Slave No Longer

 11/8/2022

Isaiah 41:10 "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, i will help you. I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." 

Note: The Bible says "fear not" 365 times. I know I have shared this before, but it bears repeating. 

In the past several days I have been meditating on the grip of fear and how much it steals from your life. I know this firsthand as it stole an entire year plus of my life and my family's. That was 12 years ago now, but, unfortunately, is still fresh for those who lived it with me. This is particularly true for one member of my family. The memories of that dark time run deep.

Fast forward to this week, and I find myself looking at the consequences of fear and the lack of what happens when it takes over your mind, and often, your body. One situation occurred with a loved one of mine. She had a medical condition arise and it shook her badly. Now, this is not unusual for this person, or for that matter, other members of my family in fact. Covid has been the biggest monster for both her and me, but I digress. This morning, as I was getting ready for work, I sent her some of the songs that get me through the storms of life. Both are by Casting Crowns, and I will link them at the end of this post. I also wrote words of encouragement and said I would be praying. I had a deep feeling in my soul that all would be well, and, thankfully, it was. I did get to thinking how this worry and fear she was experiencing stole precious days away from her, as well as many nights sleep. Like I have said before, I have been there. Knowing her suffering made me sad, because I also knew that there was nothing at all I could do to ease it. The only thing that could was a clean bill of health. 

The other situation about fear was how it has kept me from attending church almost entirely since the beginning of Covid. I have gone on a few occasions when expressly invited to a special event that was taking place for someone I care about. That was what drew me back this past weekend. Another person I love dearly, I will call her Spirit daughter, was giving a presentation after going on a mission's trip to Africa. She had asked me to pray about coming, which I did. Sunday morning, I texted her I was praying, and I knew the Holy Spirit would be with her. I then got ready to go back to a place that I currently have complicated feelings about. My beautiful girl was sitting with her computer preparing for her first presentation of the morning when I walked in and she burst into tears, and I followed. It was a moment that I will never forget, and I was so profoundly blessed by. Was I leery about going? Yes. Would it have been easier to stary home? Yes. Would she have been gracious to me and understanding? Yes. Would I have missed the blessing of our moment and of her amazing presentation? Absolutely, yes! 

I could go on and on about other things that God is revealing to me about the loss of precious moments and opportunities. How many of my relationships have suffered because of my giving into fear? It is not at all where God wants me, or anyone of His children to be unless we are being chased by a ferocious wild animal or person for that matter. 

Every time I have been anxious about anything the past few weeks, all I can hear in my spirit is, "Do you trust Me?" Yes, is always my answer. In order to keep that trust foremost in my life, my faith in my Savior has to be much bigger than the fear the destroyer wants to keep me captive to. I pray I will be able to one day truly claim that I am totally surrendered to my Jesus and a salve to fear no longer.

I am, as always, a work in progress. 

Casting Crowns - Oh My Soul (Lyric Video) - YouTube

Casting Crowns - Just Be Held (Official Lyric Video) - YouTube

After the Obedience

11/4/2022

James 4:7 " Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you."

I had a wonderful experience this morning. After 37 days of passing the 40 days Right of Life campaign on my way to and from work, and feeling called to stop and participate today, I finally did. Most of the time the people standing outside in all kinds of weather praying and saying the rosary are Roman Catholics as that is the church that organizes the campaign. The 40 days are filled with prayer, non-judgement, and bringing awareness to the truth about the sanctity of life. This morning, however, not only I felt led to stop, but three men from a local evangelical church also were called to join this effort. I must say, the two lovely but reserved women that were scheduled to be there were not quite ready for our enthusiasm and boldness, but said they were blessed by it. I was so moved and felt the power of the Holy Spirit. I asked if we could all pray together, so one of the men offered a prayer as did I. I was so grateful that the daily Spirit tap led finally led me to obedience. 

Of course, the more we submit to God's will, the more the evil one is out to destroy us. Today, the battle did not come through the usual channels with the same buttons pushed. No, the devil knows when our armor is on tightly. So, how does he attack? He upends the ones we hold most dear, and that is exactly what happened today. Instead of taking me on knowing I was listening to God, seeking His will, and in prayer, he attacks the unprepared. It is so devious and so effective. He even knows exactly which buttons to push to activate our most sensitive areas that are the hardest to release to Jesus. Today, I saw first-hand how this happen to someone I dearly love. Sadly, there was nothing I could say to help fight this attack, for my loved ones amor only seems to be effective when battling for others. So, I sit quietly and hold my loved ones up to Jesus for comfort and so that they can finally believe the truth about themselves instead of the evil ones lies. 

Will this realization of my being obedient to God prompting an attack on someone I love stop me from doing what my Savior calls me to do? I can answer truly that no it will not. It will, however, draw me into deeper meditative prayer for those I love to be able to withstand the slings and arrows of the deceiver, and to trust Jesus in every battle. 

Isaiah 26:3 "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."

Inspired

10/24/2022

Matthew 5:16 "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

How will you shine your light?

I was bawling my eyes out late this afternoon, and it is all because of my sister-in-law, Linda. No, she did not hurt my feelings or say something offensive to me. On the contrary, she shared a video with me that made me ugly cry. I mean chest heaving, can't catch my breath, snot running down my face sobbing. She, dear reader, is doing the Lord's work every day in such a powerful way and touching the lives of so many young people who need to know the love of Jesus. 

The video was about a new group that is starting at the high school where she teaches religion. It is a national suicide prevention group called Hope Squad. Her school is the first one in her home state, New Jersey, that has adopted this program. It is 100% due to her faith, perseverance, and deep love and concern for her students. Last year, when she hit an obstacle, she didn't give up, and God blessed her school (and her) in a way that not even she expected. God always seems to do that doesn't He?  

