Tuesday Truth 2024

This year we focused on 52 psalms in the Book of Psalms, which was written by several authors over several years, although many psalms were attributed to have been written by David. The psalms consist of poetry, hymns, and songs of thanksgiving, as well as laments and prayers; all of which were about the relationship between God and His people, and their responses to His presence in their lives. #TuesdayTruth

January 2: The happy man is described as one who avoids the way of wicked people. The tragic folly of the wicked is that they have chosen to neglect the most important thing in life: God. They do not acknowledge that they are his creatures, or that they ought to live for him. They ignore God and choose to live their life without regard of him. The godly man, however, does the exact opposite.
January 9: When David wrote this psalm, he was being persecuted by certain ungodly men who had made a mockery of the LORD. These men loved folly and falsehood. So he said to them, “How long, exalted ones, will my honor be insulted? How long will you love what is worthless and pursue a lie?”
January 16: The joy radiating from a Christian should stand in stark contrast to the unrest of a typical unbeliever. While not immune to life’s challenges, Christians should take care that the joy of the LORD is both evident and expressed in our everyday life, regardless and especially during times of trial. Rejoice in the LORD!
January 23: Years ago pulpits echoed “hail and brimstone” sermons. Today, not so much. The pendulum has swung. Many churches of today are full of those who prefer sermons about social issues over sermons about sin and the need for repentance and faith in Jesus Christ alone. Bottom line, God is merciful and God is love, but He is also just. Punishment awaits the unrepentant sinner who refuses to turn to Christ.
January 30: Rest assured that God will not let oppression go unpunished. It may not be on our timetable but it will most assuredly be on His. In the days of old, He punished the evil Assyrian Empire and the evil Roman Empire for their cruelty to the slaves and to the poor. He cares for the poor, the needy, the oppressed, the abused, and the fatherless in our world today, and will punish evil doers in His perfect timing and plan.
February 6: What do you call a person who’s decided God does not exist? A fool.
February 13: While those who trust in God may appear foolish to those who do not, those who trust in God find refuge in Him no matter what evil comes their way. There’re many differences among people, but they’re not much more than surface deep. This one difference, however, is quite distinct. Charles Spurgeon explains it this way: “Between the two classes, the saved and the unsaved, a great gulf is fixed. There is as wide a difference between the righteous and the wicked as there is between the living and the dead.”
February 20: Sheep are notoriously known to be unwise. They go anywhere and everywhere on their own without a sense of direction. Left to themselves they wouldn’t know where to retire in winter or where to feed in summer. They need a shepherd to guide and protect them. Such are we. No one can truly proclaim that “The Lord is my Shepherd” until he has come to the realization that he is a sinner in need of a Savior. It is in repentance and faith we trust in Christ alone to be our Shepherd; where He leads us beside still waters, restores our soul, in paths of righteousness, and comforts us while we go through life’s valleys.

February 27: The Lord is my shepherd, continued. The promise of His protection in our lives, assurance in times of trial, goodness and mercy here and now and into eternity; for all who have placed their faith and trust in Him.
March 5: In this Psalm David recognizes that the LORD has heard him in his distress; the LORD has assured him that he belongs to the Him. David’s heart speaks from experience. There is no suspense or fear. David trusts the LORD completely and is full of deep emotion towards Him. David can’t help but sing out in thankful song. #TuesdayTruth
March 12: At this point in David’s life, he was tired and sad from endless enemies pursuing him. But, instead of returning violence to those who were violent with him, he chose to calmly trust in God for help. David had the greatest resources: a relationship God and the shield of faith. #TuesdayTruth
March 19: The joy of forgiveness is available to all who come in repentance and faith to Jesus; Jesus, who suffered and died that we might live; Jesus, the only way to God our Father.
#TuesdayTruth
March 26: The Christian life consists and includes things we love to do, and in avoiding things that we understand are not good to do, but there are no chains present. We are free in Christ. I like how Charles Spurgeon explains it: “He who fears God and is wholly God’s servant has no chains about him; he may live as he likes, for he likes to live as he ought.”
#TuesdayTruth
April 2: It’s interesting to know that while we can go weeks without food, we cannot survive without drink. Without water, for example, the body is unable to function correctly and will begin to stop working after approximately three days. So the psalmist mentions a deer, who by nature is known to be a very thirsty animal, and our essential need for water, to direct our focus on our soul’s greatest need: God.

#TuesdayTruth
April 9: The fact that God’s throne is forever and ever is not likely something that an unbeliever thinks about often. The same is true of the fact that His kingdom is a kingdom of justice. Unbelievers generally don’t think or even worry about such matters. Thankfully, “the more we look at Christ, the more there is to see.” (Charles Spurgeon). For anyone who has not yet believed in Christ as God’s only Son, you don’t know the Christ that is spoken of in the Scriptures. Consider Christ today, learn of Him, seek Him, and turn to Him in repentance and faith.

#TuesdayTruth
April 16: In times of trouble and pain, we, who are called by His name, can trust God with our distress. Calling out to God is a form of worship; in doing so we show how we honor Him, how we love Him, and how we trust Him. However, for the non-believer, God does not hear your cries until you have first made the most important call you will ever make; calling out to Him in repentance and faith: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner! Forgive me of my sins. I place my faith and trust in You alone. I believe Jesus died on the cross for my sins, and that He rose from the grave three days later.” It doesn’t have to be these exact words, but you must believe these words and somehow convey this to Him from a sincere heart. If you haven’t already done so, why not make that call today? Keep in mind, He’s available to receive calls 24/7 but you are not guaranteed a tomorrow.

#TuesdayTruth
April 23: The whole of Psalm 51 is a restorative prayer of David, which occurred sometime after the prophet Nathan spoke to him concerning Bathsheba. David had good reason to pray to the Lord. David recognized both the depravity of his own sin and the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. David called out to the only One who had the power to clean even the worst of sinners.

#TuesdayTruth
April 30: It’s human nature to try to fix our problems by ourselves, but as Christians, our first reaction should be to give them to the Lord. While “letting go and letting God” doesn’t come naturally, God reminds us that He is there to help us with all our cares and concerns. God is faithful and always does His part; He promises the righteous will be protected. Remembering to bring our burdens to Him and humbly trusting in Him is our part.

#TuesdayTruth
May 7: Fleeing from Saul, David cries out to God for help, in humility and in strength. In humility he pleads for mercy, in strength by faith he trusts that God will be there, even if it’s only His shadow.

#TuesdayTruth
May 14: Cruel and slanderous words that cause deep wounds are not so easily healed. While we, as believers, may bear the scars from sharp trials with those who oppose us with slandering tongues, it is who God saves us from distress when we look to Him for help. The serpent is in the slandering business. God is in the saving business.
May 21: David’s trust was in the Lord alone. The psalmist uses the word, “alone,” to emphasize that David’s trust was only in the Lord, and David rested only in the Lord. In the midst of enemies and trials, David’s foundation was sure.

#TuesdayTruth
May 28: The psalmist speaks of the process of refining silver and compares it to God’s testing process. Silver refinement involves intense heating that brings impurities to the top in order to be removed, with the result of a purer silver. As a child of God, times of testing takes place for everyone of us. In fact, we will not cease from being tested until we get to heaven.

#TuesdayTruth
God knows the condition of our heart, regardless of any favorable appearance we may or may not have, or the good deeds we may or may not do. God reads the secrets of the heart; our sins cannot be hidden from Him.

#TuesdayTruth
June 11: While Psalm 71 is primarily about God’s help in old age, the psalmist reminds us here that even when we were young, God took care of us in our infancy; at a time when we were most unable to care for ourselves. As we grow older into our senior years, we can count on God to guard us, even in the dark days that are already looming before some of us today.

