I Choose Today

I Choose Today...

to keep from stumbling

Good morning. Today I woke up singing “Christmas changes everything!” Last night my wife, Joyce, and I went to practice since we are part of a community choir for Christmas. That is one of songs that is part of the cantata. This morning as I sit at my computer I thank the Lord for His word in Psalms 121, “I look up to the mountain – does my help come from there? MY HELP COMES FROM THE LORD, who MADE HEAVEN and EARTH!” What a blessing! My God, the God of the universe, is right here beside me and protects me! And it goes on to say, “He will not let you stumble; the One who watches over you will not slumber.” “The one who watches over you.” This  is HUGE! Yes, by faith we walk and ask the Lord to keep us from stumbling, but then sometimes we try and do it ourselves. Is it because of pride, or sin? And then we wonder, “Where is God?” 1 Thessalonians 5 :9-11 “For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out His anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are

Read More »

to heed the call to “Persevere”

Good morning my friend, it’s a beautiful fall day here. The air is crisp and we had a heavy frost last night. The leaves have changed to a vivid canvas of God’s creation. Soon all the leaves will be down and we will see a new season of winter. I love the season changes in North Carolina. The saying here is “If you don’t like the weather, wait until tomorrow, it will change.” I want to encourage you today to read Hebrews 10:19-25. “And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can BOLDLY enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By His death Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts, fully trusting Him. For our guilty conscience has been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep HIS Promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one

Read More »

I Choose Today to share hope in trauma…

He makes ALL things new and fresh! If you have been through something traumatic, then you have experienced trauma. Trauma is not normal. Trauma is not to be minimized or marginalized. Trauma is not meant to be compared. The other day, I was asked to lead a group of moms in our church’s MOPS ministry. The topic was anxiety and depression. One of the discussion questions asked, ‘Have you ever lost something you had been anxious about losing?’ and ‘Was it easier or harder than you had anticipated?’ My answer to these questions was ‘yes’ to both. Yes, I have lost something, and yes, it was harder than anticipated. These questions had me asking the Lord for wisdom on what to share with these young ladies. But I felt the Holy Spirit encouraging me to talk about my traumatic experience of losing my son to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS); a mother’s worst nightmare. But when I talked about my worst anxiety coming true, I also talked about how God was (is) present to help in healing and walking me through the trauma. I talked about even when your anxiety is realized, God is there to: – take your hand

Read More »