The program was introduced via the school's daily news broadcast, the Daily Scoop. After a morning prayer was said, schedules were discussed, and the pledge was recited they showed the video about this beautiful suicide prevention peer program, and my dearest Linda was front and center promoting it with the same passion she puts into everything she does. Simply beautiful and profoundly inspiring. I started to cry even before that part began.

After watching about this critical mission, while still crying, I called Linda, and we talked for an hour about the program, her heart for her students, and how her greatest desire is to impart to them how much they are loved by Jesus. Her classroom is full of reminders of that love everywhere you look. She wants them to understand that no matter how dire things seem, there is always HOPE!

I am so blessed to have this powerhouse of faith in my life. We connect not only on a family level, or a friend level, but most deeply, on a faith level. She inspires me to want to live and love loud for Jesus in a bolder and more powerful way. 

Love you, Linda. God bless you always and in all ways. 

It About the Journey

October 17, 2022

James 4:15 "Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that."

Just about a year ago I published Blooms of Faith through Amazon's KDP publishing. I think to date 15 copies have been purchased. I never expected to become a bestselling author, but it is a bit discouraging to have sold so few. In the past two weeks Amazon has dropped the price of Blooms twice. I guess this is what happens to grossly underperforming books. My heart's desire was for Blooms to reach many people. I felt I had been called to begin writing a blog at the end of 2019, and that turned into the book. Of course, 2020 was a year none of us could see coming and Blooms reflects much of that time. It is also a meditation on the challenging and profound writings of Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest; a study that many in my personal circle find too difficult and antiquated. The vision was to try to demystify Chambers writings and show that even the simplest mind, (i.e., mine) could interact with this deeply moving study. 

It was a beautiful journey that I took with God every evening during that uncertain and difficult year. I never intended to publish the 366 days of the blog, yet I was also called to do so. To say that I struggled with imposter syndrome would be an understatement. Why would anyone read anything I wrote, much less what I had to say about Chambers learned and inspired writing. With all the self-doubt I had, I was counseled to publish for a wider audience. After praying for direction, I set out to edit and format Blooms into a document that could be published. This is a time consuming and grueling task, but I persevered. The day Blooms was available for purchase, my small family of three celebrated, and we lifted it in prayer. My only desire was that people would be blessed by using Blooms as a part of their daily devotional time. I posted a link on my one social media platform and waited. 

Most of the fifteen copies that sold did so in the first couple of days after publishing by a few people who wanted to support my efforts. Even my son purchased a copy. 💙 Thanks Ry. As I reflect on the year and what it means to have gone on such a person journey with God, I am blessed and, also, also sad. I thought possibly word of mouth would take over and people would respond. That did not happen. So, when even close family members didn't purchase a copy in support of me, I felt (and still feel) a deep injury. This, of course, is used by the evil one to make me question whether I should have taken such a leap of faith. I often battle with why I so crave other people's support and approval when God's love for me should be where I find my value. Yet I still cannot help but ponder, after all, if I was actually called to write Blooms. If God had truly given me the vision, wouldn't He open the door to people finding it and being blessed? I am sometimes left believing I am a charlatan and thinking maybe this was not what God wanted me to do at all. 

Recently, I had someone ask me what my goal for Blooms was. I answered that I wanted people to read it and be blessed. I had no delusions of grandeur about it becoming a best seller or being able to quit my day job, but the desire to know that people were sharing the writing and possibly reading Chambers original work become important to me. However, mediating on my friend's question helped me to understand that it was always about my journey during 2020 with God. Through all the trauma and uncertainly of that year, I was focused on not only interacting with scripture and being in prayer, but I was writing about faith and a relationship with God every day. It was my personal time that I shared with whomever felt led to read the blog. So, now I see the truth of it. That having a few souls that have read it and been blessed is more than I could ask for. If God has more for the 366-day devotional produced, than He will draw others to it. After a year of discouragement, I am finally releasing it fully to Him. I will now move onto the next part of my journey with my Savior, and the new vision God has given me. I pray He molds me into the shape of that vision and enables me to move forward with faith and confidence in Him alone. 

  

Don't Delay

9/7/2022

Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

As I know I have mentioned before, our home came with a very large and mature garden. Most of the flowers are perennials that require very little help from us to keep coming back year after year. I am, however, a reluctant gardener. It is not something I had ever taken up in my adulthood, but I used to help my mother with her gardens when I was a kid. I mostly weeded when I was young, although sometimes I helped plant her marigold seeds. We always had many every spring after collecting them throughout the summer. I make sure to plant marigolds every year, as they bring back happy memories for me. 

For the past six summers I have tried to keep up with all that this large, lovely area requires. I do okay, but I certainly will not be winning any blue ribbons for my efforts. Last July, however, after our pup came to live with us, I completely stopped tending the garden. She needed a lot of training, care, and attention, and, if I am being honest, I could not pull myself away from her. To say the garden became an overgrown jungle would be an understatement. Now we are having to make up for not being vigilant last season. 

So, I have been doing A LOT of weeding this summer. My goal is to go out for at least an hour a day, but I often wind up staying longer. There is so very much to do. This year, my husband mulches after I get a section cleared. Hopefully, that will help a bit in the future. 

As I was pulling out what felt like my millionth weed, I suddenly felt a kinship with my garden; how there is so much beauty there, but the weeds are always trying to take over and choke out what has been purposefully planted. Like I said, last year we were not successful stewards of this lovely place, and there was one particularly aggressive weed that took over a large section. We noticed the spread but were too distracted with the pup to take action. After all, the flowers it produced were also pretty, so what was the harm? Well, this aggressive weed took over almost all of our many Irises, and even though we try to get rid of it, it keeps coming back with a vengeance. 

