 13:5 (quoting Jesus)…’for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”’
John 14:18– “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”

No matter where you are today, God’s already there! No matter what difficult road you have to travel; no matter how long it takes you; no matter what other obstacles you will face, God’s already there! Whether you are resting in green pastures or walking through the valley of the shadow of death (see Psalm 23), God is with you– He’s already there!

And as we pray, God is already there– He already sees the future. He’s already redeemed the past. He has already seen the end from the beginning, and yet He patiently sits with us in the present, offering comfort and hope.

May 8, 2026 0

The Lord is My Shepherd

Psalm 100:3 Christian Standard Bible (CSB):

³Acknowledge that the Lord is God.
He made us, and we are his—
his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Psalm 23 New King James Version (NKJV)
The Lord the Shepherd of His People
A Psalm of David.
23 The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
²He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
³He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
⁴Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
⁵You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
⁶Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.

The Bible is filled with imagery of sheep and shepherds. Growing up, I lived in the countryside, but we never raised sheep, and I had little experience with livestock of any kind. We had one neighbor who had sheep, however, and he shared a lot of insight into why we should pay attention to what sheep can teach us about ourselves, and our God.

Not only does God use the imagery of sheep and shepherds, He uses examples throughout the Bible of actual sheep and shepherds. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the sons of Jacob, David, and the prophet Amos– all were shepherds. When the Messiah was born, the first announcement went to shepherds in the fields, keeping night-watch over their flocks!

Jesus used stories of sheep and shepherds in his parables, as well. There is a lot to understand, and I am not qualified to teach anyone about shepherding, but there are several wonderful principles that don’t require a lot of in-depth knowledge:

Sheep NEED a shepherd. There are breeds of mountain sheep that live independently, but the Bible stories speak of domesticated sheep…they are “high maintenance” animals– they need food and water, shelter, protection, and a lot of guidance and supervision! We NEED God–He understands our situations, our weaknesses, and our strengths, far better than we do. He knows the future; He has a plan, and He provides all that we need. We may not see the road ahead–we may not see the green pasture or the still waters where He wants to lead us–but He IS the WAY, the truth, and the life (John 14:6), and we can trust Him to get us there.

Sheep need to be sheared. Left unsheared, the sheep’s wool will become matted, filthy, and a potential source of danger and disease. The sheep cannot get rid of its wool on its own. However, once the old wool is sheared off, the sheep is clean, and new wool can grow. Not only does God provide for our immediate needs, He provides for our renewal and growth–physical, emotional, and spiritual growth. Sometimes, that means we need to be “sheared” of habits, people, or situations that have become “matted”, and filthy. We haven’t even noticed the change, and we don’t see the danger. God wants to free us from the “baggage” we accumulate, and help us experience new growth.
Sheep depend on others to stay safe, healthy, and fed–there may be “lone wolves”, but there are no “lone sheep”. God will bring us into “flocks”. We learn to eat together, travel together, rest together, live together, and follow our shepherd’s voice together. Trying to be a “lone sheep” makes for a lot of trouble!

Shepherds make great sacrifices to care for their sheep– they provide, protect, rescue, heal, guide, and clean their sheep. A good shepherd is watchful, faithful, caring, and gentle, even as s/he must be strong, brave, and fiercely protective, risking their lives (or even giving their lives) for their flocks. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, knows each one of us intimately– He knows how to heal and guide us. He wants us to recognize His voice above all others, and to stay close to Him. He died to redeem you and me!

May we trust our Good Shepherd today, and every day. May we spend time acknowledging Him as our loving and faithful Shepherd, and call out to Him– in praise, in adoration, in supplication, and in loving gratitude.

May 1, 2026 0

Of Stubbed Toes, Pet Cats, and Lost Coins

Prayer doesn’t have to be BIG to catch God’s ear or His heart. God cares about the “big” things– war, cancer, broken relationships. And we must be persistent in our prayers about such things. But God also cares about stubbed toes. He cares about the illness of pets and the pop quiz at school and “that noise” the car has been making lately. And we are not just encouraged; we are commanded to come to Him about the ordinary and “little” things in life.

