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Facing Giants

There are giants all around me
They make me feel so small
Their lies make me feel helpless
With my back against a wall

There are giants all around me
They laugh and watch me fall
And kick me though I am down
Until I curl into a ball

There are giants all around me
They have brought me to a crawl
When amidst their roar of laughter
I hear a firm voice call

He helps me find my Armour
And stands to face them all
Defending me as I face my fear
And quickly prepare for war

Fear, Sickness, and Disasters
The giants I can't ignore
Now drawback as I discover
Five stones upon the floor

The giants all around me
Have noticed their downfall
My Saviour helps me to my feet
And a story I recall

As I face my Goliaths
Like David I am sure
With God right here beside me
They can't hurt me anymore

The giants are retreating
For now I'm standing tall
And charge as Jesus tells me
"Now watch these giants fall!"

Good morning to everyone. Grace and Peace be with you.

Before I start, I must issue a disclaimer. I strongly suggest that you do not consume ANY morning/evening beverages (depending on when you are reading this) while you read this. You have been duly warned and I cannot be held responsible for any mishaps from here on out.

Every morning, we have a scheduled mini-bible study with some friends to start our day off right with God. Every morning, we are usually a few minutes late because I am trying to get everything done with my posts so that I do not forget anything. As long as I stay in my routine, I am good. Yesterday, I overslept a little (on purpose-I was tired), so there was no writing done. We were ready with coffee and bible in hand at a quarter til 7. A MIRACLE.

When we got out of the truck, I asked if hubby had the keys; he did not, so I went in to get them off the hook. Not there. Checked the table; not there. Checked the office and last night’s clothes; not there. Now, before you think that I locked them inside, I did not; the truck was open. After several minutes of searching, we took the borrowed car to bible study. I let my son, who is visiting from across the pond, know and asked them to look for my keys. They seem to know where all my stuff is … I sure don’t. haha. Bible study was fantastic and when we got home, he informed me that they could not find them. The mega search and destroy was on. I moved laundry piles. I dug through my outgoing trash on the street. I crawled around under all the seats and stood on my head to look under the vehicle. Freezer, refrigerator, laundry in the basket and on the bed. Pulled all the covers down and pillows off. Shook towels and linen. Hands into sofa cushions and trash cans. These keys were lost. Or…very much secure … however you want to look at it.

Finally, we called a lock smith to come out and make new keys. A very nice man, professional and polite. Joked with us and even let us know that when, not if, but when we find the other key … how to reprogram it so it will work in the truck also. I paid him, and we offered to spread the word about his business. I went inside to change to go to town, I had to go help my mother with a weed problem. I changed my clothes and went to put on my shoes. Left shoe no problem. RIGHT shoe … out falls the truck key. The one place that I did not look. And why would I look in my shoes that were inside the open closet door? Right? Naturally, I hobbled outside where everyone -but the locksmith- was with shoe in hand and tossed the key over the back of the truck into the drive. Laughter consumed my yard’s atmosphere.

BRIGHT SIDE: I now have three keys for my truck instead of one.

If you spewed coffee, tea, water, or any other beverage, I am not to blame. I warned you.

A couple of things came from that little event. Seeds were planted with the locksmith in that there are still good people out there willing to help someone out. It really is a good idea to have more than one key for your vehicle and to always put them in the same place. Most importantly, however, when you lose your keys … always check your shoes that are in your closet. Just saying.

The locksmith has been in our area, I guess, for a while, and someone else has been trying to snipe business at lower rates. Which is the case in any business. When we offered to help spread the word about his quality service, he was extremely thankful. You never know who you can impart His love on or in. I do not know if he was a believer or just someone who needed a smile of supporting love. What I do know is that my little story will bring smiles to more than just him, and the fact that it is true … well, that makes it even funnier. This world is full of ugly; will you help me bring brightness to the dark? Will you help me shine His Light?

Be blessed.

**So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. – 1 Corinthians 10:31

Summer's officially winding down and, much of the country starts the transition between long, lazy days of summer and juggling the chaos of deadlines, frantic schedules, and extracurricular activities.

For me, I will jump into my 24th year in the classroom.

24 years of slow, sluggish days of recovery from the previous school year to the mach-3 craziness of a typical school day: a frazillion questions—some of which actually have something to do with the subject—as well as a litany of excuses, accommodation requests, apathy, and a cacophony of laughter directed at me because of something stupid I inadvertently or did.
Of course, it also comes meaningful and insightful classroom discussions, fond memories, and watching a light bulb come as a connection is made between the head and the heart.

I pray for many more school years to come.

Typically on the first day of school, the most frequent prompt that comes up is: what I did last summer.

This prompt produces a variety of responses, ranging from vacations, camping trips, swimming, tubing, fishing, and the county fair.

I’ve been thinking about this question a lot lately as well as what would be my answer.