This reminded me of the undealt with sin in my life. If I ignore it, thinking it isn't going to become invasive, it will take over. Afterwards, the spiritual gifts and fruit of the Spirit that the Lord so mercifully offers to me can be choked out, just like those beautiful Irises. Unfortunately, Satan can lull me into believing that, just like the pretty weed, my sin that goes even temporarily disregarded or unaddressed is not going to be a big deal. Of course, that is one of his biggest lies. Just like that weed that took over the flowers that were purposely planted, my sin can take over all the beauty I intentionally seek through my relationship with God, reading His Holy Word, and in prayer. 

Dear One, do not let a day go by without confession and true contrition. I know that this will be an ongoing focus for me. Thankfully, God's grace and mercy covers it all and is the only thing that can extract and cleanse the pervasive sin from my life. 

1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Unappreciative

8/8/2022

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Recently, my desire to live on the water has become a bit of an obsession. I will check realtor.com pretty much every day to see if anything even close to affordable pops up. Not much luck most days. A month back there was a possible camp, but it was in REALLY rough shape. It also was on leased land, so not the best. Then there was another camp that came up that seemed reasonable, but that one is over 3 hours away. Not very convenient for weekends. 

It furthered my desire when we were invited by our friends to come for a cookout at their house that is on a beautiful section of river. Their property is like a park and their view is stunning. As I walked their property, both joy for them and, sadly, envy came crashing down on my soul. Such an evil little sin that envy is. So, today I hopped back online to see what came had been posted since yesterday. I have to say that this new obsession of mine is a bit defeating, as most of the houses, even rustic camps, on the water are exorbitantly priced in today's real estate bubble. They are almost ALL out of reach, and the rare ones that aren't would be too much work or are too far away. It is an everyday disappointment and spurs my ungratefulness. Oh, how far I do have to go in my faith. 

Today happened to be a 65-degree August day, after weeks and weeks of brutally hot weather. So, this evening I decided to go out into our little English garden and do some of the weeding that has needed to happen during those sweltering days. (Boy, do weeds love heat!) After pulling out, I am embarrassed to admit, many weeds that were up to my waist, I sat back for a moment to just breath and quietly sit in the garden. (There I still sit as darkness falls and our many solar lights begin at come on one by one.) In these quiet peaceful minutes, as I peer out at the beautiful colors and greenery, gratitude fills my soul. I am struck, once again, buy the true blessing our home and grounds are. Thankfully, seven years ago this month, we were able to purchase this perfect little place for our family in an amazing neighborhood, in a safe and quaint small town. 

Why is it that I am so often not satisfied with what God has provided? Why is it that I am always looking for something that I think will fulfill all the desires of my heart when my Savior wants to be that fulfilment in my life? He is always calling me to look to Him, for He alone will bring that deeply desired peace to me soul. 

I am, as always, a work in progress.

Good and Evil

 5/14/2022

1 John 2:15 "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

"Evil always eats its own." Ryan Collins

It was 93 degrees today in Maine, so our family decided to watch and old campy movie. We are big movie watchers and often prefer old ones to what is currently being produced. All movies, and any story really, has a central conflict. Many have good against evil themes; this can even be found in Rom-Coms. In these stories, good almost always prevails. 

The movie we watched today was Latitude Zero. It's about some scientists and a reporter that have a mishap with an underwater experiment and get taken to a deep-sea utopia where there is no greed, war, of politics; all the people who live and work there are striving towards a higher purpose. There is, however, an evil genius that also has an underwater compound. He is full of arrogance and hubris, only wanting to destroy good and gain as much power as he can. He, of course, has other unscrupulous people under his employ. 

The good guys are all about teamwork and altruism, and the evil people turn on each other in a blink. While the heroes stand by each other even against the greatest of dangers, the villains will happily sacrifice each other if doing so provides a shot at victory. This is also true in our spiritual battle against evil. Many times, the church or "good guys" are striving to help people and live by God's word. Although not perfect, the goal should always be to strive for something better and reflect the love of Jesus. People who operate in evil by concentrating only on their self-interests will sell each other out and do anything to succeed. You can see this happening ever day if you watch the news. Being motivated by selfishness is not of God; it is what the evil one uses not just to destroy an individual. but sometimes also a community.

So, I ask myself, which am I?

Straight Talk

5/10/2022

James 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him."

If you have not read the Book of James in a while, or perhaps never did, I would recommend it for sure. After the Gospels, I would say Psalms, Proverbs, and James are probably my favorite books of the Bible, even though my life verses are in Philippians. 😇I love James because it is written very clearly. It starts out with straight talk and keeps going, and that is what I love. When I share with other Christians that I am very fond of this book, they usually tell me it is their least favorite. There I go, being a rebel again.

My husband and I are reading through it once again, and it always sparks a lively conversation between us. This morning we were both challenged, like we usually are when meditating on this book.  The heading of chapter 1:19-27 is "Hearing and Doing the Word". Just by that, you know you are in for some truth bombs, so let's unpack verses 19 and 20. "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God." Boom! What if everyone in the world practiced this way of communication? 

We live in a culture where everyone talks, but precious few listens. We need not look farther than cable news or our politicians to see such hubris. The verse doesn't begin with talking, but instead listening, and it says, "quick to listen". You almost get the vision of a coach getting their teams attention by shouting, "Listen Up!" This charge is difficult in our society, particularly because of the distraction of technology. I know I am guilty of half-listening while on my phone, and I am not proud of that fact. If we could all really listen to one another we would certainly gain a deeper understanding of someone else's point of view and their journey. It is also a sign of respect. 

