The Rich Young Ruler’s To-Do List

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Hello from Kathy Collard Miller in the Southern California desert near Palm Springs. It may be hot but as we say, “It’s a dry heat.” Do you want to see Jesus’ compassion and patience in action? It’s in Jesus’ encounter with the rich young ruler, even though the young man worships his “to-do” list. In one way or another, we’re all like the rich young ruler of Matthew 19:16-22. We just each have a different sinful strategy to cope with life. The young ruler’s sinful strategy was self-sufficiency through keeping the law and commandments. And when he talked to Jesus,…

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The Infamous Cereal Caper

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Greetings from Kathy Collard Miller from the Southern California desert near Palm Springs. For two-and-a-half years, my mother-in-law, Audrey, lived with Larry and I. God used that time to purify our motives and develop greater selflessness. Audrey suffered from Lewy-Body Dementia, which caused her to be paranoid and have delusions and hallucinations. It was a difficult time where we learned to slow down our reactions and work through what was really motivating us. I, Kathy, remember one morning Audrey was eating her bran cereal. Every morning I had to soak the cereal in milk for at least thirty minutes to make it…

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An Opportunity Is Not Necessarily God’s Open Door

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Hello from Kathy Collard Miller in the Southern California desert where it actually can get cold! As I visited with my friend who complained about everything going on in her life and all she felt compelled to do, I could sense she expected me to volunteer to help. My heart went out to her but I’d really been seeking God’s will rather than responding to every need of others. It took every fiber of my trust in God to not offer to take some of the load from her, but in my heart, I knew God wasn’t calling me to this…

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Yes! Have the Breakfast Too!

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Hello from Kathy Collard Miller in the Southern California desert where it’ll soon be cooler weather! “Mommy, I’m ready to go over to Irene’s!” I cried out. I had my pajamas and toothbrush! It was going to be my first overnighter at my best friend, Irene’s house, across the street. I could hardly contain my excitement. I felt like such a big girl to be able to spend the night at someone’s house. A big step for a first-grader! My mother accompanied me across the street and Irene and I had a great time that evening. We didn’t go to…

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They Were Dropping Like Flies

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Hello from Kathy Collard Miller in the Southern California desert where it’s finally cooling down! It was so hot that even the bees were dropping like flies. In our desert area of Southern California, my husband, Larry, and I get used to the soaring summer heat and we thought the insects would too. But we kept finding dead bees by our front door. We thought, “Can’t do anything about it and it can’t be anything too serious,” so we just ignored the strange phenomenon. Until we also noticed a dark spot on the wall near the ceiling—a wall that was close…

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Surprise Encounter In An Airport

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Hello from Kathy Collard Miller in the Southern California desert where it’s starting to cool down! Some time ago I was waiting in the airport for my connecting flight, minding my own business while enjoying reading a novel. I looked up and noticed a small food counter nearby where a woman was serving customers. I continued reading when unexpectedly the Lord’s still small voice within my heart whispered, “Go talk to that woman behind the counter about Me.” My reaction was unfortunately one that I usually make: “Oh, Lord, you know I don’t like doing things like this. Please! No!” I…

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Chocolate-Inspired Humility

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Hello there from Kathy Collard Miller in the desert of Southern California near Palm Springs. But don’t worry, it’s a dry heat. Talking with a women’s ministry director at a conference, I hoped she would invite me to speak at her women’s retreat. As we sat in the lounge of the convention center, I enjoyed one of the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies set before us. When she asked my opinion on some important ministry issues, I spoke with forceful and confident tones. I was thrilled to see her staring at my mouth, obviously waiting for every word I said….

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My Love-Hate Relationship with Flossing

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Hi from Kathy Collard Miller in the hot desert of Southern California near Palm Springs. But don’t worry, it’s a dry heat. I have a love-hate relationship with flossing. Or is it a hate-love relationship? I don’t know. Sometimes I hate it more than I love it and other times I love it more than I hate it. I hate it when I’m about to do it and I love it when I’m done. And that happens twice a day. I’m motivated because my teeth are so ripe for cavities that I want to avoid the pain. Plus, I have spaces between…

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God Never Stops Working on Us

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Hello from Kathy Collard Miller, here in the Southern California desert. It was always difficult for my mother to relax and trust God, and even when she was in her 80’s, it seemed like the Lord was still inviting her to trust Him more. My sister and I would say to each other, “You’d think the Lord would stop working on people when they get old enough, but He sure seems to still be working on mom.” That was true up until the last few days of her life. When it was time for hospice, she moved into my home but didn’t…

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Aren’t I Supposed to Work For God?

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Hello from Kathy Collard Miller in the sunny desert of Southern California. One of my main memories from several years ago when I was in bed from a bad back for nine months was feeling unproductive. It seemed at the time unexplainable that God wouldn’t want me to be working for His glory. And if you’re like me, we can easily feel like we need to earn God’s approval. After all, aren’t we supposed to work for God’s glory? If I’m not doing something for Him, it seems like I’m being disobedient. And even unloved and “un-approved.” But reading Matthew 6:25-26…

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