A Weekly Walk in the Word

John 3:34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.

There is no limit to the blessings God pours out on me. One of the greatest blessings I have received was my high school sweetheart, who is now my husband. This week we celebrated our 39th anniversary. As I look back on the life we have created together, I thank God for placing this incredible man in my path. We were so young, but God knew that Mike was exactly who I needed to encourage me and walk beside me through it all – the good and the bad. But it didn’t stop there. God has continued to be at the center of our marriage. He blessed us with 3 amazing children and now a daughter-in-law and soon to be son-in-law. Blessings are around every corner when the Spirit is working in your life. He gives without limit!

I would love to hear what your favorite verse was from last week’s readings. This week’s readings are…..

Sunday – John 5:1-23

Monday – John 5:24-47

Tuesday – John 6:1-21

Wednesday – John 6:22-42

Thursday – John 6:42-71

Friday – John 7:1-30

Saturday – John 7:31-53

Luke 24:52-53 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

Last night I had the privilege of attending a Rend Collective concert. This 5 person band from Ireland were rock stars. Not only are they great musicians, but they have a wonderful story to tell about how God led them through difficult days near the sea in Northern Ireland to where they are today. They shared a message of finding joy no matter what your circumstances. We left the venue with our ears ringing and our hearts of fire!

The joy of the Lord is my strength – The joy of the Lord is my strength – In the darkness I’ll dance – In the shadows I’ll sing – The joy of the Lord is my strength

Dance and sing loudly this week as you praise Jesus!

I would love to hear what our favorite verse was from last week’s readings. This week we begin John with these readings…

Sunday – John 1:1-28

Monday – John 1:29-51

Tuesday – John 2:1-25

Wednesday -John 3:1-21

Thursday – John 3:22-4:3

Friday – John 4:4-42

Saturday – John 4:43-54

Luke 19:4-5 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately, I must stay at your house today.”

Have you ever climbed a tree as a child, just to sit peacefully in the branches as the birds work on their nests and the squirrels effortlessly run up one branch just to leap on the next? What heights would you climb to see Jesus? Jesus sees those uphill climbs and meets me there. He goes home with me knowing that I live my life seeking Him. And one glorious day Jesus will take me to His home where I will live forever.

Stay strong as you climb to new heights with Jesus!

I would love to hear what your favorite verse was from last week’s readings. This week’s readings are…..

Sunday – Luke 21:29-22:13

Monday – Luke 22:14-34

Tuesday – Luke 22:35-53

Wednesday – Luke 22:54-23:12

Thursday – Luke 23:13-43

Friday – Luke 23:44-24:12

Saturday – Luke 24:13-53

Luke 13:34 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!”

Oh, the imagery of this verse… to be gathered and safe under the wing of Jesus.

Our family has not been impacted by the rising cost of eggs because we have 13 hens in our chicken coop, who provide enough eggs for our entire extended family. That was until last week when a weasel found its way into the coop. It was awful. We lost all of our beautiful chickens.

I am blessed to know that I can find safety and comfort under the wings of Jesus whenever the weasels in life come around.

I would love to hear what your favorite verse was from last week’s readings. This week’s readings are…..

Sunday – Luke 18:1-17

Monday – Luke 18:18-43

Tuesday – Luke 19:1-27

Wednesday – Luke 19:28-48

Thursday – Luke 20:1-26

Friday – Luke 20:27-47

Saturday – Luke 21:1-28

HE IS RISEN. HE IS RISEN INDEED – ALLELUIA!

Luke 12:35 Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning,

I would love to hear what your favorite verse was from last week’s readings. This week’s readings are…..

Sunday – Luke 13:1-21

Monday – Luke 13:22-14:6

Tuesday – Luke 14:7-35

Wednesday – Luke 15:1-32

Thursday – Luke 16:1-18

Friday – Luke 16:19-17:10

Saturday – Luke 17:11-37

Luke 9:44-45 “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.” But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.

It is Holy Week. We are on our final walk into Easter. In the verses above, Jesus is trying to prepare his disciples for what is going to take place as He walked into Easter. But the disciples can’t comprehend what the journey to the cross entails. How could anyone understand the sacrifice Jesus is prepared to make future generations, for you and for me? How will you spend your week walking into Easter as you honor Jesus’ death and resurrection? God bless you this Holy Week.

I would love to hear what your favorite verse was from last week’s readings. This week’s readings are……

Sunday – Luke 9:51-10:12

Monday – Luke 10:13-37

Tuesday – Luke 10:38-11:13

Wednesday – Luke 11:14-36

Thursday – Luke 11:37-12:7

Friday – Luke 12:8-34

Saturday – Luke 12:35-59

Luke 6:45 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

When you believe there is good in the world, you are able to bring your good to every situation, sharing it with everyone you meet. You may be exactly what your friend needs today. Pour Jesus’ love into the world as your heart overflows into your words.

I would love to hear what your favorite verse was from last week’s readings. This week’s readings are…..

Sunday – Luke 7:11-35

Monday – Luke 7:36-8:3

Tuesday – Luke 8:4-21

Wednesday – Luke 8:22-39

Thursday – Luke 8:40-9:6

Friday – Luke 9:7-27

Saturday – Luke 9:28-50

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and thee dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.

The verses above are not verses from this weeks readings. Instead, they are the verses my daughter read at my mom’s funeral on Monday. As hard as it was to say goodbye, I find comfort in this passage. I did not say goodbye forever. I said goodbye until we meet again in the clouds. I will continue to look up knowing that she and Jesus are waiting for me in heaven.

Mark 16:4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. (My favorite verse from last week’s readings)

I would love to hear what your favorite verse was from last week’s readings. This week’s readings are…..

Sunday – Luke 3:23-38

Monday – Luke 4:1-30

Tuesday – Luke 4:31-5:11

Wednesday – Luke 5:12-28

Thursday – Luke 5:29-6:11

Friday – Luke 6:12-38

Saturday – Luke 6:39-7:10

Mark 15:33 At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.

My world filled with darkness this week on Wednesday night when my mom passed away. Life will never be the same again without her smile and all the conversations we had about, well almost everything. She was always happy to share her opinions. My world feels very dark and difficult to navigate right now. But because of Jesus, I know there are brighter days to come. My mom has moved from pain to comfort. Today she is dancing with the angels in the light of heaven.

I would love to hear what your favorite verse was from last week’s readings. This week’s readings are…….

Sunday – Mark 16:1-20

Monday – Luke 1:1-25

Tuesday – Luke 1:26-56

Wednesday – Luke 1:57-80

Thursday – Luke 2:1-35

Friday – Luke 2:36-52

Saturday – Luke 3:1-22

Mark 7:34 He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (Which means, “Be opened!”)

Jesus spoke the word Ephphatha and the man’s ears were opened! Jesus speaks the same word to us – Ephphatha – to be open, as we listen for Jesus. Be open to new experiences. Be open to new people. Be open to new possibilities. Be open to new opportunities. This week when you pray, pray with your hands open and your palms up. As you experiment with this new posture of prayer, be open to Jesus’ call in your life.

I would love to hear what your favorite verse was from last week’s readings. This week’s readings are…..

Sunday – Mark 8:11-8:38

Monday – Mark 9:1-9:29

Tuesday – Mark 9:30-10:12

Wednesday – Mark 10:13-10:31

Thursday – Mark 10:32-10:52

Friday – Mark 11:1-11:26

Saturday – Mark 11:27-12:17