I was challenged in this a few weeks ago when someone disparaged the prayer group I belong to. We meet every Wednesday morning to pray. And we have a running list of concerns that have been brought to our attention– some requests come from our members, some from prayer cards and requests that have been turned in after Sunday Services at our church. Some of our requests are about “big” things– social issues, wars, the persecuted Church around the world, etc… And some of our requests stay on the list for months. We don’t give up– we rejoice in God’s timing. For instance, we were praying for several months for a dear sister who was having housing issues. She was in assisted living because of her many health issues. But she wanted to live independently. So, we prayed. Miraculously, many of her health issues disappeared, and it seemed that she would be able to move out of the facility, but she didn’t know where she could go on her limited budget, and she still had some issues with mobility. So, we prayed. We got updates– it seemed that a situation would be opening soon, only to find that she had been denied. And denied again! Still, we prayed. Then, a couple of weeks ago, God acted by taking her Home to Heaven unexpectedly. It wasn’t the answer we imagined, but it was God’s perfect timing to answer her greatest needs.

Often, the stories are much smaller. One of the children in our church filled out a prayer card asking for us to pray for their pet cat, who was ill. So, we prayed. There was more to this request than just an animal feeling sick. This child had just lost a grandparent. The family was already dealing with loss, and this child did exactly what Faith tells us to do– call on the LORD in our distress. Bring “everything” to God in prayer (“Do not worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7)And as brothers and sisters in Christ, we were encouraged by this child’s faith and willingness to share. We pray for twisted ankles and hip surgeries. We pray for broken-down cars and those who are struggling to buy groceries this week.

And when someone seemed to disparage our group’s efforts, I was confused and a bit hurt. The other person wasn’t saying that the requests themselves were wrong, but they felt that we might be “wasting” time on such requests at the expense of “more important” issues. Instead of praying for “uncle Joe’s stubbed toe,” we could be praying for social change in our community. “Uncle Joe” was on our list, but world peace was not. Their approach was that such “small” requests might be dealt with in a more personal and immediate way. And that shows another marvelous aspect of prayer. We don’t need to wait for Wednesday, or Sunday, or for a particular group to pray for our needs. In fact, on the strength of their suggestion, our church now announces that there is a “prayer team” at each Sunday service who will take time to offer immediate and personal prayer for those who want it. And both the weekly prayer group and the weekly prayer team can joyfully bring prayers before the Throne of Grace– no matter how big or small, dire or fleeting, personal or corporate.

Our group still offers to pray for “Uncle Joe’s stubbed toe” or Wendy’s car trouble, or Alice, who would like someone to help with yard work. Some of these requests also get passed on to or from our “Help” team, connecting them with practical help from volunteers in our congregation AND prayer support. Because it is our privilege to pray for others– to share their sorrows, struggles, and joys as we travel life together. And we also pray for war-torn areas, our persecuted churches around the world, and spiritual battles taking place in our congregation– addictions, ruptured families, stroke victims and their families, and much more.

Jesus told the three stories of people facing “loss” in Luke, chapter 15. The first story is of the lost sheep and the shepherd who is willing to abandon 99 sheep in order to look for one sheep that is lost. The third, and most famous of the three stories, is of the Prodigal Son, who runs away, spends all of his inheritance, and returns home to find that his father not only forgives him, but celebrates his return. Tucked in between is the story of a woman who loses one silver coin and sweeps through her entire house looking for it. When she finds it, she wants to celebrate with all her neighbors. THAT is what prayer can be–we don’t pray for lost coins or stubbed toes because they are earth-shaking events–we pray because that is how we share life with our neighbors, our brothers and sisters around the world, and the God who Loves each and every one with boundless, eternal, extravagant Love!

April 29, 2026 0

A Little Prayer

I said a prayer
It wasn’t much–
I had no power
To heal or touch.

My words were few
Clumsy, and lame–
I barely knew the
Person’s name.

What could I do
So weak and small?
Would such a prayer
Reach God at all?

But I bowed my head
I knelt and prayed.
I trusted God
And I obeyed.

I said a prayer
‘Twas all I had
To offer one
Who felt so bad.

She said a prayer
For me–For ME!
She could not know
She could not see..

The hope that came
The peace it brought–
That little prayer
Who would have thought?

God used her words,
Even clumsy and lame.
God heard her pray
“In Jesus’ Name..”

Not all at once
Not all in a day,
But God answered
When she chose to pray.

I met a man
His face was sad;
I knew that look,
And I was glad

To say a little prayer
To smile and nod;
To lift him up
Before the throne of God.

