goodness

The Past Seven Weeks

Since my last blog post, we moved into our new home and traveled to Ohio to visit my family. The past seven weeks have been busy, and this blog post is long overdue.

God is good. He’s blessed me several times with a view of cows from my dining room window. My youngest daughter joined me on the back patio one afternoon while I watered my orange and yellow gerbera daisies. A sound nearby brought a smile to my daughter’s face. “Was that a cow?” Poor city girl—her first time to hear a cow moo.

We’ve met many friendly neighbors. The first was a young boy, about ten years old. Cody came to our door to introduce himself within hours of our closing while we were cleaning. I thought he was such a sweet young man. Later that afternoon, we met another neighbor—an adult from down the street. We told him we’d met Cody. He said, “You met Eddie Haskell.”

What I remember about Eddie on Leave It to Beaver was his sweetness to adults but his sneakiness away from them—an instigator of trouble. So that’s our Cody? Time will tell.

In Ohio we met my sister, her husband, grandson, and two foster boys at a park in Toledo. Kenn and I walked along the paved trails while we waited for them to arrive. We enjoyed the park so much that we returned three more times during our two-day stay to walk and talk. My favorite spot was a covered bridge along our path.

We also visited my brother and his wife and gathered with nieces and nephews for a mini family reunion. The two foster boys surprised me with hugs when they arrived. When they left, they and my sister’s grandson did the same. Three sweet young men.

Another highlight occurred when we attended church with my sister and her family and chatted with our former pastor after the service. This was the man who preached a message during a revival forty-seven years ago that woke me up to my need for a personal relationship with Christ. He, along with his wife, taught me of God’s love and forgiveness. She played matchmaker in getting Kenn and I to date, and this pastor performed our wedding.

God has blessed us for the past seven weeks. I am grateful for His goodness and the people He has placed in my life. I pray that I’m able to share that same goodness with others.

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Psalm 100:5, NIV

He Guides Me

I read the following verse from Psalms many times this past week. The rhyming in the New Living Translation caught my attention and drew me back again and again.

The LORD is good and does what is right;
he shows the proper path to those who go astray.
He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way.
Psalm 25:8-9, NLT

The Lord guides those who have lost their way and directs them back to Him instructing them in the truth of His Word. This happened to me.

A few months after receiving Christ as my Savior, I was disturbed by guidelines in my church that I didn’t understand. I thought they were too strict, and they expected too much. Over time I realized my mentors were looking out for me. The Lord nudged me forward, helped me to understand His Word, and steered me toward Him.

God is so good—gracious, generous, kind, and loving—and He shares His goodness with us.

A few days ago, I posted the verse below on my Facebook page, and after doing so I noticed some similarities to Psalm 25:8-9.

He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:8, NKJV

The Lord requires us to do justly or do what is right toward others. To treat people with love, honesty, fairness, and to keep our word. He also desires for us to remain faithful to Him.

My study Bible shared three commands found in Micah 6:8, and I’ve quoted them here:*

1. “Remain just/right in all you do.”
2. “Cherish compassionate kindness/faithfulness.”
3. “Commit yourself to live in submission to your God.”

My study Bible also included this: “Respond to what God has done for you by walking in godliness. Live justly; do what is right to those around you with mercy, kindness, and faithfulness. Walk humbly with your God, acknowledging your complete dependence on Him. Make getting to know Him better a priority every day.”

I hope you will join me in recognizing a need for full dependence upon the Lord and make getting to know Him better each day a primary focus in your life. I desperately need Him to guide me through these difficult times. I pray He will lead you as well.

*Hayford, Jack W. New Spirit Filled Life Bible: NKJV Kingdom Equipping through the Power of the Word. Thomas Nelson, 2002.


Photo by Yux Xiang - Unsplash

A Blemished Rose

In my debut novel, Only a Glimpse, roses play a significant part in Blake Conner’s life. Roses are dear to him because they were special to his wife who died a few years before my story takes place.

In an encounter between Keedryn Reynolds (my heroine) and Blake’s daughter, Allison, they discuss a painting in his office which was painted by his wife—a crystal vase filled with beautiful roses of various colors.

“The gifted artist captured intricate detail in each petal. The painting included one blemished rose. The rest were perfect.”

Keedryn asks Blake’s daughter about the painting, and Allison shares the story of the blemished rose and why her mom painted it that way.

“She’d say this rose represents us. Blemished. But God doesn’t notice. He’ll accept us as we are if we’ll come to Him. He’ll surround us with His beauty, goodness, and love and wash away our blemishes.”

Some may feel they need to clean up their lives before they can come to Christ. But if we believe and surrender our lives to Him, the Lord welcomes us to come just as we are. If we confess our sins and follow Him, He’ll wash away those sins, and embrace us with a new life—one of love, acceptance, and forgiveness.

But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we
receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ.
Galatians 3:22 (NLT)

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
1 John 1:9 (NLT)

Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that
your sins may be wiped away.
Acts 3:19 (NLT)

Is there something in your life needing to be confessed? Do you feel you need to be perfect in order to live for Christ? Come to the Lord and allow Him to wash away your blemishes, and enter the beauty of His love, acceptance, and forgiveness.


Photo by Jeremy Bishop - Unsplash