Our Awesome God

  Hands of Peace, Heart of Service Scripture Foundations Isaiah 26:3: “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You...” 1 Peter 5:7: “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” Mark 10:45: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve...” Matthew 28:6: “He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.” The Foundation: A Mind at Rest In a world of constant noise, Isaiah 26:3 offers a promise of “perfect peace.” In Hebrew, this is expressed as Shalom Shalom. Repeating the word Shalom (completeness, soundness, welfare) emphasizes a peace that is absolute and unwavering. How do we access it? By keeping our minds “stayed” on God. The Hebrew word for stayed is Samak, which means to lean upon, rest, or support oneself. We aren’t just thinking about God; we are leaning our entire weight onto His character. This kind of peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of trust. When our hearts are anchored in Him, the winds may blow, but ou...

  The Refuge of the Redeemed “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” — Psalm 27:1 “But You, O Lord, are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” — Psalm 86:15 “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.” — Matthew 6:34 “Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of My burial.” — John 12:7 “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” — 2 Corinthians 5:21 The Reflection Life often feels like a race against the clock, fueled by the worry of tomorrow (Matthew 6:34). We focus on what we lack, what may go wrong, or what we fear, forgetting the nature of the One who holds time itself in His hands. Psalm 86:15 reminds us that God is not a distant judge waiting for us to stumble. He is merciful, compassionate, and abounding in steadfast love. He is the Light and Salvation of Psalm 27:1, the One who makes fear ...

  The Hope Within the Shadow Lamentations 3:55–66 (NLT) “I cried out to your name, Lord, from deep within the pit. You heard me when I cried, ‘Listen to my pleading! Hear my cry for help!’ Yes, you came when I called; you told me, ‘Do not fear.’ Lord, you are my lawyer! Plead my case! For you have redeemed my life. You have seen the wrong they have done to me, Lord. Be my judge, and prove me right. You have seen the vengeful plots my enemies have laid against me. Lord, you have heard the vile names they call me. You know all about the plans they have made. My enemies whisper and mutter as they plot against me all day long. Look at them! Whether they sit or stand, I am the object of their mocking songs. Pay them back, Lord, for all the evil they have done. Give them hard and stubborn hearts, and then let your curse fall on them! Chase them down in your anger, destroying them beneath the Lord’s heavens.” Psalms 31:9–16 (NLT) “Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am in distress. Tears blur...

  The Strength of a Steadfast Heart Jeremiah 20:10–13 (NLT) “I have heard the many rumors about me. They call me ‘The Man Who Lives in Terror.’ They threaten, ‘If you say anything, we will report it.’ Even my old friends are watching me, waiting for a fatal slip. ‘He will trap himself,’ they say, ‘and then we will get our revenge on him.’ But the Lord stands beside me like a great warrior. Before him my persecutors will stumble. They cannot defeat me. They will fail and be thoroughly humiliated. Their dishonor will never be forgotten. O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, you test those who are righteous, and you examine the deepest thoughts and secrets. Let me see your vengeance against them, for I have committed my cause to you. Sing to the Lord! Praise the Lord! For though I was poor and needy, he rescued me from my oppressors.” Psalm 27 (NLT) “The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? When ...

  Psalms 31:9-16 Have mercy on me, lord, for I am in distress. Tears blur my eyes. My body and soul are withering away. I am dying from grief; my years are shortened by sadness.  Sin has drained my strength;  I am wasting away from within. I am scorned by all my enemies  and despised by my neighbors— even my friends are afraid to come near me.  When they see me on the street, they run the other way. I am ignored as if I were dead, as if I were a broken pot. I have heard the many rumors about me, and I am surrounded by terror.  My enemies conspire against me,  plotting to take my life. But I am trusting you, O  lord, saying, “You are my God!” My future is in your hands. Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly. Let your favor shine on your servant. In your unfailing love, rescue me. 1 Samuel 16:11-13 Then Samuel asked, “Are these all the sons you have?”“There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied. “But he’s out in the fields watching the ...

  Psalms 40:1-7 I waited patiently for the lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.  He lifted me out of the pit of despair,  out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground  and steadied me as I walked along.  He has given me a new song to sing,  a hymn of praise to our God.  Many will see what he has done and be amazed.  They will put their trust in the lord. Oh, the joys of those who trust the lord,   who have no confidence in the proud  or in those who worship idols. O  lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us.  Your plans for us are too numerous to list.  You have no equal.  If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds,  I would never come to the end of them. You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings.      Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand— you don’t require burnt offerings or sin offerings. Then I said, “Look, I have come....

  Enduring Hope James 1:12 "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him." Matthew 6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you." Isaiah 41:10 "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." John 8:28 "So Jesus said to them, ‘When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own, but I say only what the Father taught me.’" Perseverance and Promise Perseverance in trials is not mere endurance; it is a “blessed” state. The word blessed (Makarios – Greek) means to be profoundly happy and favored—not because life is easy, but because God is near. James 1:12 reminds us that enduring hardship proves our love for God. It is...