#TuesdayTruth
June 18: David continued to be taught by God all the way into his adulthood. He continually considered God his teacher and he as His student; even and especially as he grew old and during times of trial. David learned with tears through the wonderings of his heart, the truth of His word, the power of sacrifice that puts away sin, and of God’s great mercy.

#TuesdayTruth
June 25: Man needs a guide at all times, lest we wonder into danger. It’s our human nature. Without God we lack foresight, prudence, wisdom, and strength. Life is full of difficulties. All those who fail to look to God for guidance will fail in life both here and forever into eternity. All those who put their trust in God, trust in His word, rely on His providence, and allow Him to guide them through life’s difficulties, make it into eternity, safely in God’s care.

#TuesdayTruth
July 2: This psalm speaks of men who had recently repented and searched for God. Their repentance occurred after they learned that some had died as a result of God’s anger due to their unbelief. Those who repented remembered that He was their rock and redeemer, however they soon fell away. Many are like dull animals that will not go without the whip. Many more of us cannot be kept in line without constant affliction, and all while professing God as our rock and redeemer. Yes, our hearts are prone to wonder, however if our repentance is sincere, we will not wonder for long.

#TuesdayTruth
July 9: This psalm begins with a plea to God to take notice of a pending attack against the nation of Israel, and for him not to be quiet. This first verse is actually the beginning of a song about their strong desire for God to give them victory over their enemies. It’s a prayer to God to speak out against those who wish to destroy them, and that God will acknowledge that their enemies are also God’s enemies.

#TuesdayTruth
July 16: While Christians are called to love our enemies, we are not commanded to love God’s enemies, nor are we commanded to hate God’s enemies. At first thought this may seem confusing but the goal here is to have both righteous indignation against God’s enemies mixed with a tender spirit of love for God’s enemies. It’s a delicate balance that requires the love of God in our heart and in our mind.

#TuesdayTruth
July 23: This psalm is a cry of desperation and an example of preserving prayer at work in the life of a believer. Written by Heman the Ezrahite during a particularly hard time in his life, it gives us an example of what we should do when we go through hard times: cry out to God day and night, even if it seems that God is not hearing our prayers.

#TuesdayTruth
July 30: I think the key word here is dwell. There are some who seem happy enough just to come and go as they go about their everyday life. However, it is those who dwell and abide in Christ that receive choicer favors than those who just come and go: The person who abides in Christ and His Word abides in him. The person who considers prayer a privilege and a matter of enjoyment. The person who dwells in the “secret place,” living near Him, in the shadow of the Almighty.

#TuesdayTruth
August 6:
Evildoers boast of their evil deeds, as they go about crushing the widows and  murdering the fatherless, as if there were no God holding them accountable for their actions. Woe to those who simultaneously choose to both deny His existence and reject His offer of forgiveness of sin and eternal life. 


#TuesdayTruth 

August 13: Psalm 95 speaks both of worship and a warning. It begins with encouraging believers to enter into his presence with thanksgiving, to shout joyfully, and sing triumphantly to him! He’s the maker of heaven and earth! He is our Maker! He is our God and we are his people, like sheep in the care of the Good Shepherd. However, he calls all of us to examine ourselves. To the unbelievers he urgently warns them not to harden their hearts toward him. To the believers, who live side by side with unbelievers, he urgently reminds us that we are to be praying for them; that God may bring them to his feet and save them by his grace. 


#TuesdayTruth
August 20:
The gospel invitation is an invitation to everlasting joy in the LORD: “Come and find peace, rest, joy, and all your souls can desire. Come and eat what is good and let your soul delight!” Only believers in Christ can know this kind of joy. Only believers can sing this kind of song! If you’re not yet a believer, turn to him in repentance and faith today; you too can sing a new song! 🎶 


#TuesdayTruth
August 27:
Psalm 100, one of the most well known psalms, reminds us that there is but one God. He is the God of both the Old Testament and the New Testament; he is Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the God and Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He bought us with his precious blood. We, who are called by his name, are to make a joyful noise unto him and  serve him with gladness! 


#TuesdayTruth
September 3:
The good things that brought the satisfaction that David is referring to are not tangible goods. A look at the preceding verses best describes his perspective: 


Bless the LORD, O my soul, 
and all that is within me, 
bless his holy name! 
Bless the LORD, O my soul, 
and forget not all his benefits, 
who forgives all your iniquity, 
who heals all your diseases, 
who redeems your life from the pit, 
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy. Psalm 103:1–4 


The satisfaction that David is referring to, the richest man has not found,
the greatest conqueror has never won, and the proudest emperor cannot command or even begin to comprehend. 


The satisfaction that David is referring to is a spiritual blessing, a Devine grace that comes from Almighty God, who is himself all sufficient, and the only One who can sufficiently fill the human heart. 


#TuesdayTruth
September 10: (My 70th Birthday 🎂)
It’s quite an extraordinary thing to know that the moment we come to faith in Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven; past, present, and future. God takes our sins to an infinite distance. Our sins become so removed from us that we will not ultimately suffer any loss, although we were, in fact, the guilty party, Christ took the punishment for our sins in our place. Extraordinary. Miraculous. Blessed. 


#TuesdayTruth
September 17:
The depravity of man is such that we’re born with hearts that are deceitful and desperately wicked; we’re under the influence of sin and controlled by our own sin nature. Even the “good” things we do are seen as “filthy rags” to God. Many people hold on to some sort of hope that they’re “good enough” to go to heaven when they die. Spiritually they are in a wilderness. They’re hungry and thirsty for the things of this world, when what they really need is the LORD. Thank God for the troubles that He sends our way that brings us to our knees, and to the end of ourselves. It’s only when we see ourselves as a sinner in need of a savior, crying out to the LORD in repentance and faith, that one has the assurance of heaven. Thank God for the gift of repentance and faith. He rescues us from our distress and redeems us from the power of the evil one. “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his faithful love endures forever.” Psalm 107:1


#TuesdayTruth
September 24:
This verse presents Melchizedek as a type of Christ, which is also repeated in the book of Hebrews, where both Melchizedek and Christ are considered kings of righteousness and peace. This verse specifically reminds us that it is the oath of God that established our Lord both in his priesthood and in his throne. 
Charles Spurgeon reiterates this with these words: “Jesus is  sworn in to be the priest of his people, and he must abide so even to the end because his commission is sealed by the unchanging oath of the immutable Jehovah.” This oath still stands today and will stand throughout all eternity. Jesus is a priest forever. 


#TuesdayTruth
October 1:
It’s been said that somebody once told John Bunyan that he had preached a delightful sermon and that he quickly replied, “You’re too late. The devil told me that before I left the pulpit.” 
John Bunyan wittingly stated that a preacher who is quick to take credit for his sermon, is a preacher who is quick to take the glory that belongs to God. 
The Holy Spirit teaches Christ followers what we should say and what we should do, but beware, Satan is skilled in teaching us how to steal God’s glory. 
Whether a preacher in a pulpit, a Christ follower sharing the gospel, or a Christian serving God in some capacity, whatever we do should always be done in such a way so as to bring attention to God and to glorify Him, and never ourselves.  


#TuesdayTruth
October 8:
The overall theme of Psalm 118 is about giving thanks to the Lord, “for He is good,” “His steadfast love endures forever,” ”He is for us,” “He has become my salvation,” and, “He answers our prayers.” He answers our prayers according to His will. His answers include “Yes,” “No,” and “Wait.” Verse 21 reminds us that our prayers, regardless if He has blessed us with good things or not, should always include praise for Him.  He is the Lord God Almighty. He is equally God no matter our circumstance. 