It wasn’t much,
Just a word or two.
But I said a prayer,
For I know it’s true…

God hears my prayers,
Clumsy and lame–
God will answer
“In Jesus’ Name.”

He said a little prayer,
He sought My face;
He asked for mercy,
I gave him Grace.

It wasn’t much,
Barely a moan
But it caught My ear,
And it reached My throne.

He thought it was small,
And clumsy and lame,
But My heart was glad–
I knew his name!

Don’t ever underestimate the power of prayer– we may never see the “answer” we expect, but God hears our every whimper!

Jeremiah 29:13 New International Version (NIV)
¹³You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
https://www.biblegateway.com

April 27, 2026 0

Broken Prayers

In “Pursuing Prayer”, I want to explore ways to develop my prayers; to become “better” at praying– more confident, more Christlike. But along the way, I have found that “better” doesn’t always mean what I think it ought to mean. Sometimes, becoming “better” requires becoming broken.

I don’t like being broken. I don’t want to be shattered, ruined, like a broken vase. I don’t want to pray like a broken record– sending up the same failures, the same weaknesses, the same painful memories. I don’t want to be pinched, and cracked, and mangled. I don’t want to be stretched and molded and squeezed. I want to have comforting chats with God, not drawn-out confessions, or rebukes, or unanswered questions.

It is tempting to avoid brokenness–cover it up, pretend, deny, ignore its existence. I don’t want to bring God my questions, my fears, my hurts. I don’t want to open up the dark places of my soul. I want to wear a smile and make small talk with God–“How are you today?” “Just lovely, Father, and how are you?” “Fine weather we’re having.” “Yes, thank you for the breezes yesterday. And could I just put in a plug for my neighbor’s gall bladder surgery? I told her I would pray for her, so could you just give her a speedy healing? That’d be great. Well, gotta run. Talk to you soon…Oh, and I’m sorry for the way I blew up at the kids the other day. I don’t know WHAT got into me. You know I’m just not that way, right? So I’m just asking for grace to kinda cover that up and make it ok again. Thanks.”

God is not fooled. God is not impressed or amused at our shallow righteousness. He’s not impressed or overcome by our brokenness, either. But He wants it, anyway. He wants all of it. Because He wants to build honesty, intimacy, and most of all, restoration. God doesn’t want us to wallow in our failures, any more than He wants us to gloat in our false perfection. He wants to break the bondage they have over us. He doesn’t get tired of hearing our voices, even in guilt or shame, rage or despair…if they are raised to Him. He doesn’t want us to stay shattered and ruined. But He needs us to be redirected, refreshed, rebuilt, rekindled, and renewed.

There are many things that need to be “broken” to become better– we “break” in shoes, we “break” ground to create a new field or prepare for a new building. We “break bread” to eat it and share it with others. We “break” horses in order to prepare them to run or work more effectively. We “break” bad habits. We even “break” the ice in a new friendship. The point is not to stay broken, but to “break through” whatever is keeping us oppressed and held down.

petaled flower drawing on white egg shell

When I am feeling broken, and I cry out to God, He doesn’t deny my brokenness; He doesn’t turn away in disgust; He doesn’t stick a hasty bandage on my wounds. God acknowledges my pain, He listens to my questions. He loves me enough to come and stay with me through the worst moments–even when others have gone; even when I deny His presence and turn my face to the wall–and He begins the process of turning even those scars and cracks and tears into treasures.

Brokenness is inevitable in our fallen and broken world– God is not out to break us; people and time, circumstances, and even our own good intentions will cause us to fall and fail–am I willing to uncover my brokenness and need, and allow God to reshape my shattered dreams?

yellow and pink flowers view behind broken glass

April 17, 2026 0

He Knows My Name

I was reading in the Bible the other day in the first chapters of 1 Chronicles. I must admit I did a lot of skimming, rather than reading everything word for word. There were lists and more lists of names and genealogies, and my eyes started to cross after the first hundred or so– and I like genealogies! Some of the names are familiar ones– Abraham, Judah, David, Saul, Jonathan. Other names meant nothing to me– Malkishua, Ram, Othniel. Most were names of fathers and sons, but there were a few scattered women– Tamar, Zeruiah…And there were references to other books of names about all the Kings of Israel and Judah, listing their deeds and accomplishments–books that might be more interesting than what I was reading!