Finding Strength in the Presence of God Scripture  “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18) “Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.” (Psalm 105:4) “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him...” (Jeremiah 17:7-8) “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” (Luke 18:1) Mondays can leave us feeling “crushed in spirit” before the day even begins. Yet today’s scriptures show us not just comfort—but a way forward: lean in, stay rooted, and don’t give up. God’s Proximity in Pain (Psalm 34:18): In Hebrew, the word for “close” is qārôb. It doesn’t just mean nearby—it means close enough to touch. When you are “brokenhearted” (šābar), shattered into pieces, God is not distant. He is qārôb—intimately present right in the middle of the wreckage. David understood this deeply. He wrote these words not from a place of comfort, but after...

Jeremiah 11:18 Then the lord told me about the plots my enemies were making against me. Psalms 7:1-2  I come to you for protection, O Lord my God. Save me from my persecutors—rescue me!  If you don’t, they will maul me like a lion, tearing me to pieces with no one to rescue me.  John 7:51 “Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?” he asked. 1 Peter 5:2 Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Entrusting the Shepherd The Unseen Plan (Jeremiah 11:18) Jeremiah says, “The Lord made it known to me.” Often, God’s timing feels abrupt or even disruptive to us. While these past nine months feels like an unfinished chapter, we trust that the Lord who brought Pastor Joyce and Pastor Victor to us is the same Lord now directing their steps seven hours away. The Hebrew word used here for “made it known” is יָדַע (yada), which means more than si...

A Path Prepared for You Joshua 1:9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Proverbs 16:7 When people’s lives please the lord,  even their enemies are at peace with them. Galatians 5:22-23 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!  Jeremiah 30:17 I will give you back your health      and heal your wounds,” says the lord.  “For you are called an outcast—      ‘Jerusalem for whom no one cares.’” Today, March 20, 2026, we stand at the intersection of God’s strength and His restorative grace. Walking with the Lord isn't about our own power, but about aligning our hearts with His divine rhythm. ​ 1. The Call to Courage ​We begin with Joshua 1:9: "Be strong and courageous... the Lord your God will be with you w...

 Loud Enough to Be Seen I know yesterday I told you about running out of propane and how it all worked out so well. What I did not tell you is about the cardinals. I was running around the house trying to make sure I had all the necessary paperwork. I was feeling anxious, even though the temperatures were staying up, even over 50 overnight. The weather still was expected to drop back to the single digits the next night. Now I have horrendous hot flashes and I sleep well in the cool. Ross does not. Since we found out he has cancer, he has been cold and worries a bit about being excessively cold, which is very understandable. So I was a bit stressed. Suddenly Ross says, “What is that crazy sound outside?” Then he asked, “Is that a cardinal?” “Yes,” I told him, “I can hear him loud and clear.” I looked out and found him in the treetop closest to the house, and his mate was on the other side of the house in the apple tree. Now if he would not have made so much loud noise, we never woul...

  The God Who Warms the Cold ​This devotion reflects on God’s faithful timing and provision through our recent trial with the winter cold. ​ Romans 8:28: "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." Philippians 4:13: "For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." Psalm 138:8: "The Lord will work out his plans for my life—for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever." Isaiah 41:10: "Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand." Psalm 30:5: "Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning." Jeremiah 33:3: "Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come." Psalm 28:7: "The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all...

  Resting in the Purpose of His Grace ​ March 16, 2026 ​In the quiet moments of March 16th, let’s reflect on how God meets us exactly where we are—whether we are weary, waiting, or simply needing a reminder of His presence. Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Isaiah 40:29 He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Lamentations 3:22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends. His mercies never ceased. Galatians 5:4 For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace. John 4:50 Then Jesus told him,"Go back home. Your son will live!" And the man believed ​The Divine Weaver ​Life often feels like a series of unpredictable events, some joyful and others deeply draining. In the middle of it all, Romans 8:28 reminds us that "in all things God wor...

   A Soft Heart Before God Psalm 95:8: “If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” Psalm 51:19: “A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit; a contrite and humbled heart, O God, You will not despise.” Luke 18:13–14: “The tax collector… beat his breast and said, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Hosea 6:6: “For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” We live in a world that often rewards hardening ourselves—becoming calloused to pain, stubborn in our opinions, and defensive of our ego. I truly understand this, because my stubbornness can sometimes be a stumbling block, but other times it is my strength. Knowing the difference takes prayer and honesty before God. I moved 18 times in 15 years at home with my parents. As adults, Ross and I hav...

  Return, Repent, and Love Hosea 14:1–5 Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for your sins have brought you down. Bring your confessions, and return to the Lord. Say to him, “Forgive all our sins and graciously receive us, so that we may offer you our praises. Assyria cannot save us, nor can our warhorses. Never again will we say to the idols we have made, ‘You are our gods.’ No, in you alone do the orphans find mercy.” The Lord says, “Then I will heal you of your faithlessness; my love will know no bounds, for my anger will be gone forever. I will be to Israel like a refreshing dew from heaven. Israel will blossom like the lily; it will send roots deep into the soil like the cedars in Lebanon.” Matthew 4:17 From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” Mark 12:28–34 One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the com...