The next part is, "slow to speak". This is sometimes a tough one for me too, as I usually practice a shoot-from-the-hip kind of communicator. I am also uncomfortable in the silences, especially when I do not know someone well. However, I am learning to be more thoughtful when I speak, even though that takes effort for me. I have certainly known people that are slow to speak, but they usually are tougher for people to build relationships with. We are so used to rapid-fire conversation and information that being with someone who is thoughtful when speaking is a bit rare. It is, however, Biblical indeed. 

The third part says, "slow to anger". Boy, is this one that is lost in our society today. Anger seems to be the go-to emotion with all of the divisiveness in our current world. The idea of people agreeing to disagree has become somewhat of an antiquated notion. Covid and our political climate have certainly brought out anger in people that I would have considered very gentle and passive before. Many people are just letting their anger fly without even thinking anymore. It is a sad state, indeed. Even believers I know are easy to anger recently over the state of our world. The follow up, of course, is that man's anger does not produce the righteousness of God. Let that just roll over you for a minute. We may claim righteous indignation when we are angry, but if we really stopped to think about our motivation, it would probably come from a place of judgement. As believers, we know that judgement belongs to God. 

So in summary:

1. Listen with openness and willingness.

2. Consider what you say before you say it.

3. Do not get angry, for our anger does not honor God.

Like I said, these verses are clear and to the point. If we could implement these three things and take action, it could change everything. 

Thanks Mom

 5/8/2022

Proverbs 31:28 "Her children rise up and called her blessed. Her husband also, and he praises her."

I have taken a few days off from blogging because I wasn't feeling well. Stress often does that to me. I am feeling much better today, so I am back to it once again. For the few of you who do read daily, my apologies. 

Today is Mother's Day. I think it is right for there to be a day celebrating mothers, as most of them are unsung heroes all year long. It is good for children to pause once a year to reflect on how important their mothers have been on their journey. It has been said many times that mothers wear a lot of hats throughout any given day, without expecting praise or gratitude. The best moms lead by example and teach their children how to live by showing them. I know this was true of my mom. She raised five children, often alone because my father was a Merchant Marine. She took care of everything in the house and all of us kids, which I know was not easy. I cannot imagine having teenagers and toddlers at the same time, but that is exactly what my mom had. So much energy coming from both age groups, but she handled it all with grace. We always had clean clothes, nourishing food, and a safe place to call home. She cared for us when we were sick or hurting, and she didn't expect anything in return. She was a very petite lady who was a powerhouse of strength. 

One of the biggest influences my mother had on me was her deeply devoted faithfulness. She was not only faithful to my dad for the 30 years they had together (and beyond), but she was faithful to Jesus until her very last breathe. She didn't tell her children about how to be a Christian; she lived it. She was devout all of my childhood and continued to grow on her faith journey. The last five years of her live, while she suffered the effects of stroke, were the most faith-driven of her life. Even though this time is often fraught with sad and difficult memories of our vibrant mom being so fragile and incapacitated, for me it was filled with conversations about her love for Jesus and His love for her. She could have been frustrated or angry while shaking her fist heavenward, asking the unanswerable question, "why?" But instead, she exuded peace, grace, and faith. Shortly after the stroke, she told me she had a dream that she was going to be a minister and speak to many people about Jesus. This happened every time she shared the love of Jesus with everyone that came into her small world. Even through her brokenness, her bright blue eyes shined, and the Holy Spirit power was evident to all that were around her. It was so amazing and inspirational, and I am forever grateful that God gave me such a wonderful mom. 

Love you mom, forever and always. 

Acclimation

 5/5/2022

1 Peter 2:2 "Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation-"

We have almost had our sweet pup for a year now. She is loveable and spoiled, but she has the most amazing personality. Another thing about her is that she does not like when any of the family leaves the house. We can be gone for two minutes or a few hours, but she reacts the same every time we walk in the door. This evening, my husband and son went out for a while, and for the first time she did not pace, cry, and look for them, Instead, she let them go and took up her usual space on the back of the couch (we believe she is part cat). When they arrived home, she was also quite calm instead of the crazy jumping pup that usually greets us. It was a bit surprising for the guys, but I looked at it like a good sign that she is finally starting to self-sooth. 

When we adopted her last summer, the paperwork that came with her said that it would take a full year for her to truly acclimate to her new home, and we all saw the start of that tonight. It has taken her a while to listen, learn, and become a part of our family. Even though we accepted her right away, she needed to learn about her new environment and to trust us. We, on the other hand, needed to be patient with her while she was learning to trust and adjust to us.

I was thinking how it is the same with us as Christians. When we yield to Jesus, we are adopted into a new family. Most people start attending a local church and begin to become part of a fellowship of believers. We have to, all of us, acclimate to a new way of life. We learn to follow the Bibles teaching and live by its precepts. All these things take time, just like it has for my pup. Also like her, we eventually learn to trust and lean into our new way of life. 

I also think that we as mature believers need to also be patient with new Christians while they are learning and growing in the faith. We need to be available to disciple while letting them grow closer to Jesus in their own time; for we are all on our own journeys. We need to just love them, and God certainly will do the rest. 

Extended Excuse

5/4/2022

1 Peter 3:15 "But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet so it with gentleness and respect."

I have only physically been to church a few times since the beginning of Covid. Last time was before the surg that started in late fall. Since a symptom of my OCD is avoidance, Covid has seemed like a very valid reason. No one judges me for it at all as many others have made similar choices about not only church services, but many other activities that involve large groups of people. Unfortunately, this new hermit like behavior is taking its toll in many ways. Fear is always just around the corner ready to undo me. 

You see, I am not a person who craves group interactions. These times of having to rise to a social occasion wear me out. I find even sometimes find going out to dinner with my family draining. I am happy to stay in the safety of my little house and do my own thing. The problem is, I feel God leading me back out into the world for Him. He has more for me to do, and I feel that deep down in my soul. I believe He has more for every believer to do at this current time in our world. It is time to stop hiding and being comfortable. 