#TuesdayTruth 
October 15:
I think Psalm 119:9 is one of the most important truths we can teach our children and grandchildren in their youth. While reading the Bible is good, and studying the Bible is better, the best of all is heeding the Bible and looking to God for His direction in your life. This truth cannot be understated. Without a saving relationship with Jesus Christ and His word in your life you will most certainly lose your way. Passions, temptations, and the folly of youth are a volatile combination of emotions. Charles Spurgeon reminds us that “God’s word is a continual lamp to our feet and a constant light on our path.”  Commit to let God and His word guide your steps in life. 
October 22:
Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, is particularly rich with praise for God and instruction on how we should live. I also like the fact that Psalm 119 appears to be at the very center of the Bible, which’s is indicative of balance and order. Verse 57 is an example of a carefully structured order. It presents a perfect order in which blessing and duty are to be expressed. The psalmist declares the LORD is his portion; he has been blessed by having a relationship with God, and therefore his gratitude is expressed in his resolve to keep God’s word. In other words, the Lord must first be our Lord before we will ever be able to keep his word. 
October 29:
This Psalm isn’t saying that God won’t build a house without our labor, or that He won’t guard the city without the watchman’s staying awake. However, it is reminding us that we’re to do everything we possibly can with every available resource when we set out to do a work. We’re not to be lazy and say we’re trusting in Providence to get it done. Everyone needs to do their part. In other words, and according to 2 Thessalonians 3:10, “If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat.” 


#TuesdayTruth
November 5:
As we grow as Christians the more aware we become of unholiness, the further away we wish to distance ourselves from it. It is the forgiveness of God that leads us to both love and fear Him; a love born out of our realization of the undeserving mercy He’s given us, and a fear born out of the realization of His forgiving love for us. True fear of God doesn’t rise out of judgment, but out of His forgiving love. Because we are forgiven and so loved, we fear that we might somehow offend Him. This is the true fear of God, a holy filial fear.

#TuesdayTruth

November 12:
As soon as David had built himself a palace, he longed more so to build a palace for his God.  However, he soon realized that there is no place better than the one that God Himself had already designed. The one true dwelling place for God is in Jesus Christ, for the “fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ (Colossians 2:9) and in whom all believers are also drawn together with God through the help of the Holy Spirit. 


#TuesdayTruth
November 19:
God is worthy of our highest praise, regardless of whatever circumstances we find ourselves in today. He is the God of gods and the Lord of lords. He is good. He is faithful. He comforts us in our sorrow. I praise Him for His greatness and I thank Him for His goodness. His faithful love endures forever. 
November 26:
This psalm depicts the essence of the grace of God in three confidences: First, the confidence that the Lord will fulfill His purpose for me. Second, the confidence that His faithful love will endure forever. And third, the confidence in Him, expressed in prayer, that He will not abandon the work of His hand in our life. 


#TuesdayTruth 
December 3:
David boldly declares that God not only knows everything about him but that God has searched him to the point that there are no secrets; God sees and knows him intricately and completely. God is all-knowing and ever-present. 


#TuesdayTruth
December 10:
David precedes this heartfelt Psalm in acknowledgement and praise of God for knitting him together in his mother’s womb, establishing the fact that all of his days were planned before he was even formed. He goes on to proclaim that even if he could count the number of God’s thoughts toward him, they would outnumber the grains of sand. It’s mind boggling to think even if we could count the sand on the seashores, we still could not count all the precious thoughts of God concerning us! 


#TuesdayTruth 
December 17:
God provides the rain and causes crops and grass to grow, not only for our benefit but for all creatures great and small. Even the birds sing praises and lift their praises to Him.  How much more He cares for us who have placed our hope in His faithful love. How much more we should praise Him for all that He has done for us and for all that He is: the King of kings and the Lord of lords! 


#TuesdayTruth 
December 24:

While the entire book of Psalms is about praising God, the very last chapter appropriately concludes with five “Hallelujah Psalms.” The last of which proclaims “Let everything that breathes praise the LORD Hallelujah!” (Psalm 150:6) So, how is it that God takes pleasure in us? One way is in the prayers of His people. Apart from our prayers there’s nothing in us worth taking pleasure in unless He has put it there. If He sees any beauty in us, it is the reflection of His own face.  Christians are all works in progress. Whatever grace we have, whatever repentance we have, and whatever faith we have, are all varying stages of sanctification that will one day be made perfectly perfect in Him! 

#TuesdayTruth

Christmas

Christmas

Walking through our local big box retail store in late November 2023, I was intrigued by the array of “Christmas” T-shirts on display. Every single one of them was making some sort of fun or folly of Christmas. Now I enjoy having fun just as much as anybody, but there’s a big difference between having fun and making fun of someone or something. I found these shirts in particular poor taste:

I wondered, how did we get here?

A quick search on the internet about “Christmas” returns a lot of interesting information. The word “Christmas” literally means “Christ’s mass,” and it originated from the Old English term, “Cristes Maesse.” It was sometime in the 4th century that the early church decided to celebrate the birth of Christ annually on December 25. Interestingly, it just so happened to coincide with the Roman Saturnalia, a traditional pagan festival. Why the 4th century church chose to combine the celebration of the birth of the Savior of the world with a pagan festival is perhaps a discussion for another day, but suffice it to say that this is, in fact, what history has recorded.

Fast forward to today, it seems that while Christmas has long been a beloved holiday to most everyone, it definitely holds different meanings to different people groups.

For the believer in Christ, it’s about Christ.

For the unbeliever, it has nothing to do with Christ.

For the child or the young at heart, it’s a time of wonder, expectation, and excitement. It’s sweet in terms of giving gifts to our young children, and the joy we have in watching their excitement. However, quite honestly their excitement is likely centered around the gifts.

Have we first shared or read the Christmas story from the Bible? Do our children and family know why we exchange gifts at Christmastime? What about those who can’t afford to buy gifts? Do you think it’s possible that too much emphasis is placed on the gifts or on giving expensive gifts?

For the retail business owners, big box stores, and online retail giants, it’s a time of huge sales profits as the public spends billions of dollars buying gifts for their loved ones; many of whom go into debt to buy those gifts.

Somewhere along the line, it does appear that the importance of the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, has been overshadowed by the season of fun and folly, and the buying and the selling. All while the tradition of gift-giving has morphed into a multibillion-dollar secular commercialization of Christmas.

Maybe we could place the blame on an advertising industry that’s continually promoting bigger, better products.

Maybe we could blame our government agencies who removed Nativity scenes from government properties.

Maybe we could blame the school boards and the states who removed Bibles from schools and banned teachers from mentioning the name of Jesus, and from sharing their faith.

Maybe we could blame big corporations who promote the latest woke ideologies, and of course, Santa Claus—but never mention the name of Jesus.

Maybe we could blame the progressive liberal churches, apostate churches, and the prosperity churches who preach a false gospel.

Maybe we could blame the parents who fail to raise their children in a Christian home, who subsequently fail to tell them why Jesus was born or why He died on the cross.

But the truth is:

Satan is the god of this world and is the major influence on the opinions and actions of the unbelievers all around the world today. Satan is hell-bent on keeping people from coming into a saving relationship with Christ.

And,

As it is written:

“There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” Romans 3:10-12

And because of this,

Until one becomes born again through the gift of faith, repentance of sin, and trust in Jesus Christ alone, Christmas will remain in their eyes, to be all about the fun and the folly, and the buying and the selling.

Meanwhile, Christians celebrate the birth of Christ at Christmastime, and nonbelievers celebrate everything but Christ.

All the more reason that as Christians we should pray for those who do not yet know Christ, and speak up, not just at Christmastime but whenever the Spirit leads.

Because,

Christmas is all about Christ. It’s God’s integral part of His perfect plan of salvation through Jesus’ incarnate birth.

