Never a Panic in Heaven

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Never a Panic in Heaven by Janet Chester Bly Which of these  statements do you most relate to? What I see is all there is. I’m governed by chance, ruled by fate. Mine is a bleak, empty existence, leading nowhere. My life is governed by my good choices and happy thoughts. We’re ruled by fearsome forces who can attack at any moment. Or I believe in a loving, powerful God who has a benevolent plan for the world, and for me, and the power to see it through. Charlie Shedd wrote, “Even when things seem to the contrary, I believe…

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Resting under God’s Wings

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  My husband and I recently visited Miami to attend a wedding. One evening while walking outside, I noticed a duck and her six ducklings navigating the parking lot to a grassy spot beside the road. I couldn’t believe that momma would risk having her babies so close to traffic. But a quick glance told me she had an expanse of water across the road as well as the spectacular bay behind the hotel. When I got close enough to snap a photo, the little mother eyed me with suspicion as if preparing to attack. She wasn’t afraid. That reminded…

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Feeling Thirsty for God

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Most cats hate water, right? Nope. Colonel Brandon, my kitty, loved it when he was little. He would smack the water in his dish and watch it fly in the air, landing all over the floor. Who knows? Maybe he could see a rainbow of colors while he splashed. His joyful game usually ended when he knocked over the bowl, saturating the floor underneath. He’d walk away with droplets of water all over his face. When he got older, he used to sit with his water dish between his paws, as if he feared it might get away. His actions…

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Buckingham Strong

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On one of our trips overseas we were able to take a day and spend it in London, England. The highlight for me were the guards of Buckingham Palace. Those guards were so self disciplined, vigilant and stalwart—nothing could shake them from their duty! It reminded me of 1 Cor 15:58, “Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (CSB) I have always pondered, just “HOW can I be steadfast and immovable in a world that always seems to shake us…

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Bless Back

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This Christmas, I had the joy of speaking at many women’s teas and Christmas events. My message was on “Christmas Light” and it is based on our family’s Christmas Advent Wreath and Dinner and Dialogue tradition. We use Isaiah 9:6 as the center of our celebration and conversation because it is the center of the hope and light we all enjoy because of Christ’s birth. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,  Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” This Christmas, which…

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The Beauty of Meanwhile

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                            It's Grace Fox with a devotional thought to start your week. Sometimes life leaves us baffled or bruised. We wonder if God is as wise as He claims to be, and we question why circumstances don’t happen how and when we wish they would. When I feel this way, I take courage from the Scriptures. Recently I read about the prophet Samuel’s boyhood. One word—meanwhile—popped up several times in the account. It reminded me that, no matter what life looks like, God’s at work behind the…

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Encouragement from Daniel

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Sherry Kyle here, writing from central California with some encouraging words straight from Scripture.  Are you worried about something? Upset? Do you feel helpless? Daniel felt all these emotions when he saw visions of the future. See Daniel 7-10. Just like Daniel, we can feel afraid when we think about our future. Maybe you’re waiting for your next book contract and are starting to doubt if it will ever happen. Maybe you have a looming deadline and fear you won’t be able to complete your manuscript on time. Or maybe you’re so overwhelmed with life that you don’t have time…

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Real Courage

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Sherry Kyle here to encourage you from my laptop in Central California.  Here’s a quote we all can identify with as writers: "Real courage is when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what." 
-Harper Lee (To Kill A Mockingbird, 1960) If you’re anything like me, you feel this way daily. When I place my hands on the keyboard, I wonder if the words I’m going to write will be any good, if they’ll have meaning or if I’m wasting my time. That’s when courage comes into play. It takes…

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With Fear and Trembling

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Hello from Jeanette. Today I spent 20 minutes in the backseat of our car with a trembling 50-lb dog. Car rides turn our pit mix, Belle, into a spineless mutt. They trigger memories of shots and other unpleasant vet visits. I assured Belle that we were only going to PetSmart to get her nails trimmed but she continued to squeal and pace, starring helplessly out the window, silently pleading to passersby, “Help me! I’m on my way to the manicurist. It’s so scary there.” I teased Belle about being a big baby, reminded her of her bread, but nothing worked….

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