So, my little anxiety ridden, hermit self needs to prepare to get back out there. Where will God lead me? I have no idea. Will it be into the same circles as before? Will it be the same church? Will it be the same fellowship? Will it be down a path I never imagined? I cannot say. All I know is that the tug is happening, and it is time for me to prepare for whatever lies ahead. It is the end of my extended excuse. 

Going to have to spend more time in prayer seeking and searching. 

Super Soldier

 5/3/2022

John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Sumaria, and to the end of the earth."

If you have seen the Mavel Avengers movies - and most people have - you know what a hero looks like. My favorite character of the franchise is Captain America. I feel this way because he stands for truth even when those around him do not understand. As I was praying in my closet chapel this morning, I got an image of a warrior with a sword and shield. Now Cap doesn't use a sword, but he has one of the most recognizable shields in popular culture. 

In the first Captain America movie, Steve Rogers is just a scrawny young man who wants to enlist in the army during WWII. He is all heart and courage, but he is not physically up to the challenge. Because of his persistence, he is given the chance to be something more, much more. He has a procedure that changes him physically for battle, making him a super soldier. However, he maintains all of the characteristics that brought him to that enviable place. He has to submit to this happening and does so with gladness and expectation. During the procedure, he is placed into a capsule of sorts, and injected with a secret serum. When the door of the capsule opens, he is ready for battle in a different way than before. Initially he is all spirit, but now he has the strength to fight. 

So, as I was praying this morning - feeling willing, yet unprepared, for battle, as I often do - I thought of the transformation that occurs through the Holy Spirit. It is through a yielding to the Spirit's indwelling that I find my power and ability to fight. My prayer chapel is like Cap's capsule, and the Holy Spirit is my super soldier serum. That connection and indwelling is how I get my strength to battle. I envisioned a heavenly shield in one hand and the Godly sword (scripture) in the other. These are my weapons given to me by God. Like Cap, I have to be willing to submit to this transformation, but unlike his one and done injection, I have to submit daily to this regeneration. I have to seek out the strength I need each day to do God's will, to journey wherever He leads me. 

Divided We Fall

 5/2/2022

Romans 16:17-18 "I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive."

Division in the church is like a cancer, and unfortunately, it seems to be growing.  Christian churches use the same text to build their doctrine on, so how can there be so many different interpretations? I have shared before that a former pastor of ours used to say, "In essentials unity, in all else grace." I have held this as wisdom for the past 30 years, and I still do. Yet I have to wonder about why there are so many things that we disagree about. The Bible is the inspired Word of God. I believe that to the core of my soul. My husband has often said that if you can extract or think that even one part of it is nothing more than a fable, than you cannot uphold any of it as truth. These words too are wise. 

When my son was younger, he once said that there is no such thing as a place of gray where belief is concerned. He also said that those that walk in gray places are too weak or misguided to choose. Again, I find these words very wise. In the song "Slow Fade" by Casting Crowns, part of the chorus is "It's a slow fade when you give yourself away, it's a slow fade when black and white turns to gray." It is a powerful lyric, and exactly what my son was saying. 

So, how to combat this place of gray that causes division? I believe it is by letting the living and active Word of God be the total focus of our worship and our personal journeys with Jesus. To seek the Holy Spirit's leading for illumination on how to apply the Bible to all areas of our lives. We must continue to worship and pray for our churches to become places of truth and sanctuaries for all people. A sanctuary from the evils of this world where everyone can find community, love, mercy, and the truth of the Gospel. If division continues, we will fall, and worse yet, fail to bring the love of Christ to a hurting world.

Rooted

5/1/2022

Ephesians 3:17 "So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith - that you, may be rooted and grounded in love."

We have a large private English flower garden behind our home. It is absolutely glorious in the summertime, and it is one of my favorite places to spend time. It is also something we inherited when we purchased our home almost seven years ago. It is full of perennial flowers and bushes, and we always add some annual flowers to it every year. It is a peaceful and wonderful place to have a meal, read a book, listen to music, or just sit quietly and marvel at the beauty of God's creation. I love every minute I am able to spend there, and I am grateful.

This large garden, however, does require many hours of work to keep it looking and feeling like a place someone would want to spend their time. There is the cleanup after the winter months. I cannot express how many maple seeds rest there, or how I pull so many maple shoots that we could start a forest with. There is the daily watering, which thankfully my son has taken on. Then there is the constant weeding, and because I have OCD that is often difficult for me to ignore. Last summer, after we got our puppy, I largely neglected the garden, and it became over grown. One issue was a thistle weed that took hold, and although it was pretty, it got out of control. Just today I was able to pull up part of it, but even this small plant had roots that went deep. Unfortunately, the larger ones are going to require quite a lot of work to extract. Again, we have this issue because of neglect. 

I got to thinking that it is the same with our sin. When we face it and deal with it right away, it will not overtake us. However, when we neglect our sins and let them run rampant in our lives, the roots will be difficult to remove. Even if we try after a while, we may not get it all out of the soil of our souls, and it will just grow back again. Thankfully, Jesus is the gardener that never neglects us, His children. When we confess with all contrition and submit to Him, He will extract the deepest roots of our sin. Then we can be firmly rooted in God's love and mercy. 

Content?