All things considered, I had an eventful summer.
I embarked on another road trip, a budding impromptu tradition that takes me along American’s backroads exploring places I have never seen before. These annual road trips have become therapeutic for me.

The weekend after I returned, I went to my 40th High School Reunion, reliving old memories and seeing classmates I honestly thought I would have never seen again.

Next, my wife and I spent our 28th Anniversary exploring the old territorial capitol of Montana, Virginia City.

However, despite all of that activity, if I had to honestly define my summer, I would describe it as a time to heal.

This last spring, I lost my mother the same week my wife lost her job. It was a world turned upside-down.

In addition to the typical annual stress of teaching during a second semester, I had to be an emotional strength and encourager for my wife as we grieved the loss of my mother. We had to juggle a household that, for a time, dealt with a 60% income drop, a loss of insurance, and an uncertain future.

Now, I will emphatically state that God came through for us during that ordeal. He absolutely did.

However, those months also took a great toll on my being. I didn’t feel like myself at home or at work. My filters were down. My emotions were raw, shriveled and depleted. I was subdued and weak. I just wanted to crawl under a rock.

But the summer brought a time of restoration of heavy solitude. It brought with wonderful experiences alone, with my wife, and with God.

The teacher in Ecclesiastes writes of seasons in life:

“A time to be born and a time to die,
A time to plant and a time to uproot, A time to kill and a time to heal,
A time to tear down and a time to build, A time to weep and a time to laugh,
A time to mourn and a time to dance, A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, A time to search and a time to give up,
A time to keep and a time to throw away, A time to tear and a time to mend,
A time to be silent and a time to speak, A time to love and a time to hate,
A time for war and a time for peace.” (Ecclesiastes 3:2–8)

Life is filled with seasons. As much as we try, they are unavoidable. Frankly, it is easy to cling to God when life is wonderful; however, true spiritual growth comes when life isn't peachy.

We always enjoy mountain top experience; however, it is also important to remember that nothing grows on a mountain top. The rich, fertile soil lies in the valley.

It often seems superficial that use suffering to test us or to teach us a lesson. More often, he quietly sits with us in difficult seasons for us to cling to.

So what is the answer to that question asked in nearly every classroom in America? I healed.

My summer was a time for restoration, a time for healing.

In a matter of days, the school year kicks off and a new season begins.

And with the new year, when the next season arrives, my grip on God—with prayer and knowledge he is with me—remains tighter than ever.

THROWBACK THURSDAY - Ten years ago I was staying at a friend’s house in western Iowa. We made frequent trips into Omaha, Nebraska. During one of them, I witnessed to six skateboarders hanging out in a parking lot. Three of the guys held hands with me and experienced holy laughter as they got born again. Afterward, two of them wanted a photo with me. Psalm 16:11 says, “In Your presence is fullness of joy.”

August 26
“WHO GOD IS TO ME”
MY HOPE
Psalm 71:5 (LLV) —
“For You are my hope, O Lord GOD; You have been my trust since my youth.”
Hope
is often
spoken of
as something
we wish
will happen.
“I hope
things get better.”
“I hope
everything works out.”
“I hope
tomorrow
will be easier.”
But biblical hope
is different.
It is not
a wish.
It is
confidence
placed
in Someone.
“For You
are my hope,
O Lord GOD.”
The psalmist
does not say,
“My hope
is that
my circumstances
will improve.”
His hope
is God.
Then he looks
backward.
“You have been
my trust
since my youth.”
There is something
beautiful
about faith
that has lived
long enough
to remember.
Years
bring memories.
Some joyful.
Some painful.
Some we would
gladly live
again.
Others
we are simply
grateful
to have survived.
But when
we look back,
we can often see
something
we could not see
while we were
living through them.
God
was there.
Through doors
that opened.
Through doors
that closed.
Through prayers
answered
as we hoped.
Through prayers
answered
in ways
we did not
understand.
Through beginnings.
Through endings.
Through laughter.
Through tears.
God
was there.
And yesterday's
faithfulness
becomes
today's reason
for hope.
The psalmist
does not pretend
the future
holds no uncertainty.
Later he prays,
“Do not cast me away
when I am old;
do not forsake me
when my strength
is gone.”
He knows
life changes.
Strength fades.
Tomorrow
contains things
we cannot predict.
But God
does not change
with our seasons.
The God
who held us
when we were young
does not become
less faithful
as the years
pass.
So hope
does not require us
to know
what happens next.
Hope says,
“I know
who will be there.”
Perhaps
that is why
this is
the right place
to finish
our journey.
We have called Him:
My Rock.
My Shepherd.
My Light.
My Refuge.
My Strength.
My Keeper.
The One
who walks
with me.
My Hiding Place.
And now,
after remembering
all those things,
we can look
toward whatever
comes next
and say:
You are
my hope.
A new beginning can face an unknown tomorrow because it remembers a faithful yesterday:
I may not know what lies ahead, but I know the God who will be there.
Reflection: When I look back over my life, where can I see God's faithfulness giving me reason to trust Him with what still lies ahead?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, You have been faithful through every season of my life. Thank You for the times I recognized Your hand and for the times You were working when I could not see it. When tomorrow feels uncertain, help me remember yesterday's faithfulness. You have been my trust, and You remain my hope. Whatever years or days lie ahead, let me face them with confidence—not because I know what they hold, but because I know You will be there. In Jesus' name, Amen.