Jesus was the greatest gift ever given and His birth is more than worthy of celebration.

“And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11

Amen and Merry Christmas

Love Letters

Love Letters

I remember years ago my mom told me that my grandpa used to write notes, aka love letters, to my grandma when they first started courting. He was two years older than her and was a school teacher in Wright Township, Greene County, Indiana from 1913 to 1920. My grandma didn’t attend school during this time, as she had only completed an eighth-grade education, which was common in the early 1900s.

To the best of my recollection my mom told me that grandma said that grandpa used to send handwritten notes home to her via one of his students who was also her neighbor. She replied to him in the same way. Those notes must have been very sweet as they fell in love and got married in 1915.

My grandma was 19 years old and my grandpa was 21 at the time of their marriage. They were blessed with four children, David, Sarah, Naomi, and Ralph. My mom, who later changed her name to Sara, was their second child.

Circa late 1920’s, my grandpa, my mom Sarah, her siblings David and Naomi, and my grandma holding baby Ralph.
A sweet memory from a January 1966 hometown newspaper clipping about my grandparents’ December 1965 50th wedding anniversary.

My grandparents were married just short of 54 years when my grandpa passed away in November 1969. I remember feeling so sad when I heard of his passing. I loved my grandpa. My grandma survived him by 16 years, and then passed away in November 1985. I loved my grandma too. Both she and my grandpa were strong Christians and made a big impression on my life by the way they lived their lives, the way they loved me, and the way they loved Christ.

A few years ago, I saw an article that centered around a box of old love letters, and it sparked this old memory of my mom telling me about my grandparents. I thought, how sweet it would be to have some of their old love letters.

So I asked my siblings and a couple of my cousins if they happened to recall this, or if they actually had any of those letters. Unfortunately, they did not, so my faint memories will have to suffice.

I suppose it’s safe to say that handwritten notes and love letters are a thing of the past now. Technology has definitely brought us some great advances and conveniences, but it has also changed the landscape of how we express our feelings and how we communicate with each other.

Texting is probably one of the most common forms of communication today, but there are definitely some pros and cons to texting. The pros include convenience and time efficiency, and the cons include being misunderstood, texting the wrong person by mistake, autocorrect mumbo jumbo, and missing out on the joy of in person interactions.

So, while I regret not having found any of those old notes of my grandparents, I do have something better: several copies of what Billy Graham referred to as God’s “love letters” to us—the Bible.

“It is there He tells us not only that He loves us, but shows us what He has done to demonstrate His love. It also tells us how we should live, because God knows what is best for us and He wants us to experience it. Never forget, the Bible is God’s Word given to us so we can know and follow Him.” #BillyGraham

However, according to the Baptist Press, “while the average home in America has three or four Bibles in it, more than half of Americans read little or none of the Bible. Less than a quarter of those who have ever read a Bible have a systematic plan for reading Scripture each day. And a third of Americans never pick it up on their own.”

Since becoming a Christian,  I’ve read through the Bible three times and been in various Sunday School Bible studies over the years.

However, I haven’t always studied my Bible. There have been more times than I care to remember when I haven’t been actively studying or reading my Bible. Truthfully, there’s really no good reason why a Christian should not currently be in some type of Bible study.

In December 2022, I started a new personal Bible study using my Spurgeon Study Bible along with the John MacArthur Study Bible iPhone app. Later, I added Matthew Henry’s Bible commentary to my study as well. I find listening to my iPhone Bible app combined with the visual study guides really helps me with comprehension. My goal is a daily Bible study, a chapter or two a day, and although I haven’t always met my goal, I do most days. In January 2026, I completed the Old Testament which took me approximately three years to finish. As of this writing, February 2026, I am in Mark.

I believe one of the best ways for Christians to know God and His will for our lives is by studying the Bible. It’s rich in meaning, instruction, and warnings. It gives a glimpse of who He is, helps us better understand His plans and purposes, and helps us grow in Christlikeness. It also helps us make sense of some of the things we see going on in the world today. No matter how dark the days may seem, His Word assures us that we, who are called by His name, have a hope and a future in Him.

The Bible is a collection of love letters about,

• The creation story and the fall of man.

• The Old and New Covenants established by God.

• Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.

• The words of Jesus in the Gospels.

• The preaching and teaching of Jesus in Acts and the epistles.

• The end times and return of Jesus Christ in Revelation.

The Old Covenant was based on law, which required correct behavior and which the people continually broke. It consisted of a sacrificial system that only temporarily removed sins. The sacrifices were administered by priests who represented the people of Israel to God, but the people could not enter God’s presence themselves.

The New Covenant is by grace, which is a gift of God given to the people of God, and of which the Holy Spirit testifies. The sins of the people are forgiven and removed once and for all through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. It was Jesus’ shed blood on the cross that made it possible for all those who will believe in Him, including Gentiles, to have direct and intimate access to Him and eternal life.

Jesus is the fulfillment of all of the covenants, prophecies, and promises found in the Bible. He is the Messiah, God’s only Son, and the King of kings. He conquered sin and death according to God’s perfect plan of salvation. Everything about His life, His sacrificial death, His resurrection, and His ascension was foretold and revealed in the Bible.

I like this quote from Alistair Begg:

“We find Christ in all the Scriptures. In the Old Testament He is predicted. In the Gospels He is revealed. In Acts He is preached. In the epistles He is explained, and in Revelation He is expected.”

The Bible also teaches us that God is sovereign. God is good. God is always to be trusted, and so much more.

So, if you’re a Christian and you’re not currently involved in some type of Bible study, ask yourself why not?

If you’re not a Christian, why not carve out some time to read and study the Bible today? It’s God’s love letter to you.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16

Our 2023 Journeys Cruise

Our 2023 Journeys Cruise

In October 2023, Harold and I embarked on a 14 Night Carnival “Journeys” cruise to the Eastern Caribbean out of Galveston, Texas on the Carnival Dream.

We booked this cruise the year before when I saw the itinerary went to most all of the ports that we were supposed to go on in March of 2020 to celebrate our 40th anniversary. That cruise was cancelled due to the Covid-19 hysteria. So, over three and a half years later, we finally got to go on our Eastern Caribbean Cruise!

Our Itinerary:

Day 1 Galveston (Embark)

Day 2 Sea Day

Day 3 Key West

Day 4 Sea Day

Day 5 Grand Turk (XXLD due to weather)

Day 6 San Juan, Puerto Rico

Day 7 St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands

Day 8 St. Kitts, Basseterre

Day 9 St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles

Day 10 St. Croix, US Virgin Islands

Day 11 Sea Day

Day 12 Falmouth

Day 13 Sea Day

Day 14 Sea Day

Day 15 Galveston (Disembark)

Days 1 and 2 were sea days and were mostly spent exploring the ship, enjoying the music, entertainment, food, and people.

Day 3 brought us to Key West, Florida for the afternoon. We walked down to the Southernmost Point, and enjoyed several of the sights along the way: the Kapok Tree, the Key West U.S. Naval Air Station, and back to town to do a little shopping. We visited Key West in 2017 but missed seeing most of the things we saw on this day, so this was a great stop.

Days 4 and 5 were both sea days as Hurricane Tammy made it impossible for the ship to dock at Turks and Caicos. We already visited Grand Turk in 2019, so we were much more thankful to be safe rather than sorry. We filled the extra time relaxing and enjoying the ship activities.

Day 6 was spent in San Juan, Puerto Rico. We took a local tour to see the old town, forts, new town, the capital building, and the beautiful colorful homes of San Juan.

On day 7 we slept in a bit after being up late the night before. In St. Thomas we shopped a little and then went on the Skyride and saw some amazing views. It’s a beautiful island.

