Jesus is Waiting

Jesus is Waiting

Christian camp

The first time I ever picked up and read the Bible was at – get this – a horse camp.

You just never know where God will first speak to your heart. 🙂

This week-long summer camp had a lot to offer – trail rides, archery, skill-building games, swimming, plus arts and crafts.

Although it was a Christian camp, I didn’t know much about what that meant at the time.

As a 6th grader and huge horse lover, all I wanted to do was get on a horse and go riding every day.

When the camp’s billboards went up around town, my next-door neighbor, her little sister, and I couldn’t wait to sign up.

“Camp week” couldn’t come fast enough.

One of the must-bring items on our packing list was a Bible.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have one growing up because I was raised in a different faith. So, I took the only religious book we did have at our house which was a book of Parables. Thankfully, my cabin leader had an extra copy of the Bible which she let me borrow.

Every night we attended a chapel service which included a rousing sermon and some singing.

At the end of the week, the service ended with an “altar call.” I had no idea what that was, but I was intrigued.

We were asked to close our eyes.

Through my admittedly, partially-closed eyes, I watched a few campers who had raised their hands be led off to a little room behind the stage.

What was that all about?

Part of me wanted to go there too because I was curious, but I held back.

After that fun-filled week was over, I returned home with a lot of questions about why we didn’t talk about Jesus more, but never got any real answers.  

I didn’t realize it then, but God was speaking to my heart.

Jesus was waiting there for me, but I wasn’t ready to open that door just yet.

Jesus is Waiting: Have You Answered His Call?

Jesus is waiting

Fast forward to today, my love for horses is still there.

I think they are one of God’s most beautiful creatures. Little did I know how much a part they would play in my own embrace of true Christianity – through the good and the bad.

I never knew how much I needed Jesus until certain life events brought me to my knees.

15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need. – Hebrews 4:15-16, (NASB).

Praise the Lord now my faith, praise, and worship are dedicated to our one and only Savior.

Everyone’s faith journey is different, but without a doubt, I see the evidence of God working behind the scenes throughout my life.

If you haven’t yet given your life to Christ, Jesus is waiting for you.

It will be the best decision “of” your life, and “for” your life.

This song about seeking the Lord is one of my favorite praise songs.

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1 Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright Š 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

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Edge-Of-Your-Seat Christian Suspense

Edge-Of-Your-Seat Christian Suspense Books

edge-of-your-seat Christian suspense books

On a cold winter day have you ever felt like curling up by the fireplace with a warm blanket and a good book?

Recently, with the cold weather (plus a significant ice storm), there was nothing I wanted to do more than just stay inside and be cozy.

As you know, choosing a good book to read is not always easy. There are many options in all genres to choose from.

Add to that you also have the choice between purchasing an e-book or a real book that you can actually hold in your hands.

Call me old-fashioned (thank you by the way), I prefer the latter. I’d rather physically turn a page than swipe a screen.

Anyway, I’m thrilled to say that I stumbled upon what has now become a new hobby.

Reading Christian fiction suspense novels.

Sound boring? Oh, I don’t think so 😊

I’ve become a big fan of bestselling author Alana Terry. Her books have captured my attention.

Currently, I’m reading “Leviathan Rising: Alaska-Based Christian Survival Thriller” which she cowrote with Scott Somers.

This book has me on the edge-of-my-seat!

Many of Alana’s faith-filled books cover current hot-button topics, and also notably, in my opinion the dialogue between the characters is believable.

Obviously, we have a choice on what kind of reading material we want to spend time with.

Christian suspense fiction

Spending leisure time reading a secular novel filled with bad language, explicit themes, or political rants doesn’t interest me at all.

No thanks. There’s enough of that junk on TV every day.

I highly recommend Alana Terry’s books to anyone looking for an edge-of-your-seat Christian suspense novel.

So far, I’ve finished “Save Me Once” and “Secluded.” Next is “Unplanned.”

Don’t say I didn’t warn you when you realize that her books are hard to put down!

Books hard to put down

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Consider Him

Consider Him, Seek God First

Recently, I came across a poem that touched my heart and I wanted to share it with you.

The title is: “Consider Him.”

Consider HimThe author of “Consider Him” is unknown.

Who knows how old this poem is, but the message is timeless.

I think about some of the heartaches my husband and I have gone through.

Family members and friends have experienced difficult challenges.

There is comfort in sharing our prayer requests with each other.

Please don’t feel like you’re burdening someone when you ask for prayer.

Encourage each other when times are tough.

God places genuine people (prayer warriors) in our lives, if we just know where to look.

That is a heavenly mindset – focus on what is above and always seek God first.

Consider Him


When the storm is raging high,

When the tempest rends the sky,

When my eyes with tears are dim,

Then, my soul, consider Him.

When my plans are in the dust,

When my dearest hopes are crushed,

When is passed each foolish whim,

Then, my soul, consider Him.

When with dearest friends I part,

When deep sorrow fills my heart,

When pain racks each weary limb,

Then, my soul, consider Him.

When I track my weary way,

When fresh trials come each day,

When my faith and hope are dim,

Then, my soul, consider Him.

Clouds or sunshine,
dark or bright,

Evening shades or morning light,

When my cup flows o’er the brim,

Then, my soul, consider Him.
–  Author Unknown

Seek God first

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Finding Refuge During Life’s Winter Storms

Impact: Finding Refuge During Life’s Winter Storms

Finding refuge in Life's winter storms

You know that a winter storm is bad when meteorologists use words like . . .  

Significant impact

Historic

Colossal

Deadly cold

Treacherous travel

Those were just a few of the descriptions for our weather this past weekend (and in other states as well) as winter storm “Fern” blanketed parts of the U.S. with ice and snow.