4/30/2022

1 Timothy 6:6-11 "Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into this world, and we cannot take anything out of this world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs" "

As I have shared before, I long to live on the water. Truth be told, I look at lake homes pretty much daily. It is a far-flung dream, and yet I pray one day God blesses us with just such a situation. I guess I will never give up hope. I know my family thinks that this longing means I am not content with our current living situation. Now, I do love our home and I feel blessed to have a perfect set up for our family. We live in a nice neighborhood in a lovely little town that is very coinvent to everything. We can walk the dog for miles with all the side roads that connect and wind. We even have a park on the water that is just a few blocks away, and at certain times of year we can see the water from our front yard. It is a wonderful spot, and I am grateful. Yet the desire and draw of the water is always there. 

Contentment is a funny thing, and often times difficult to maintain. We may be happy with 95% of our lives, but there is that small 5% that wants something a little different or maybe just a little more. You can really boil this down from the big things in life to just wishing your living room was a different color. Satisfaction is tricky, I guess. 

In Philippians 4:11-13 Paul speaks of contentment. "...for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." As a believer, my contentment should not be based on the temporal things of life but rather on my relationship with Jesus. If all I do is look around me at the things of this world, I will never find that peace. However, if I keep my heart, mind, and soul focused on my Savior and His will I will not only find contentment but also joy. 

I am, as always, a work on progress. 

 

Past Pain

4/29/2022

Romans 8:18 "For I consider the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the glory that is to be revealed to us."

We all have a story. We carry around pain from long ago. My husband has some sad and difficult memories from when he was young, and so do I. Our childhoods were very different and our pain from different sources, but that pain runs deep. Usually the difficult - or even joyous, I guess - events we experience when we are young inform who we become in adulthood. 

I have often thought about that over the years, processing the "why" of who I am and how I act. I can tie many of my actions and reactions to the horrible bullying I endured at the hands of the older girls in my neighborhood. I understand very clearly that much of my empathetic nature is due to those incidents. That, of course, is just the tip of the iceberg for me, though. My husband largely had learned to stuff down those painful experiences from childhood throughout his adulthood, although they still factor into his actions and reactions. Over the years, these formative memories have come out of him at a glacial pace. We have been married for a long time and I am still learning things about him. 

Just this morning, he shared something with me from when he was in first grade. It was both a happy memory and a hard one all at once. During our devotional time, as he spoke of this event, I could see him relive it all over again. It was such a sad moment, yet it uncovered for me why he reacts to certain situations the way he does. Again, this was a revelation to me after many years together. I think we often speak of these events during our time of reading the Bible and prayer, because God is healing him and breaking down the walls of self-protection he has built brick by painful brick. God is also teaching me how to better respond to certain reactions, or in my husband's case, non-reactions. He is healing and I am gaining clarity. It is so true that God never gives up on us, and we are both so very grateful.

As always, my husband and I are works in progress. 

A Quiet Warrior

4/28/2022

Psalm 144:1-2 "Of David. Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle; he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge..."

I am not a fighter, and by that, I mean someone who needs to win. I relent in most arguments, and don't even try to give an opposite point of view, especially with those I know who tend not to listen to other's insights or opinions. I have learned, through God's grace and mercy, to hold my tongue. I have been a fighter in the past FOR SURE. I used to try to come out on top when I thought I was right, but honestly as I age it is just too exhausting. Besides, I have too many other battles to fight.

Now, because I am not one prone to argument doesn't mean I am not a warrior. One is done in a prideful way, but one is done in faith. I know I can come before God boldly in prayer. I can speak the truth of the Gospel boldly as well, for it is God's Word and not my own. I can love out loud, even when it isn't easy, because God has certainly done the same for me. Like the song from Casting Crowns goes, "'Cause I'm just a nobody, trying to tell everybody, all about somebody who saved my soul." Most warriors' names throughout history are forgotten, but the battle they wage is remembered especially if they fought on the side of good. I just want to be a warrior for my Jesus, and to glorify God with my life. No argument needed. 

Let Him In

 4/27/2022

Colossians 1:13 "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son."

This evening I saw and shared a post on Facebook that shook me and made me contemplative. It was a line drawing sketch of a small church. Jesus outside the closed door as the members are blocking it from the inside saying, "Don't let Him in! He will change everything!" Whomp! Boy, did it hit me hard. Right away, I thought of it being a church issue, like in the picture. I reposted with a bold, "LET HIM IN!" and "He WILL Change EVERYTHING!"

I, like many of you, am a walking example of how Jesus can change a life. Do we, however, accept the watering down of faith? We need Him central in our churches, in our lives, and in our world. Unfortunately, often times there is but a mere shadow of Him in all of these areas. Many of our churches have given way to secular interpretations of the Bible and adopted an accepting attitude towards sin. There may also be an emphasis on Sunday morning coffee hour and fellowship being what draws people to one church or another instead of the power of the Word being preached there. As individuals, we hurry about day after day, squeezing devotional time between other tasks or activities, leaving little to no time for our Savior. Our world has increasingly stricken God from the public square, and now sharing the Gospel with others can be looked upon as harassment. 

Do not go gently into that good night, fellow believers! We must stand for truth and what we know is right. We must speak that truth wrapped in love and mercy, but we still must speak it. We must pray and lift this world to our Savior, and we must be willing to do what He asks of us at any moment. Jesus will give us the vision and the strength through the Holy Spirit to do so.  

The Call

 4/26/2022

Psalm 119:105 "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light onto my path."

Recently, I have felt the call more and more to be vocal about the truth. I do not feel equipped to be as bold as I feel led to be, but I know God will give me the ability and strength I need to go down this unfamiliar path. The world has become a place of increasing darkness, but God is on the thrown and Jesus is the Light. John 8:12 "Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."' His Word and prayerful meditation will always light the way. So, I will prepare to go boldly forward listening only to my Savior. It is time for this believer to fully submit no matter the cost. 