*SEED FOR LIFE*
Avoid shameful and foolish talk and low jesting. They are all alike discreditable and in place of these give thanks.
• Ephesians 5:4

The giddy laugh, the jesting, the joking, sickens the soul that is feeding on Christ... Let no low witticism escape your lips. All frivolous words, all lightness and trifling, are enticements of the enemy to deprive you of spiritual strength... Lightness, jesting, and joking will result in the barrenness of the soul and the loss of the favour of God... Trim your lamps, and keep them burning, that wherever you may go, you may reveal in speech and action precious rays of light.
• Radiant Religion, p.237

*• A Point To Ponder •*
God does not forbid happiness, wholesome laughter, or genuine enjoyment. Rather, Scripture calls us to examine the quality and influence of what we allow into our minds and conversations.
_(FrontierOfHopeMinistry)_

IT WAS LIKE A DREAM
When God Turns Captivity Into a Testimony
Key Scripture: Psalm 126:1–6
There are times when God transforms your life so profoundly that it feels almost surreal. Psalm 126:1 tells us, “When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.” Some breakthroughs are so remarkable that the pain of yesterday fades into the background. God has the power to shift you from sorrow to joy, from being overlooked to being embraced, from feeling stuck to experiencing growth, and from a long wait to a season of fulfillment.
Take Joseph’s story, for instance. He went from being thrown into a pit to becoming a slave, then from slavery to prison, and finally from prison to the palace (Genesis 37; Genesis 39–41). Just picture waking up one day as a prisoner and realizing that God has set you up to be second in command in Egypt. It must have felt like a dream come true. Similarly, David’s journey was nothing short of miraculous—he went from tending sheep in the fields to reigning as the king of Israel (1 Samuel 16:11–13; 2 Samuel 5:3–4). When God intervenes in your life, He can elevate your status, transform your circumstances, and reshape your future in ways you never saw coming.
Maybe you find yourself in a season where change feels elusive. Your prayers might seem unanswered, doors may appear firmly shut, and your dreams could feel out of reach. But remember, just because things are delayed doesn’t mean they’re denied. God can turn a situation around in an instant. Psalm 126:2 reminds us, “Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing.” The very mouth that once cried can become a source of testimony. The eyes that shed tears can become witnesses to God’s inYour current chapter isn’t the end of your story. Keep planting seeds of faith, keep praying, keep believing, and keep trusting in God. Psalm 126:5 reminds us, “Those who sow in tears will reap in joy.” One day, you might find yourself looking back at those moments of sorrow and saying, “Look at what the Lord has accomplished!” What God is about to do in your life could be so incredible that it’ll be hard to put into words. Your next testimony might be so amazing that all you can say is: IT WAS LIKE A DREAM!
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for being the God who changes our circumstances. We trust that You can turn our tears into laughter, our sadness into joy, and our bondage into freedom.
Lord, please remember everyone who is waiting for a breakthrough. Shift their situations according to Your perfect plan. Open doors that no one can close, restore what has been lost, and bring hope where disappointment has taken root.
Father, let our stories be so extraordinary that we will know for sure it was Your hand at work. May those who have seen our struggles also witness Your unwavering faithfulness.
We declare that our season is shifting. Tears will transform into testimonies, waiting will lead to fulfillment, and what seems impossible will become a testament to Your power. Soon, we will look back and say, “It was like a dream!”
In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

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NOTHING IS WASTED IN GOD’S HANDS!

Everything you have gone through is not meaningless. The mountain, the valley, the breakthrough, the delay, the tears, the laughter—God can use it all for your becoming!

Some seasons teach you through joy.
Some lessons come through pain.
Some doors close because God is preparing you for a better one.
Some people leave because their assignment in your life is over.

You may not understand everything now, but one day you will look back and say, “Indeed, God was in the process all along!”

Your becoming is not an accident. It is a divine process. God is molding your character, strengthening your faith, deepening your roots, and preparing you for the purpose He has ordained for your life.

So don't despise the process.
Don't give up in the valley.
Don't lose faith because of the delay.

What looks like a setback may be a divine setup!
What broke you may be what God uses to build you.
What you thought was the end may become the beginning of your greatest testimony.

Keep trusting God. Keep praying. Keep believing. Keep becoming.

Your story is still being written, and the Author has not finished with you yet!

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God…” — Romans 8:28

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