Day 8 at St. Kitts, Basseterre, I got up early this morning and snuck around the ship hiding 7 rubber ducks and 7 cards with Bible verses. We ate made-to-order omelettes for breakfast and climbed back into bed as it was raining when we docked. We went ashore around noon just as the rain subsided and enjoyed some shopping and the colorful sights at St Kitts.

On day 9 we docked on the Dutch side of St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles, and took a tour of the island which included the French St. Martin side as well. We learned it’s a long distance phone call from the Dutch side to the French side. They also have two completely different governments. My favorite stop was at the SXM airport where the beach runs right up to the landing strip. The signs along the fence warn about death and serious injury if you stand there. We ate lunch at the Sunset Beach SXM Restaurant while airplanes landed and took off. I walked over to the beach and got a video of a jet flying overhead me as it was landing. I remember wanting to visit SXM several years ago when I worked for Delta, so it was really nice to finally be able to come visit here.

St Maarten, Netherlands Antilles, SXM, and Port of St Maarten.

We spent day 10 in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands shopping and enjoying the colorful sights and sounds. Back on the ship, we enjoyed our nightly routine of dinner and entertainment.

Our nightly dinner companions, Ralph & Pat from the Houston area, and Clovis & Donna who are full-time RV’ers.

Day 11 was a Sea Day. We (actually Harold) found a rubber duck this morning on our way to breakfast. The day was full of activities including a costume contest. Harold wore his Indianapolis Colts Manning #18 jersey and I dressed as an Indianapolis Colts cheerleader. We watched the Texas Rangers play in the World Series on the big screen up on the Lido deck, and went to bed, exhausted after a full day on the ship.

Day 12: We visited Falmouth, Jamaica and enjoyed some shopping at the port. The port is cone-shaped which lets two cruise ships dock around it at the same time. Jamaica is full of colors, music, and a lot of humidity.

Days 13-15 sea days went by super fast on our way back to the Port of Galveston.  We picked out our favorite photos from our prepaid photo package, enjoyed the entertainment, the people, the crew, our dinners and especially the desserts!

Some Dr Seuss fun with Sam I Am, Thing 1 & Thing 2, and The Cat in the Hat!
Formal Night #1
Formal Night #2
Casual, Formal, and Halloween

We enjoyed every minute of this cruise and were thankful to have been able to celebrate our 40th anniversary on this wonderful cruise, even if it was three and a half years later than originally planned. 

Casual Nights

Sadly, I came away feeling sorry for some of the other cruisers as several of them seemed bored and liked to complained alot. Newsflash: True happiness is not found in cruising.

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

You must first be convicted that you’re a sinner in desperate need of a Savior. No amount of cruising, or whatever you’re doing to try to obtain happiness, will ever fill the greatest need in your life, which is a saving relationship with Jesus Christ through repentance and faith in Him.

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11

“Happy are the people whose God is the Lord.” Psalm 144:15

What’s Cooking?!

I’ve been blessed with a family of great cooks, starting with my Grandma Anderson.

My grandma cutting a ham in her kitchen in Frankfort, Indiana in the 1950’s. This was probably a holiday such as Easter or Thanksgiving.

Everything my grandma made was yummy, especially her made-from-scratch pancakes and her homemade pies. Her pie crust was flaky and always turned out perfect! Sometimes when she had a little pie dough left over she’d make me a special treat with the leftover dough with butter, cinnamon, and sugar. She’d roll it up and pop it into the oven; it tasted so good! She made all sorts of pies but my favorite was her rhubarb pie.

My childhood memories of visiting my grandma include the smell of food cooking in her kitchen, the love that she had for each one of us, and all of the family gatherings there in Frankfort, Indiana.

My grandma’s Dumplings recipe in her handwriting. Her dumplings were my favorite thing to eat at Thanksgiving time!
Coffee and desert at grandma’s house, Christmas 1972. Linda, my grandma’s niece, and my cousin Patty, with my sister Joyce.
My grandma deboning a turkey, sitting in our kitchen nook at our home on Hickory Lane in Indianapolis in 1973.

My mom was also a great cook. She made everything taste good and especially knew how to put dinners together on a budget. She made hamburger casserole dishes out of slightly expired frozen White Castle hamburger patties that my dad brought home from work. He worked in the Indianapolis White Castle office for much of my childhood. My mom also made good use of leftovers, which I initially didn’t like, but but eventually came to appreciate. I also remember how my mom would stretch a gallon of whole milk into two gallons by mixing it with low-fat powdered milk. My mom inspired me in so many ways in her lifetime, including in the seemingly insignificant, yet very practical ways that she taught me that we should never waste food and to always make good use of whatever resources God has so graciously given us.

Mom making breakfast in March of 1967 in the kitchen of our Florida hotel.
Mom at the kitchen sink at our Hickory Lane home in Indianapolis in June of 1972.
Mom in her kitchen on McFarland Rd in Indianapolis sometime in the early 1980’s.
April 1963 bunny cake & a pig drink container, made by mom. She was so happy how they turned out!
My mom’s handwritten Spanish Rice recipe, which is my husband’s second favorite meal that my mom used to make. His favorite meal made by my mom was her Soup Beans!
Family dinner May 1972, Hickory Lane, Indpls.
Thanksgiving, November 1979, McFarland Rd, Indpls.

And, honorable mention goes to my sister Joyce for her 1977 Thanksgiving Dressing recipe.

My sister Joyce’s handwritten Dressing recipe, 1977.

As for me, some of my first memories of cooking include making Jell-O and chocolate chip cookies. I also remember making a sweet pickle, cheddar cheese, and lunch meat hors d’oeuvres that were especially yummy. Of course, making Jell-O is super easy and has long been one of my favorite things to teach my girls when they were young. The chocolate chip cookies I made were from a recipe I got from my 4-H Handbook. I remember I used to walk to weekly 4-H meetings when I was around age 9 or 10. The meetings were held in our neighborhood, a short walking distance from our house. After my mom helped me make my first batch of cookies, I made them as often as I could!

I copied this recipe from my 4H Handbook when I was around 9 or 10 years old.

So I guess I’m a pretty good cook on an as-needed basis, which is pretty much daily. Ha! I enjoy cooking new recipes occasionally as long as I’m familiar with all of the ingredients. I especially like dishes that are low calorie and healthy. I dislike making new recipes if they don’t turn out good, as I don’t like wasting food, but I do love it when I try a new recipe and it turns out good.

Next, our three daughters, Michelle, Megan, and Mackenzie.

Michelle is a great cook but figured out early on in her marriage with Marty that he was a really good cook too, so he does a lot of the cooking in their home. Michelle’s favorite meal to cook is Spaghetti and Zuppa Toscana.

Michelle in our Jacksonville, Florida kitchen around 1991 or 1992.
Michelle in 1998 in our Krum, Texas kitchen showing off the desert that she (or was it Megan?!) just made!
Michelle and Mackenzie in Michelle’s kitchen after they prepared dinner for us on Mother’s Day in 2014.

Megan started baking and putting yummy dishes together when she was a young teenager. She enjoyed cooking and was good at making new recipes. I remember her making yummy cheese nachos that looked and tasted like they were made in a restaurant.  When we lived in Krum, she perfectly duplicated a dessert made by one of our neighbors who would not give out her secret recipe! As an adult she still loves cooking but it’s difficult being in a wheelchair so she doesn’t cook as often as she would like to.  So, John cooks dinner often and she has taught both Landon and Livia how to cook. Like her mom, Livia is enjoying cooking at a young age.  Megan’s favorite holiday dish is sweet potato casserole, and it’s really good!

