Planning a New Hope

  An Important Tool in Winning a Battle Unmet hopes and dreams are often the sources of frustration and lack of fulfillment for many people. The account of the young shepherd boy David killing the giant Goliath is an incredible story of a seemingly insignificant individual going against a person who was a threat to the lives of the Israelites.             Giants to most of us are not the same as what David was fighting. Rather, these colossal problems are generally in the form of possibly finding a job, keeping a job, living our lives to the fullest, jealousy, illness, relationships, or any enemy that threatens us in some way.             How can we, as David did, slay these giants in our own lives? David showed an understanding of himself and made several wise decisions before going to war with the giant and over the next few weeks I will be covering these choices. T...

  And He (Jesus) said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you If you have faith as a mustard seed, You shall say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ And it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible to you. Matthew 17:20 (New American Standard Bible) The Need Is Great To help people in need the grocery store has a policy where the customer can choose to round up to the next dollar and donate their change. After rounding up and donating my twenty-eight cents, a story from the past came to mind.             It was during the time when Houston became home to many of the Vietnamese Boat People, those who fled Vietnam in the late 70’s. I was attending a large church one Sunday morning when the minister announced that even though he didn’t normally take up a second offering, that day he was making an exception. He told how one of the janitorial staff was saving his money to ...

  Dead Ends? I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, To present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12: 1-2 (New American Standard Bible)                           Two of my most frightening experiences had to do with dead ends.   It was late when the meeting in Kingwood, Texas ended, but I assumed finding the freeway would be no problem. Wrong! After some driving, it soon became apparent the road was leading me deeper into an isolated area. Having just seen one or two cars, my suspicion was that this dark wooded section was a place where drug deals went down as well as other undesira...

  Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And do not lean into your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes, Fear the Lord and turn away from evil. Proverbs 3:5-7 (New American Standard Bible)   When Change Disrupts Our Lives I have always been afraid of the dark. Some people talk about the joy of getting out of the city and looking at the stars. When the sun goes down and the sunlit day disappears, I want to see street lights and plenty of them. One way I combatted my fear of something possibly happening during the night was to live in multiple-family dwellings where walls were connected and people would hear me if I screamed.             In 2017 God led me to a different place to live—a freestanding patio home built for privacy. No longer was there the security that should there be a problem, I could trust others to come...

  “We must work the works of Him who sent Me, as long as it is day; night is coming, when no man can work.” (Jesus explaining His healing of the blind man) John 9:40,   New American Standard Bible   Now Is the Time   The old hymn, Work for the night is coming and the day is done , often plays out in my mind. Several days ago, these words brought back memories of past experiences.             Many years ago, while driving back to Houston after being in Goodman for Christmas, my car began slowing down and finally stopped just outside of Layfette, Louisiana about half way into the trip. Realizing that I had for weeks neglected the warning signs there was a problem with the car, dread played out in my head as I turned off the motor and sought help. After the vehicle was fixed, and I finally got back to Houston, this experience, in my mind, became another delightful adventure of my youth.   ...

  Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face continually. (I Chronicles 16:11 New American Standard Bible)   Decisions Impact the Story of Our Lives               It seemed like a random incident. Though my funds were limited, there was a need for a small piece of furniture that would act as storage to go in my office/den.   While driving through a near-by neighborhood, I noticed a chest that looked to be the right size, sitting on the curb. Could I really go furniture shopping on the side of the road? No matter the reservations, day after day, the chest seemed to beckon to me.             One day while leaving church, I offered Don a ride since he depended on the bus. While driving toward his apartment, the chest came to mind and he agreed to look at it with me. Seeing it up close, I determined it too light and rough, not like the dark tra...

  Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it on my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call   of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14 (English Standard Version)     It’s a New Day and a New Time, A Clean Slate The Promise of Hope Lies Before Us, So, Lose Those Chains and Be Set Free               I have a fantasy that there should be a pair of glasses we could all don and see what keeps us from achieving our dreams. My suspicion is that if the normally unseen parts of our lives became visible, we would grasp the binding effect of negative memories and unmet expectations.               A person I will call Sue told me the following story : One day, early in my school years, I watched and listened with aw...