Home/Belongingness Hello, reading friends! What I'm Meditating On: Belonging 4 Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before him—his name is the Lord.5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.6 God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. —Psalm 68:4-6 King David may have written Psalm 68 early in his reign—after defeating his enemies...
about 9 hours ago • 5 min read
Pulling Up the Roots of Bitterness NOTE: This is the concluding post to the series on forgiveness (see previous posts below). See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. — Hebrews 12:15 My wife is the gardener in the family, though I sometimes help. We clear a space, dig a hole, enrich the soil, plant the seeds, and water them. The reward for our labor comes when a tiny shoot pushes through the earth—as long as it's...
22 days ago • 2 min read
Hello, reading friends! For my American friends, I hope you had a fantastic Fourth of July. Here in the Philippines, July 4 is celebrated as Philippine-American Friendship Day. It was once observed as Philippine Independence Day, commemorating the signing of the Treaty of Manila, which granted the Philippines its independence from the United States in 1946. Today, Philippine Independence Day is celebrated on June 12, marking the country's independence from Spain in 1898. Later that same year,...
about 1 month ago • 5 min read
Hello, reading friends! I have a wooden box of old Scripture memory cards dating back to college. Some are hand written verses I've enjoyed stumbling across while reading the Bible. Most are yellowing and the edges worn from handling. To preserve them, I listed the verse references in a notebook and I'm gradually working my way through them in my quiet times. At the same time, I hope they spark an idea for a devotional such as the one that follows. Inspirational Thought "But he said to me,...
2 months ago • 4 min read
Jesus: Forgiveness In The Midst of Pain (Forgiveness Part 4) We reflect Christ when we forgive. But Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Then they threw dice to divide his clothes. --Luke 23:34 Two betrayals, deserting disciples, relentless mocking, and a brutal night of pulverising beatings. Jesus, hung on the cross, life leaking out of him. With whatever fortitude remained, he asked God to forgive those inflicting the most cruel punishment devised by...
4 months ago • 3 min read
Hello, reading friends! Thank you for your patience with the upcoming release of Behold, All Things Are Become New. I received feedback from an editor and am now writing an author's note and study questions for small groups and book clubs. Then I will work on the layout. When his abusive father appears uninvited, a groom must choose between forgiveness and the bitterness that could poison his marriage. If you haven’t already, you can get a sneak peek of the modified opening paragraphs to the...
5 months ago • 3 min read
Forgiveness Isn't Optional for Believers—It's Essential (Forgiveness Part 3) At some point, we find ourselves at a crossroads: to forgive or not to forgive. Pain and rejection are part of life in this fallen world. Sooner or later, someone will sin against us. How should we respond? Two passages of Scripture clearly place the responsibility on believers to extend forgiveness to one another. Ephesians 4:32 says, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ...
6 months ago • 3 min read
Hello, reading friends! In January, I made major changes to my short story Behold, All Things Are Become New. I believe these revisions will make it a stronger and more satisfying read. As a result, the release date has been pushed back a bit. When his abusive father appears uninvited, a groom must choose between forgiveness or the bitterness that could poison his marriage. Lessons Learned Short stories and novels are different creatures—and the number of pages isn’t the only reason. Short...
6 months ago • 3 min read
Jesus—The Name Above All Names “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.” —Matthew 1:21 When Joseph learned that Mary was pregnant, he planned to divorce her quietly. But an angel appeared and told him to take Mary as his wife. Her pregnancy was not the result of infidelity—it was the work of the Holy Spirit. The angel also gave Joseph a specific instruction: name the child Jesus, because he would save his people...
8 months ago • 2 min read