Michelle and Megan at their play kitchen outside our Harding Street home in Indianapolis in April of 1988.
Megan in our Krum, Texas home in September of 1998, and wearing a cast on her right leg from one of her many surgeries over the years.
Megan making a Gingerbread House in our Krum, Texas home. I think this was around Christmas time of 1999 or 2000.

Mackenzie enjoyed making cookies and helping with dinner when she was young but I think she didn’t really start taking cooking seriously until she moved into her first home in September of 2019. It was there that she got an air fryer and later subscribed to a meal delivery service that delivered all of the ingredients along with the instructions. Eventually she stopped the subscription service and started buying the ingredients at the grocery. Her favorite meal to cook is chicken spaghetti, which is the first meal I taught her how to make when she was a teenager.

Mackenzie making cookies in our Denton, Texas home August 2004.
Mackenzie making Stuffed Mushrooms in our Denton, Texas home sometime in 2005.
Mackenzie “cooking” in Minnie’s kitchen at Disney World, Christmas Day 2007.
Mackenzie’s first Thanksgiving Dinner she prepared all by herself in 2018. Harold and I had been in Florida on an RV trip and it was really nice to come home to a prepared dinner waiting for us! It tasted good too!

Next, some of our grandchildren!

Gabriel, Remi, and Colby “cooking” up some sweet Christmas treats at a photo studio in December 2021.
Landon enjoying some vegetables in the kitchen of their Ponder home in June of 2018.
Livia helping me make dinner at our Denton, Texas home in October 2019.
Mackenzie and Hudson making some Valentines Day treats in our Denton, Texas kitchen in 2019.

Finally, this story would not be complete without including my mother-in-law, Mildred. She poured her life into cooking! Whenever she visited and back when she was in good health, the first thing she wanted to do was to find out what we were making for dinner. As soon as we figured out the menu she’d start the preparations for dinner early in the day. She also had a special talent of making a variety of pies. My only complaint was that she put too much sugar in some of her recipes – even in recipes that didn’t call for sugar! Ha! Other than that she was an excellent cook!

My mother-in-law in our Krum, Texas kitchen helping prepare Thanksgiving Dinner in 2001 or 2002.
My mother-in-law’s handwritten Banana Cake recipe.

I’ll close with two prayers.

The first one is old prayer that our family prayed together at our dinner table when I was growing up in Indianapolis in the 50s, 60s, and early 1970s:

“God is gracious, God is good,

And we thank Him for our food.

By His tender loving care,

By His presence everywhere.” Amen

And,

“Lord, bless my little kitchen,

And all who enter in,

May You be glorified every day,

In our work, meals, and play.” Amen.

My kitchen ❤️ September 2023

Query Family Vacations

Query Family Vacations

Some of my favorite childhood memories are of our family vacations. To the best of my recollection, most of our vacations were either to Florida or Ohio. One year we’d go somewhere in Florida and the next year we’d go to Cincinnati. Florida was quite a bit further away from Indianapolis than Cincinnati, so Cincinnati was more affordable as it was only a couple of hours away. We also didn’t usually stay very long in Cincinnati, but it was always fun! 

Of course Florida was fun too. Well, mostly. Actually I got the worst sunburn of my life in Daytona Beach when I was 13 years old. What can I say? I was young and dumb. I spent the entire first day of that vacation walking up and down the beach in my new bikini. It was my first bikini and I thought I was so cool. Ha! Actually, “burnt to a crisp” is probably a better description! I was in so much pain that first night.  I was fainting and vomiting and probably really should have gone to the emergency room. Long story short, I spent the rest of the vacation sick in bed. Fun times. Not.

Actually, I have a lot of great memories of our Florida vacations. I remember my mom would always pack sandwiches, chips, and soft drinks in preparation for the long drive. We usually got the kind of hotels with refrigerators and my mom would make meals in the electric skillet she brought from home. Of course, we also ate out at restaurants on occasion, which were always a treat!

My dad also knew that a hotel with a swimming pool was a top priority.  Once we got to Florida, a hotel on or near the beach was rare but super cool if we got one. We enjoyed swimming regardless of whether it was at a hotel pool or at the beach.  Most of the hotels we stayed at would probably be best described as small, inexpensive roadside motels; nothing fancy and nothing expensive.

Some of my favorite memories in Florida were riding the Glass Bottom boat at Silver Springs, watching the Weeki Wachee skiers, going to different beaches, and visiting the Kennedy Space Center.

I especially liked stopping at various points of interest and different rest stops between Indianapolis and Florida. I liked the caves in Kentucky and Tennessee, and the Stuckey’s stores in Georgia and Florida. Stuckey’s had the best taffy and candy! 

So, why Cincinnati?!

Well first, it was just a little over a hundred miles away from Indianapolis, so it was close to home. 

Second, the Cincinnati Reds Baseball Team.

And third, Coney Island!

Coney Island was a wonderful but very old amusement park in Cincinnati. We all enjoyed Coney Island, but my dad especially liked going to watch the Cincinnati Reds play ball. So while he took my older brothers with him to the baseball game, my mom, my little brother Dougie, and me, would go shopping or just hang out at the hotel. Regardless, whatever else we did, the highlight of our trip was always Coney Island!  It didn’t really bother me one bit that I didn’t get to go to the baseball games.  Now, I do remember being upset when I first heard about Coney Island closing in 1970. I wasn’t upset for long as I soon learned that Kings Island was scheduled to open in 1972, and that it would be twice as large as Coney Island. Although by the time it opened, I had already graduated from high school and our family vacations were becoming a thing of the past.

Looking back, I realize that life doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful, and vacations don’t have to cost a lot of money to be fun. Spending time together away from home, even in simple accommodations, was fine with me. I was just happy that we got to go on vacations. Even as a child, I sensed that it was a financial strain on my parents to raise six kids and also afford family vacations.  

I also realize, I may not have expressed my gratitude to my parents back then. I suppose when we’re young most of us take a lot of things for granted, and by the time we come to realize this, it’s too late.  But, if both of my parents were alive today, I’d tell them how much I love them, and I would thank them for all that they did for me, and for all of the sacrifices they made as parents.  I would also tell them that going on our family vacations gave me some of my happiest memories of my childhood. 

Here are a few of our family vacation photos from between 1959 and 1971.

Joyce, Eldon, Mom, Ronnie, Denny, me, Dad & Eldon in Indianapolis ready to go on vacation in 1959.
York Valley Inn Motel in Florida. Me in the pool, Ronnie on the diving board, and Denny playing shuffleboard with Ronnie in Florida in 1959.
Scenic Jungle Cruise at Silver Springs, Florida in 1968.
Mom & Eldon outside zour Florida hotel in 1959.
Denny, Ronnie, Dougie, & me “in the lock-up” at Coney Island in Ohio in 1965. Ronnie, dad, Eldon, Dougie, mom, & me, fourth row back at Mammoth Cave National Park near Brownsville, KY in 1961.

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Me, Ronnie, Mom, & Dougie in Florida in 1967. Ronnie, me, Dougie, & Denny at Coney Island in 1965. Dougie, Ronnie, & Denny in Florida in 1968. Dad, me, Dougie, Ronnie, & Denny, somewhere between Indianapolis and Florida in 1967.
Mom in Florida in 1961. Me swimming in Florida in 1962. Dougie, me, Ronnie, & Denny watching TV in a Florida hotel in 1970. Mom in Florida in 1962.

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” — Saint Augustine.
Mom and Dad in Florida in 1968. Dad in Florida in 1967. Mom, Dad, and Dougie on the beach in 1968. Mom on the beach in 1970.
Denny, Dad, me, Mom & Dougie on the Scenic Jungle Cruise at Silver Springs in 1968. Ronnie & me on the moped at Daytona Beach in 1968. Me on the float and poolside in Florida in 1971.