A Call to Arms

 4/25/2022

Romans 12:2 "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

I think we can all agree that the destroyer firmly has control over a lot of areas in our world. Even with all that is raging, this next thing seemed inconceivable to me - but I guess anything goes now. If you have not yet heard about this next item, prepare to be shocked. Recently, my sister sent me an article about how Westminster College, a private liberal arts college in Utah, is offering a course on pornography. The class is not about the effect that it has on society or the brain, or the abuse rampant throughout that industry; it is a regular film studies class. The college catalogue description reads as follows: "Hard core pornography is as American as apple pie and more popular than Sunday night football. Our approach to this billion-dollar industry is as both a cultural phenomenon that reflects and reinforces sextual inequalities (but hold the potential to challenge sexual and gender norms) and as an art form that requires serious contemplation." (Source Foxnews.com although it has been reported on by many outlets.)

Just when I thought colleges couldn't get any more dangerous or manipulative to young minds, this happens. Currently, there are fourteen students enrolled in this class. The teacher has also said that a student may leave at any time without punitive action if they become uncomfortable, so I guess they think that is helpful. Oh my. Just as people are becoming so afraid to even give a compliment to the opposite sex for fear of being accused of unwanted attention or harassment, a college offers a course like this. Boy, the evil one sure does know how to manipulate our weak human minds. 

Brothers and sisters, we need to rise up and fight the good fight, not just with prayer but also by raising our voices in truth. The more we accept the slow simmering sin in our world, the harder it becomes to fight. Have we given in to the point where this kind of class is now not only offered, but acceptable? Have we silently stayed in our comfortable little Christian worlds for so long that others look upon us as endorsing (or at least accepting) horrible things? Will we continue to remain quiet in this world of rampant and unbridled sin, just because it is easier, or will we be willing to put on our spiritual armor and fight? We must pray, inform others by using our voices and social media, and we must, above all, share the transformative Good News of the Gospel will everyone. I do believe, dear ones, that God expects nothing less from His children. 

James 4:17 "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin."

Good Day

 4/24/2022

John 14:6 " I am the way and the truth and the life..."

There is a saying I have heard recently that goes, "It's a good day to have a good day." This is, of course, supposed to set a course for concentrating on positivity. There are many sayings that have a similar meaning and desired effect. In our current world, people look to many things for strength or encouragement. There are positive affirmations on plaques, jewelry, note pads and cards, mugs, and even clothing often with a focus on self. These are all fine, of course, but where does real affirmation come from. It comes from God.

I look for affirmations from God's Holy Word, and I find strength through my relationship with Him and through the Holy Spirit. Sure, you can find verses on all those items as well, and they, hopefully, invoke a faithful mediation. True peace, joy, and hope can only be found in Christ. 

Suffer

4/23/2022 

James 5:13 "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray..."

Watching people you love suffer in any way is so awful especially when there is nothing practical you can do for them. Most people would walk through fire for those they love. I know I sure would. When there is nothing to be done to relieve suffering, I go to God in prayer. (I actually do that when I can do something practical to help as well.) Lifting another up in petition to God is the most powerful act in the world, although waiting for His answers can be excruciating. 

We are told in scripture that we should persevere, it helps us grow in strength and faith. Romans 5:3-5 "More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and the endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put is to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."

So we must all, the sufferer and the people who love them, never give up because walking forward in faith is where we find hope. 

Truth or Judgement

 4/22/2022

Matthew 22:36-39 "'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?' Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself."'  

Often when I write, I become concerned that I may sound too judgmental in what I am meditating on. Then I think if I am pondering truth, sometimes it may sound harsh or unkind. Today is one of those days, yet I will continue with what is on my heart. 

Do some people truly only care about themselves and others that they deem worthy? It seems unfathomable to me, but I think it may be true. I know someone who seemingly fits into this category, and they proclaim Christ as their Savior. It strikes me as odd, though, since loving others is the second greatest commandment, and it is to be done without caveat. So, how can someone claim Christ and not love others? 

It is true that most of us are not loving to everyone all the time. We all fail in this area of faithfulness, but what about those who live this way all the time? What about those who keep their own tribe close and cared for, but forget others, or worse, treat them with disdain? In our world today, it actually doesn't take long to find many people who are claiming Christ while either judging or even hurting others. Do any of the rest of you feel the weight of this current situation in our world? I know I certainly do. 

The antidote to all sin is submission to Christ and prayer, but are we as believers doing these things? If we were, wouldn't it be transformative? Are we modeling that behavior for others? Am I? If not, then there is certainly a lot of work to do. 

Contained Tongue

 4/21/2022

James 3:8 "But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil full of deadly poison."

This verse is so true. I know for myself, even if my intention is not to be poisonous, my tongue can lash stronger than a whip. It can inflict more pain than any physical strike ever could, for an injury dealt with words is both emotional and spiritual. My issue is not to cause harm intentionally, but when I drill down on a subject, as I often do, it can leave others fighting for their lives drowning in a wake of words. 

This is mainly true for my husband and son, as they get the full brunt of my penchant for talking mixed with OCD. It is not a fun cocktail at all. Unfortunately, I do not usually realize they have been "over served" until I finally recognize the familiar defeated or overwhelmed look on their faces. I thank God every day that they are both men of faith who forgive easily. 

I often pray and pledge that I will never again use my poisonous tongue for any reason, but that submission is short lived when life gets difficult, and I feel I "need to try to "help" the situation by talking it through. When will I ever learn that advise if best given when sought for? Lord, forgive me. 

So, as I process yet another failing on my part and how I gave over to sin once again, I will meditate on the verse I have written on a small white board on our refrigerator. Psalm 19:44 "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to in your sight, O' Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." Maybe this time I will finally fully submit this area of my life to my Savior. 

I am, forever and always, a work in progress. 