Dangerously cold temperatures were enough reason for us to stay inside and pray for first responders who rescued stranded motorists on the highways.

Without a doubt, snow and ice can shut down a bunch of states within hours.

Pretty powerful ice crystals.

I searched for the word “snow” in the Bible and came across several verses including this one.

16 He gives snow like wool;
    he scatters frost like ashes.
17 He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs;
    who can stand before his cold?
18 He sends out his word, and melts them;
    he makes his wind blow and the waters flow. – Psalm 147:16-18, (ESV).1

The weather can change in an instant, for the good or for the bad, but God’s love for us is constant.

He is always good and a beacon for finding refuge during life’s winter storms.

The Psalms are where I turn when a storm rages outside.

Finding Refuge in God’s Word

Finding refuge

The reason that snow can even form in the first place is due to the intricate details with which God created the world.

Here’s a helpful explanation for non-scientists like us.

Snow is formed high in the clouds from water vapor, which is water in the form of gas. If a cloud is cold enough, the water vapor freezes to form ice crystals. At temperatures between about −40 °F (−40 °C) and 32 °F (0 °C), water vapor crystallizes around bits of dust in the cloud. At lower temperatures, water vapor freezes directly into ice crystals.

The ice crystals can stay up in the clouds. Or, if they are heavy enough, they can fall to the ground. As they fall they can clump together with other ice crystals to form snowflakes. – Britannica Kids,2

I’m sure you’ve heard that no two snowflakes are formed alike.

Why is that amazing?

Because it’s estimated that one septillion snowflakes “fall worldwide every year.” 3

One septillion. There are 24 zeroes in that number!

Only our God who rules over every season can do that.

16 Yours is the day, yours also the night;
    you have established the heavenly lights and the sun.
17  You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth;
    you have made summer and winter. – Psalm 74:16-17, (ESV).4

Snow and ice storms can wreak havoc where they strike, but through God’s great love and mercy, He is our shelter during even the worst of it.

Turn to Him when you are fearful or anxious and in need of His peace.

He hears you.

Winter is here

1 Psalm Scripture Quotation is from The Holy Bible, English Standard VersionŽ, copyright Š 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

2 Quotation from Britannica Kids. Retrieved from “Snow,” n.d. para. 2. Web. Accessed January 26, 2026.

3 Snowflake estimate, [December 17, 2023] Courtesy of Britannica.com. “One Good Fact” Web. Accessed 26 January, 2026.

4 Psalm 74 Scripture Quotation is from The Holy Bible, English Standard VersionŽ, copyright Š 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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Lukewarm Faith

The Risk of a Lukewarm Faith

Have you ever tasted something so awful that you just wanted to spit it out?

For me, it was the barium prep for my CT scan.

I remember it all too well.

spit it out

The nurse handed over the bottle of barium and instructed me to drink it within a certain length of time.

Thank the Lord my wonderful husband was there to keep me on track.

The taste of that wicked brew was absolutely vile – like metallicized milk.

If I think about it too long, I can still taste it. Yuck.

No kidding, it took everything in me not to throw it up right there in a lobby full of other patients.

When something is that bad, naturally we’re disgusted at how offensive it is to the senses.

Speaking of disgusting (and for a more familiar analogy), think of “room temperature” black coffee.

There it is sitting on your kitchen counter.

Without thinking you drink a big gulp – only to realize it had gotten cold and you needed to spit it out.

Barium or lukewarm coffee – no matter – the vile taste of those conjures up a “simplistic” picture of disgust.

Yes, I realize that.

But, at the very least and for me, it prompts a serious reflection of one of the warning verses in the book of Revelation.

The reprimand comes from our Savior Himself.

Lukewarm Faith – Jesus Speaks

lukewarm faith

If you turn all the way back to Revelation, you’ll see how Jesus responded to lukewarm faith.

In the passage, He is referring directly to the church at Laodicea.

After reading it though, do you see how a lukewarm faith is just as offensive to the Lord today?

Check this out.

15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth. – Revelation 3:15-16, (NASB.)1

Many people don’t like to face this, but you have to make a decision when it comes to faith and salvation.

There is only one way – thru Jesus Christ our Lord.

“Doing church” on Sundays and then bowing to the world the rest of the week is a recipe for peril when it comes to your eternity.

It’s obvious in the Bible that God doesn’t want lukewarm believers.

Let’s look at some dictionary definitions of “lukewarm”:

halfhearted

indifferent

wishy-washy

Is that how we respond to our Creator, our Sovereign God?

God’s only Son was sacrificed on the cross to save us from the sin-punishment that we all truly deserve.

How do we respond to that sacrifice and the saving grace of Christ’s resurrection from the cross?

Are we reflecting a “life transformed?”

Are we ready to stand up for our faith in a hostile world?

Which path do we choose?

Cold or hot, either way, a choice is made.

The deeds of the true believer will be “hot” or “cold”—that is, they will benefit the world in some way and reflect the spiritual passion of a life transformed. Lukewarm deeds, however—those done without joy, without love, and without the fire of the Spirit—do harm to the watching world. The lukewarm are those who claim to know God but live as though He doesn’t exist. They go to church and practice a form of religion, but their inner state is one of complacency. – gotquestions.org2

I believe this is something we should continually remind ourselves as we face the daily distractions that life (and the disturbing headlines) can bring.

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1 Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright Š 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

2 Quotation from gotquestions.org, from “Why did Jesus speak so strongly against lukewarm faith? n.d., para. 5. Web. Accessed January 14, 2026. Retrieved from Jesus Lukewarm Faith

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