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17

Joy!

Joy!

When I was in junior high school from 1966 to 1969, the journalism class put out a monthly publication with the current school happenings and various articles written by journalism students. One month it included a section with comments from several students who had completed the following statement,

“Happiness is…”

I wish I had saved a copy of it, but didn’t, and I don’t remember any of the answers but I do remember the different types of comments. Some were funny, some were trying to be funny but weren’t, and a few were really sweet. I remember this giving me a glimpse into the different personalities of my classmates.

So, how would you fill in the blank?

“Happiness is…”

I know completing that statement might be difficult for some. I think it’s mostly because happiness is often circumstantial and is likely determined by what’s currently going on in your life. It can be difficult to be happy when life isn’t going well, when life is hard, and when tears are many.

But I do believe there’s a joy that transcends our circumstances. It’s a joy that remains in and through the difficult times in life. It’s a godly joy, and it comes from knowing the Lord and from looking to Him in all of life’s circumstances; both good and bad.

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11

The joy of the Lord is actually more than a belief; it’s my experience. Joy in just knowing the Lord. Joy in the good times. Joy in the bad times. There have been many times in my life where God has given me peace in the middle of the storm, and joy in spite of my circumstances. Times when I trusted in Him no matter what, and rejoiced in Him no matter what.

Because,

The Bible tells us, regardless of our present circumstances, that we are to rejoice in the Lord. When we look to Him and praise Him in worship, our hearts are filled with His joy.

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” Philippians 4:4

Even when life is difficult.

So today, if you find yourself feeling down, upset, lonely, or sad, it’s my prayer that God will surround you with His presence and fill you with joy, peace, and hope in Him.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13

Here are the first two verses and the chorus to a sweet old children’s song (author unknown) about the joy of the Lord. Perhaps you remember it from long ago. May it bless you as you read (and sing) along today.

Title: I’ve Got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy!

Verse 1:

I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.

Where?

Down in my heart!

Where?

Down in my heart!

I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart,

Down in my heart to stay!

Chorus:

And I’m so happy, so very happy,

I’ve got the love of Jesus in my heart

Down in my heart.

And I’m so happy, so very happy,

I’ve got the love of Jesus in my heart.

Verse 2:

I’ve got the love of Jesus, love of Jesus down in my heart.

Where?

Down in my heart!

Where?

Down in my heart!

I’ve got the love of Jesus, love of Jesus down in my heart.

Where?

Down in my heart to stay.

Chorus:

And I’m so happy, so very happy

I’ve got the love of Jesus in my heart.

Down in my heart.

And I’m so happy, so very happy

I’ve got the love of Jesus in my heart.

Male and Female He Created Them

Male and Female He Created Them

God’s word explains, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16

And God’s word is clear, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27

There are only two sexes, “Jesus said, ‘Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female.’” Matthew  19:4

Yet, in the last few years we find ourselves living in a world where,

– Gender ideologies defying God in an attempt to redefine God’s creation of man and woman and their God-given roles.

– Men who identify as women being allowed to use women’s public restrooms and dressing rooms.

– Public school teachers proactively teaching young children about changing their gender as they teach their woke worldview version of sexuality and without the parents’ knowledge.

– Young children given puberty blockers and hormones in an attempt to change their gender, and in some cases against the will of one of their parents.

– Public libraries hosting drag queen story hours for young children, where men mockingly dress up as sexually provocative women.

– Men who identify as a women being allowed to compete in women’s sports, who are winning and literally stealing trophies away from rightfully deserving women athletes.

– Men and women voluntarily undergoing irreversible, painful, and numerous surgeries, and voluntarily taking hormones in a futile attempt to change their gender.

– Public school teachers who are allowed to teach K-12 students about LGBTQ lifestyles and agendas.

And this is just a partial list of some of the more recent societal changes regarding sexuality.

How did we get here?

Some might say we could blame it on Gloria Steinem of the 1970s Women’s Liberation movement. This is the woman who defied God and successfully convinced millions of women that they had the right to be liberated from traditional women’s roles.

Some might say we could blame it on the Supreme Court for enacting same-sex marriage laws and allowing same-sex couples to adopt a child.

Some might say we could blame it on woke corporations who’ve hired DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) managers to ensure their company meets certain expectations to keep their ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) scores high.

Some might say we could blame it on the men who fail in their God-given roles as spiritual leaders in their home and as head of the household.

Some might say we could blame it on the women who try to “run the show” in their marriage by usurping their husband’s God-given role as head of the household.

Some might say we could blame it on woke churches that allow Beth Moore and other so-called “women pastors,” who dare to defy God and His word (1 Timothy 2:12) each time they stand at a pulpit and preach to men.

While I believe all of these things have certainly played a part, they’re not the root cause.

We find the root cause in the Bible.

In the book of Genesis, in the Garden of Eden, Eve believed the serpent and chose to disobey God. As Eve was tempted by the devil, Adam was tempted by Eve, and sin entered the world through Adam.

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God actually say, “You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?”’And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” Genesis 3:1-6

And, “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.” Romans 5:12

The Bible explains our root problem is sin. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

And, sexual sin, in particular, is not only against God, it is against one’s own body.

“Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.” 1 Corinthians 6:18

God implores us to “abstain from sexual immorality” in 1 Thessalonians 4:3

However, unrepentant sinners, by nature, don’t want to repent, obey God, or His word. By nature, unrepentant sinners love the darkness instead of the light.

“And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.” John 3:19

To add insult to injury, “the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul” (Psalm 10:3-4).

But it doesn’t have to be so. The distance between an unrepentant sinner and God is not far.

If you find yourself described here, and feel God convicting you to make a change in your life, just turn around. Turn toward Christ and away from sin.

It’s not too late.

For Jew or Greek, male or female, LGBTQ or heterosexual, rich or poor, etc.

The good news is that God made a way by sending His Son to take the penalty for our sin—for all who’ll come to Christ in repentance and faith.

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

Acknowledge the sin in your life today and repent of it. Put your faith and trust in God, the Maker of heaven and earth. Cry out to Him and humbly ask for His forgiveness. Trust in Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross.

And, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

If you’re male, trust in God’s plans and God-given roles for men. If you’re female, trust in God’s plans and God-given roles for women.

“O taste and see that the Lord is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” Psalm 34:8

Interestingly, I remember when I was a child, I used to dress up in my brother’s army outfit and crawl around in the backyard playing “Army” with a toy machine gun strapped to my back and a rubber knife in my mouth. I was, what was commonly called, a tomboy. Vic Morrow of the TV show, Combat, was my inspiration. But, you know what? I grew out of it. How glad I am that no one tried to give me puberty blockers or tried to convince me I needed to try to change my gender back then! I love being a woman. Actually, I love all the roles that God has chosen for me in life, and I especially love being a mom, and a grandmother, aka “Maw-Maw.”

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day

As the years have gone by, Mother’s Day has become one of my favorite holidays. My perfect Mother’s Day includes food, family, flowers, fun, and a Mother’s Day card.

So in the days leading up to Mother’s Day, I always think of my mom who passed away in 1998. I was blessed to have her in my life for the first 44 years of my life. She was the main role model in my life and in so many ways—as a woman, a wife, a mom, and a Christian. I will forever remember her praying on her knees by her bedside at night, and studying her Bible in the early mornings when I was a child.

”Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.” Proverbs 31:25-28

My mom and me in Indianapolis back in the late 1970s.

My grandma, my mom, and me in 1979.

My mom passed away at the age of 77 after suffering for several years from Alzheimer’s Disease.

“Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.” Proverbs 31:25-28

My grandma was a godly woman too. When I was a child I loved going to her house just to be close to her. When I was a teenager and again as a young adult, she would pull me aside and tell me that she was praying for me. I knew she loved me and she knew I needed prayer.

Here’s a photo of my grandma in our kitchen nook in Indianapolis back in the early 1970s. She was trimming the meat off a turkey to make us some of her delicious homemade turkey noodle soup.

“Older women should be reverent in their behavior, not slanderers or addicted to much wine. They should teach the younger women to love their husbands and children, be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, so that the word of God may not be reviled.” Titus 2:3-5


My grandma was recognized and honored in her community as “Mother of the Year” in the 1960s.

And here is a photo of my great-grandma Stockrahm. I think this picture was taken in the early 1950s. She lived with my grandma in Frankfort, Indiana, when she was elderly and where my grandma took care of her until she passed away. I was very young back then, but I do remember she was very quiet and that my grandma was very protective of her. I remember feeling so sorry for her because she was fragile and ill.

My great grandma Stockrahm.

“Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” 1 Peter 3:4

I’m so very thankful for my mom, my grandma, and great-grandma. They were wonderful and godly mothers.

My mom and grandma taught me that as mothers and grandmothers, we should never give up. We are to continue in prayer for each one of our loved ones. We are to continue modeling Christ to our family, and to take advantage of any opportunities to share Christ with our children and grandchildren. Our influence has an eternal impact on the lives and futures of our children, our grandchildren, and so on.

“Even when some children will not let us speak to them about religion, they cannot prevent us speaking for them to God. Never, never let us forget that the children for whom many prayers have been offered, seldom finally perish.” #JCRyle

“Good mothers are very dear to their children. There’s no mother in the world like our own mother.” #CharlesSpurgeon

“To be a mother is by no means second class. Men may have the authority in the home, but the women have the influence. The mother, more than the father, is the one who molds and shapes those little lives from day one.” #JohnMacArthur

I’m thankful that being a mother was in God’s plan for me. I can’t even think of what life would be like without having Michelle, Megan, and Mackenzie in my life. I’m especially thankful that they each know the Lord and are mothers as well.

My girls and me.

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” 3 John 1:4

Mother’s Day 2021

Mother’s Day 2022

“Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.” Proverbs 17:6

Mother’s Day 2023

Mother’s Day 2024

Mother’s Day 2025

Called By Name

Called By Name

“Elaine Crandell! Come on down! You’re the next contestant on The Price is Right!”

I first remember watching “The Price is Right” sometime after I graduated from high school in 1972. I continued watching it on and off over the years, basically whenever I just happened to be at home during the day. I never thought I could ever be a contestant on the show until sometime after 1989, when I started working for Delta Air Lines. My travel benefits at Delta opened up a whole new world of possibilities for me and my family.

So in January 2005, my daughter Megan and I flew to Los Angeles for three days of sightseeing and shows.

Now instead of going to bed the night before the show, like any normal person might do, we left the comfort of our warm hotel room and spent the night standing (in my daughter’s case, sitting in her wheelchair) in the cold, in the dark, in downtown Los Angeles, on the sidewalk just outside of CBS Television City studios.

We arrived outside the studio really early, around midnight actually, which made us the third group in line, and pretty much assured us we’d be able to exchange our tickets for a studio admission number at 6:00 a.m. We spent the night trying to keep warm, eating bagels, and talking with everyone around us in line. It was fun but in the middle of the night I started feeling sick and went back to the rental car to lay down. I couldn’t sleep so I got up and got back in line. By the time 6:00 a.m. rolled around, the line had grown around the block and out of sight, and I had a soar throat, but, we got our studio admission numbers!

We left to go back to the hotel with strict instructions to be back within three hours to get back in another line. We freshened up but were afraid to lay down thinking we might oversleep.

About three hours later, with our admission numbers in hand, we got back in line at CBS Television City. This was about a three hour process and although we were exhausted, it turned out to be a nice experience. It was here I met a young man who was a previous showcase winner a few years before. He was now working as a student advisor at a college and was back in line on this day with a group of students from his college. We talked for a while about a lot of different things, including my faith in Christ.

Continuing our way through the admission line, we encountered the show producers who were conducting interviews with each one of us, one by one. I noticed they were very personable and were taking notes as they did their interviews. The producer who interviewed me asked me what I did for a living. I smiled and told him, “I make mad people happy!” He laughed and then asked me what I really did. I explained that I was a customer service agent for Delta Air Lines and that I help passengers and agents resolve various problems and issues.

He must have liked my answer.

Within a couple of hours, I heard my name:

“Elaine Crandell! Come on down! You’re the next contestant on The Price is Right!”

I jumped up, screaming, and ran up to the podium. Within a few minutes I got the winning bid on a metal detector and ran up on stage. At this point my heart was pumping and my mind was racing with so many thoughts: “Mercy, those lights are so bright! Do I look sick? Do I need more make up? Do I look like I’ve been up all night?!” Suddenly I found myself talking with Bob Barker and playing The Range Game. I looked back to find my daughter in the crowd and all I saw was what seemed to be everyone telling me to stop. I hit the stop button but it was a tad bit too soon.

They cut to a commercial break and whisked me off stage to sign a bunch of legal papers: one giving my consent to be a contestant on a CBS game show, another explaining that I understood that I’d be responsible for any and all tax implications of my prize winnings, and yet another paper that gave me an option to decline any or all of my gifts.

By the time I finished signing all the papers it was time to go back on stage to spin the Big Wheel in the Showcase Showdown. My 95, in one spin, won me the chance to bid on a showcase!

During one of the next commercial breaks, a stage manager came up to talk with me. He was so kind. Talking with him really helped calm my nerves. My only regret at this point was that I realized then that I forgot to say, “Hello!” to my family while waiting for the Big Wheel to stop.

So then came the chance to win the showcase. Mine was a set of video phones, a Colorado Hot Air Balloon trip, a Colorado ski vacation, and a ski boat. I had no idea how much that ski boat was worth but decided to bid low as I didn’t want to overbid. My mind raced back to a few weeks before when my husband and I were invited to go on a ski boat but we declined because neither of us skied. I suddenly wished we’d gone as maybe the price of it would have came up in our conversations. Oh well, too late now.

As it turned out, the ski boat was worth a lot more money that I thought. I underbid my showcase by over $25K and lost to my opponent who also underbid her showcase, but by less.

What a day! All 24 hours of it! We went back to our hotel and as soon as the excitement wore down we both fell asleep in exhaustion.

A few weeks later I made a T-shirt to remember the experience. I used the photo of my expression when I realized I’d lost the showcase and titled it “The Price was Wrong!” Ha!

In retrospect, so much of what happened was right. I enjoyed and shared a great experience with my daughter. I won a metal detector worth $1100, which I still have. I got to be a contestant on one of the longest running game shows in television history. I got to meet Bob Barker, and I got to share my faith with a stranger.

In the big picture of life, “The Price is Right” is just a TV game show. My name was called and I won a gift.

Oh so much more importantly, Jesus knows my name! By faith, I’ve received the gift of eternal life; life here and now, and life in the ever after.

Not because I’m a “good person.” Not because I was baptized or a member of a church.

But because I trusted in Jesus and His plan of salvation one night many years ago, when God lovingly convicted me that I was a sinner in desperate need of a Savior. I responded and called out to Him in repentance and faith, and placed my trust in Jesus alone.

It was Jesus who took the penalty for my sins on the cross; He paid the price in full on my behalf. God, the Creator, Sustainer, and Author of Life, made a way for a sinner like me to be redeemed.

The Price Jesus Paid is Right, and it was according to His perfect plan and unfathomable love; it’s for all He calls to come and follow Him, for all who will respond in repentance and faith.

Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. Isaiah 43:1