Precious Time

 

4/20/2022

2 Peter 3:8 "But do not overlook this fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."

As I have shared before, my husbands new job is very challenging in many ways. He has his own struggles, and we do pray together about those, but I have one that rises to the top; a loss of time together. He has not had a full day off in months and there is a lot of travel involved. I am alone, a lot. 

Recently, due to this life shift, I have been thinking about my parents and the time they spent apart. My dad was a Merchant Marine, and my mom worked at home raising five children and taking care of everything in the household. True, she did not have to worry about money, but they sacrificed the most precious commodity of all: time. They were married a mere 30 years before he died in an automobile accident at 52. Much of that 30 years they spent apart. I have given their relatively short journey together a lot of consideration before, and have marveled at their commitment to one another and my mother's amazing strength. In the light of the new circumstances my husband and I find ourselves in, my parents marriage as become even more of an inspiration to me. The fact of the matter for me is, however, I do not want to sacrifice time with the one I love. I am, much to my chagrin, being asked to do exactly that. It is not the same sacrifice my mother had to make, but it still exacts a cost.

One area where I KNOW my mom found strength for this oh-so difficult life was her faith. I am positive that it is what held her together, and my dad's faith too actually. She missed him, but he missed her and all of us kids. Neither one ever wavered in their devotion to their faith, and I know that is where they had the strength to endure. I know that during this difficult and unexpected trial Randy and I are experiencing, God will give us strength to not just survive but thrive. He will carry is through when we become weak and give is power to follow His leading; all we need to do is keep going vertical and trusting Him in all things. I am grateful that He, once again, has revealed to me how precious time is, and that I must be thankful for every moment given. To God be the glory.

Rescued

4/19/2022

John 3:17 "For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him."

I am obsessed with watching doggie rescue videos on Facebook. I cannot get enough of seeing people save dogs from a dangerous or cruel situation and love them into a happy life. They are at once painful to watch and yet have such joyous conclusions. I love a happy ending. 

The common denominator with all the rescuers is that they all start with a recognition of suffering, have great patience, and do the rehabilitaion work with love. Most of the dogs experience a profound physical and behavioral change. They learn to trust and be loved.

I think these videos speak to me because they are about saving a being who cannot same themselves. Isn't that exactly what Christ does for us. Before yielding to His saving grace we are trapped, in pain, and broken. Then He reaches down to rescue us with patience, mercy, and unconditional love. This is the happiest ending of all. 

It is Barabbas

4/18/2022

Mark 15:15 "So Pilot, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified,"

My family watched the 1961 movie Barabbas, starring Anthony Quinn as the title character. This is a fictional story about the criminal that was set free instead of Jesus, based on a book of the same name by Par Lagerkvist. We began watching out of curiosity, and we were shocked by the strength of its message.

It is a "what if this happened?" kind of story, one that is both powerful and very atmospheric. In the story, Jesus, who Barabbas sees when He is sentenced and crucified, never truly leaves him throughout a long and very difficult journey. At one point, Barabbas exclaims he cannot be killed, but this was more of a curse than a blessing. He believes it is because he was set free while innocent Jesus was sentenced to death. He feels it is a curse, but has a believer tell him it is God's will. He actually asks different versions of, "Why did He die instead of me?" throughout what winds up being a very long life.

In the end, as he is imprisoned with a group of Christians after the burning of Rome, he meets Peter among them. This is where the most profound truths are spoken. Peter tells him that he had been wrestling with faith in Christ all throughout his life, but that Jesus was with him all the while. Peter states that, "In His eyes, every man is the entire world, and He loves each man like no other." Then he offers, "The kingdom is within us, there is nothing more to fear." Such amazing truth! 

There are many scenes throughout the film where Barabbas comes out of the darkness and into the light. He is imprisoned and released literally each time, but it is more reflective of the spiritual prison he remains in while he fights the call of Jesus on his life. The ending scene is just an amazing juxtaposition, as Barabbas gives his spirit over to Jesus. Even at the finale, he speaks of darkness as he enters the heavenly light. 

If you have not yet seen this movie, I would highly recommend it for its thoughtfulness and truth, for Barabbas is all of us. "Why did He die instead of me?"

Resurrection Day

 4/17/2022

John 11: 25-26 "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. , Whoever believes in me, though he may die, yet he shall live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?"'

Nothing can change the glory of Christ's resurrection and how the world was changed because of it. With His death and resurrection, He restored our connection to God. Jesus is the bridge. None of us deserved the gift He gave to each and every one of us. He bought new life to everyone who repents and yields to Him as Lord. He gave us this precious gift though His mercy, love, and grace, and became the Savior of the world. 

"Because he lives. I can face tomorrow.

Because he lives, all fear is gone.

Because I know, he holds the future.

An life is worth the living, just because he lives." Bill and Gloria Gaither 

The Longest Day

 4/16/2022

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but but have eternal life."

Every year on this day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday I think about how Jesus' disciples must have felt after all they had experienced leading up to His death on the cross. This man that they left their lives to follow was now gone, and they were scared and still did not truly understand. They called Him Master, Teacher, and Lord, they listened to Him preach, they saw Him heal the sick and perform miracles, and yet he did not save Himself. They must have felt fear and such unimaginable grief. That day was truly a dark one indeed. 

Little did they know the overwhelming joy that would come in the morning. 

The Greatest Gift

4/15/2022

Matthew 27:32-66

The Crucifixion of Jesus

32 As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. 33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 34 There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 36 And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.

38 Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” 41 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42 “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

The Death of Jesus

45 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli,[c] lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).[d]

47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”

48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49 The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and[e] went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”

55 Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph,[f] and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

The Burial of Jesus

57 As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59 Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.

The Guard at the Tomb

62 The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”

65 “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.