I felt like I was wasting my morning, reading nothing but names. There was no story here– no spiritual lesson to be gleaned. And yet…

There were hundreds of names in the lists I read. Each one carefully recorded for posterity. The names are in the Biblical account because they MEAN something. Each one represents someone God created. Each one was loved by God, watched over and blessed by God. And even if their stories are not all recorded, or their stories are not all interesting or instructive, they all HAD a story, just like each of us. I get excited when I come across information about one of my ancestral families– the maiden name of a seventh great-grandmother, the birth record of a sibling of one of my ancestors, confirming the names of the parents who are also my ancestors, the death certificate that reveals the date and cause of death for someone I’ve been trying to prove existed. Imagine the size of a book that could contain all the life stories of every person who ever lived!

Everyone has a name. And after 40 years of pursuing the hobby of genealogy, I know that there are some names and stories that history has forgotten– names that I cannot find–families that seem to come to a dead end. But that can never be the case with God. He KNOWS ME by name. More than that, He knows every hair on my head (Luke 12:7). He knows my every thought (Psalm 139: 2-4). More than even THAT, He has my name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (see Revelation 13:8 and 21:27). My name is not just whispered or even on God’s mind– He has kept an eternal, written record with my name in it. It can’t be erased or burned up or lost on a back shelf somewhere.

Earlier today, our prayer group met, and we prayed for several people on our prayer list. The list is only four pages long and covers only a few people. Some names will be added to the list; other will be subtracted in the coming weeks. But there are several names and concerns we each have that don’t end up on our list. We forget, or we don’t think the concern is “worth” the ink to print, or the request is meant to be private and not printed. And that’s just one small church in our community.

God knows EVERY name! He knows EVERY concern or request, every confession, every praise, every question, every whispered cry for help! Every one, everywhere, through all time!

There is nothing too small, too “boring” or too fleeting in our prayer life. Someday, we may find that all or our prayers have been written on a scroll or in a book in Heaven. Not because God would ever forget, but because God will always remember!

Billions of names, billions of stories. And God will not skip over or omit mine– or yours. He KNOWS your name!

April 15, 2026 0

Heroes of the Faith

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews11&version=NIV

When I was just a girl, many of my cousins and playmates were fans of comic-book heroes: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, X-Men, Spiderman, and many others. In fact, in second grade, we had a “superhero” club that met at recess and played out scenarios. Most of us got to be heroes; a few had to take turns being villains. We ran as fast as we could; we pretended to fly; we pretended to save the world!

Each super hero has a special super power (or several super powers), and each one has a “fatal flaw”– some weakness that could keep him (or her) from easy victory over a villain. Superman can fly; but he cannot overcome the effects of Krypton. Batman has a seemingly endless array of cool gadgets, but they are not always enough to counter the cool gadgets of his foes. Spider-man can spin webs, but being a superhero doesn’t pay his bills. Wonder Woman has a lasso of truth and an invisible airplane, but she must struggle between promoting peace and fighting to stop violence and war.

I was reminded recently that we often confuse Biblical characters with comic-book superheroes. Moses had his staff. Samson had great strength. Methuselah lived to be 969 years old. David wrote poetry and killed giants…and so on. And each “hero” of the faith seemed to have a “fatal flaw”– Abraham did not wait for God’s promise of Isaac. Moses had a temper. Jacob was hunted by his twin brother. Samson was arrogant and forgot the source of his strength. David was tempted by lust, which led him to commit adultery and murder!

There is nothing wrong with reading about comic book superheroes, or with honoring men and women of faith and courage and obedience. The entire eleventh chapter of Hebrews is devoted to “heroes” of the faith, and the faith of Godly heroes.

But we can turn heroes into idols, and that leads us to false thinking. We falsely believe that God only calls those who are already heroic and strong. We sometimes feel that God cannot use us unless we first show that we have some superpower. We also carry a false guilt about our “fatal flaws,” feeling that we have somehow ruined God’s plans or let the enemy “win” whenever we stumble. Finally, we fail to see that our ordinary obedience–even our shaky and stumbling faith– IS heroic.

The biggest difference between Biblical “heroes” of the Faith and comic book superheroes, is that the latter often inhabit a world in which there is no Sovereign God. Often, comic book heroes come from a distant planet, or are “accidentally” created by exposure to radiation. Their actions “save” the world when ordinary people cannot overcome evil and villains. They may appear ordinary some of the time, but their lives are actually very different from ours. Biblical heroes, on the other hand, are ordinary people who were used, not because of who they are, but in spite of who they are!

