When the Menu is Manna

  This morning, like every morning, I am having some quiet time. I look forward to this beginning each day, drinking my morning iced tea (with no sugar) out of my favorite glass, a Nolan Ryan collector glass. It's just the right size for the morning brew, and it reminds me of someone who, over the years, gave me these wise words. "Keep these safe, referring to the set of collector glasses; one day, they will be valuable." I'm not a collector of much. I accepted the advice, but I didn't take my father's words to heart. Over the years, he had given me random gifts, like the miniature grand piano that, when opened, was a music box because He knew I wished for a baby grand, and this oddly shaped jewelry box that resembled a free-form puzzle that I came to love because of a great life lesson I learned from it, along with other very individual gifts. My dad had a remarkable way of being generous to others, even beyond his means, which often was both his strength and...

                                                         Trust in the Lord is blessed because it keeps us rooted like a tree by water, reminding us to rely on His timing and plan. Jeremiah 17:7-8 Early in my teaching career, I taught first grade. Never since have I taught a grade level with more fascination for learning. Blessed with an excellent mentor teacher with a strong interest in science, we hatched butterflies, mealworms, and chicks.  We grew a vegetable garden, made soup from its bounty, and experienced the effects of droves of ladybugs intended for our garden being let loose in the classroom! We had an explosion of gerbils and saw the wonder of beautiful Monarchs migrating south one year. The experiences of that time were rich, purposeful, and fun, and each passing one helped develop a foundation for future learning that would ex...

But  as for you, turn and take your journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea. Deuteronomy 1:40 NKJV What was I thinking? How many times have you said these exact words or thrown your hands in an upward direction in disbelief at what you have just thought, said, or even done? The only way I can answer this is more times than I care to count!  Such runs much deeper than those senior moments I would like to blame for my behavior. It's more like a battle between an attitude of 'I know best' in every situation and the good sense to stop and listen for God's guidance. It's hard for me to admit, but my hastiness sometimes causes me to bypass him completely. Without even a thought for wait time or seeking God's guidance in a matter, I plunge right into a solution with my own remedies, forgetting that all the while God's answer is waiting for me. If any of this resonates with you, friend, you're in good company, as you can see, I am guilty of all......

  When it comes to puzzles, some people seem to place each piece with ease and confidence. Others… not so much. I fall into the second category. I try, but spatial awareness is not my strength—not even close. Isn’t life like that sometimes? There are seasons when the pieces seem to fall into place effortlessly. And then there are moments when we search endlessly for understanding, turning situations over in our minds, trying to make sense of what feels incomplete. The longer we look for answers, the more frustrating it can become when clarity doesn’t come quickly. When life feels puzzling—when something seems broken, unfinished, or unclear—God’s Word gently offers us a small but powerful word: trust. It’s a simple word, one we hear often, perhaps so often that we underestimate its depth. Yet when applied to our lives, trust has the quiet ability, in God’s timing, to fill the spaces where understanding is missing. This is not an attempt to over-spiritualize life’s difficulties. ...

W orry. I once thought of it as my responsibility—a self-appointed role, one I carried faithfully. One morning, I woke feeling unsettled. My heart was racing, and a wave of anxiety seemed to linger from a dream that had felt far too real. Within moments, I realized it was only a dream, and relief should have followed. Instead, I began replaying it in my mind. Since dreams tend to fade quickly, I worked to hold onto every detail. Before long, fully awake, I was already forming a plan—just in case that imagined situation ever became reality. I sometimes wish I were naturally carefree, the “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” kind of person. It’s not that I walk around spreading discouragement. I truly try to bring light and encouragement wherever I can. But quietly, often unseen, I do wrestle with worry. When I read Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:25–34, they don’t always align with my instinct to prepare and problem-solve. It's difficult to simply not worry about daily things. Doesn’t Jesus underst...

  George Müller, a man known for deep faith and prayer, once said the most important part of prayer is "the fifteen minutes after I have said Amen." Those moments reveal whether we trust God—or return to relying on ourselves. In Genesis 32, Jacob finally leaves his father-in-law Laban's dishonest control behind and begins his journey home. But going home means facing Esau—the brother he deceived and fled from twenty years earlier. It's a move that will bring about both fear and the hope of restoration if things go well.  Jacob desperately wants peace, and never before has he been so desirous of forgiveness from the brother he wronged so many years ago. So, he prays. God responds graciously, sending angels to reassure Jacob of His presence. ¹ Yet fear still drives Jacob, and he resorts to his old ways of scheming and planning the moment he lifts his head from prayer. That night, Jacob wrestles with God, desperate for assurance. God blesses him—not because Jacob's p...