Don’t Count the Cost

I read several different books as part of my devotions, and it’s always intriguing when the same topic is covered on the same day by more than one source. That may be coincidental, or it may not; in any case, I take it as a nudge from the Lord that I need to study more…

When Does God Challenge Us to “Prove” Him?

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. – Malachi 3:10 Last week,…

I Wrapped My First Christmas Gift This Week…

…but, fear not! I’m not one of those Christmas-crazy people who decorate before Halloween (not that I'm criticizing you, if you are one of those people). I admit, I do listen to Christmas music extremely early in the season. (As in, I have already plugged in my earbuds and indulged in my Christmas playlist on…

Old Soul Quotes: Giving

I've spent the week reading Randy Alcorn's book The Treasure Principle and learning Matthew 6:19-21, about saving up treasure in heaven. To continue with the theme which has so inspired me, I chose giving as the theme for today's post. Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same…

Memorize & Meditate: Matthew 6:19-21

Recently I've been reading The Treasure Principle, by Randy Alcorn. The book's theme verses are this week's Scripture memory selection. What a wonderful reminder to give here on earth so that we will have more to give Christ in heaven! Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and…

The Gift of Time

To me, the best thing about my birthday each year is my family’s gifts of time. The gifts themselves are lovely, of course, and as we celebrated my birthday this past weekend, I enjoyed opening every single one. My kids picked out a super cool Star Wars t-shirt for me, with a floral Storm Trooper…

Simple Gifts

Just before Christmas, my dad sent my daughter and I a box of tea--not a single box of one flavor, but a packing box filled to the brim with about 15 boxes of our favorite flavors of Bigelow tea, and a few others besides. Vanilla caramel, chocolate chai, lemon lift, pumpkin spice, earl grey, raspberry…

Secret Service

A dear friend once told me that she likes serving God behind the scenes, doing jobs that will most likely not receive the praise of men. In that way, she knows that her motivation to serve will be pure. She has done many such jobs in her life: cleaning the church, working in the nursery,…

Giving Like a Widow

My mom recently shared with me a story about my dear nana, who died when I was just eleven. In my earliest memories of her, Nana had been a widow for a good number of years, and she had adjusted well; but she struggled during the early days of her widowhood. She didn't know how…