Superheroes are exciting and noble, but they are not Biblical, and Biblical characters are not “accidental” superheroes. They are ordinary men and women who were used by God to do extraordinary things– things that only God can really do! Most of them spent their lives doing mostly ordinary things– farming, fishing, carpentry, tax collecting, herding sheep! There is only one actual “superhero” in the Bible– God himself–and He has no fatal flaw. Instead, He chooses flawed and ordinary people to obey Him as HE does extraordinary things through them. Even in our own time, God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary “super” things in the lives of others. We may not see anyone killing giants or parting the waters of the Red Sea. We may not see anyone slinging webs, leaping over tall buildings or single-handedly saving Gotham City, but we can see how faithful Christ-followers can transform their families and communities because of God’s power working through them. No capes or costumes needed!

One consistent thing about the people we celebrate as “heroes” in the Bible– they all prayed! They all knew that real power (and wisdom and help) comes from God alone. Prayer and obedience are not guaranteed to make us famous or heroic. But God can use the simplest acts and the smallest measure of true faith to do great things in, and around, and through ordinary people just like us!

April 13, 2026 0

The Seven-Layer Prayer

Growing up, I loved going to pot-luck meals at our little country church. Neighbors, family, and friends would bring large dishes of home-cooked deliciousness for all to feast on as we chatted, laughed, and encouraged one another. There were certain dishes we all could count on–homemade yeast rolls, courtesy of Lulu M. Jello with fruit was my mom’s standard. Another lady almost always brought meat loaf. Baked beans, candied carrots, fried chicken, chocolate cake, scalloped potatoes– my mouth still waters just from the memories! The wonderful woman who has since become my mother-in-law brought her famous cookies, and often, a seven-layer salad.

I love Mom’s seven layer salad, and I have learned to make my own variation. It’s easy, it’s delicious, it’s healthful, and it travels well. I’ve seen other recipes that use different vegetables, don’t use eggs or meat or mayo–I’m sure they’re ok, but I’m happy to stick with the basic outline that follows below.

I was thinking about the seven-layer salad the other day, and I realized that you can use a similar “recipe” for prayer. So here’s my modified “Seven-Layer Prayer” recipe:

First, start with a layer of “Let Us”
- Prayer doesn’t happen without an act of the will. We must be deliberate about setting aside time and thought for prayer every day. We should “leaf” the busyness and chaos of the day and “romaine” in fellowship with the Father!

Next, add a layer of “Care”-rots (shredded).
- 1 Peter 5:7 New King James Version (NKJV)
  
  ⁷casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
- Give your worries and cares over to the One who cares most about you and all those you love.
Now you can add the “Peas” that passes all understanding
- Trust that God is in control.
- Trust that God hears and answers prayer.
- Trust that God is Good, Wise, and Loving.
- Rest in the knowledge that “God’s Got This!”

Here’s where I like to add some “Meet” (usually bacon!, sometimes ham or chicken)
- While it’s vital that we spend time in personal, private prayer, God also wants us to meet regularly with others for fellowship, mutual encouragement, accountability, PRAYER, and guidance.
Now it gets a little dicey–diced onion (sometimes I substitute green onions or sliced or diced mushrooms)
- Time to peel back the layers, and cut through to the root of anything that is getting in the way of a closer walk with God–confess it and give it over to Him.
- Sometimes, this process may cause tears, or involve a little dirt– clean it up before you proceed!
Time for some dressing– mayonnaise or salad dressing. Annoint your salad, and your prayer, with oil. Remember, God has annointed you to spread His love and grace to others. Don’t forget to add this to your prayer life. Just as the dressing will coat all the elements of the salad, so God’s Spirit will surround and influence your words and actions done for Him!
“Cheese!” It’s a “gouda” idea to round out prayer with a time of joyful thanksgiving. Pile it on– God’s given us a LOT for which to be “grate”-ful!

Finally, the garnish– Hard-boiled eggs. These remind me of the new life we have in Christ, the Triune nature of God (we used to have lessons in Sunday School about the egg having three parts but being a single egg. We don’t use the shell in the salad, of course, but you can’t make a boiled egg without all three parts…), and also, the yolk reminds me of Heaven’s streets of gold. In prayer, we should remember God’s faithfulness in fulfilling His promises, and the hope we have in Him.

That’s the basic recipe for a seven layer salad– enough of each ingredient for a healthy “layer”. I’ve added extra layers a couple of times–diced tomatoes or peppers are good if you are planning to eat the salad quickly, but they will cause sogginess if you let the salad sit. (Also, if you use peas, use fresh if you can– drain canned peas, or get rid of any ice crystals if using frozen peas. )

A good seven-layer prayer should also be presented fresh, and savored. It’s delicious, it’s good for you, it feeds others, and it travels well! Try some!

April 8, 2026 0

“Sam I Am” v. the Great “I AM”

Some time ago, I wrote about the famous Dr. Seuss book, “Green Eggs and Ham.” In it, a character, named Sam (“Sam I am”) encourages the nameless narrator to try a strange dish– ham and eggs that are bright green! After several exchanges in which the narrator insists he will NOT try the dish, Sam’s enthusiasm wears him down and he agrees to try a bite. Surprise– He LOVES green eggs and ham! He spends the rest of the book enthusiastically affirming how much he loves the dish, thanking Sam for insisting that he try them.

We just celebrated Easter. The Resurrection, I would argue, is much more important than trying a new breakfast dish. But how many of us are as enthusiastic as Sam in trying to get our families, friends, and neighbors to “taste” the amazing gift of Eternal Life? Would we witness on a train? In a car? In the rain? Would we witness to a grumpy, resistant person like the narrator of “Green Eggs and Ham?” And if not, why not?

And would we pray for the unsaved? In a tree? On a boat? With a goat? In our house? With a mouse? Here or there? Anywhere? What kind of enthusiasm do we show for making disciples? Do we seek to pray for our neighbors? With our neighbors? With those who are struggling with doubts or fears? For those who resist the message of Christ? Does our confidence in the Gospel of Christ equal the confidence of Sam in ham and eggs? Shouldn’t our joy and commitment exceed Sam’s? After all, our “product” is unending, everlasting, unconditional Love from a God who came to earth and died to save each one of us!

2 Corinthians 4:1-9 ESV – The Light of the Gospel – Therefore, – Bible Gateway

We carry the amazing treasure of God’s Power to save, redeem, and reconcile! Let us not get discouraged as we share the good news and as we pray for God to continue His work in a broken world!

April 7, 2026 0

Be Thou My Vision

One of my favorite old hymns is the ancient Irish tune, “Be Thou My Vision.” I have heard it jokingly referred to as “the optometrist’s hymn.” But there’s a lot more to unpack in the title than just a plug for good eye care.

God’s word is full of references to sight, seeing, blindness, light, lamps, darkness, night, day, visions and dreams, foresight and prophecy, images and reflections, and much more. God is both the source of our sight, and of our insight. God sheds light on our deepest secrets of the past, and provides a lamp allowing us to see the obstacles ahead more clearly. Jesus came to be the Light of the World, and bring sight to the blind, both physically blind and spiritually blind.

Many times, we pray for answers– we want a quick solution to our circumstances, or a definitive direction for our next step. But God sometimes wants to show us a bigger picture. Sometimes, he wants to show us more intricate details. Instead of asking for what we want God to give us, we need to ask for God to give us the vision HE has for our future. He may not reveal every detail– or he may only reveal the next detailed step. But God’s vision is clearer and bigger, and more glorious than we will ever know if we aren’t willing to look with His eyes to see.

We also need to ask God to BE our vision– that we would see him more clearly for Who He Is! Whatever is in our focus will appear bigger and clearer than things in the periphery. When we allow Him to be our vision, we start to see things from His perspective, which makes all the difference. What we see on our own is often an optical illusion– problems look bigger than they really are, hurts and grievances grow larger, and people become distorted by the lenses or mirrors we use to view them. And we lose sight of God’s glory, wisdom, majesty, power, and everlasting love. But God restores our focus and our perspective, so that we see problems in the light of His power to overcome; we see people who are made in His likeness and image– people who are loved by God, even if they are in rebellion against Him. We see the glory of God’s creation as it was meant to be, even as we see the wreckage of pollution, corruption, disease and disaster. We see God’s mercy as lives are transformed and families are mended and justice is finally achieved. And we see the rays of hope in God’s promises fulfilled and those yet to be fulfilled.

March 30, 2026 0

Tag: Praying