As October rushes head-long toward November, our garden glows with color. Piles of mums border the fence against a backdrop of evergreen, the last of the summer roses and a few herbs and peppers. With the morning sun turning each pile to pure gold, the whole thing is a glorious sight to behold. As Mr.… Continue reading glorious garden colors
Author: Ellen Lebsock
the Prize Pineapple
Thought you might like to see this little jewel, which Mr. L grew from the top of a grocery store pineapple. It lived in the greenhouse for a while, then moved to the south side of the house this summer. First it produced a fruit, and now there is a baby plant coming up beside the original.… Continue reading the Prize Pineapple
where to start
Sometimes prayer begins with a confession of wrong-doing. ... I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. . _Psalm 32:5 For the child of God, confession of sin without an… Continue reading where to start
the ‘right’ way
Does the Bible teach a Right Way to pray? Throughout the Bible effective prayer includes elements of adoration, confession and commitment, as well as requests. "When I heard these words I sat down and wept, and mourned for days; and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven._Nehemiah 1:4-11 (RSV) Â While Ezra prayed… Continue reading the ‘right’ way
a conversation with God
Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your… Continue reading a conversation with God
learning to pray effectively
Prayer is, perhaps, the most universally practiced, yet least understood of human experiences. Prayer is one of the great mysteries of the Christian faith. Its simplest definition is communication with God, yet so often we approach prayer like a one-way telephone conversation, forgetting that God also wants to speak to us.
are you sure?
The devotion we read this morning in our quiet time speaks to more that one of my friends and acquaintances. At one point I would have said, "it speaks to me personally." Thankfully God has used various circumstance to impact my thinking over the past few years until I can honestly say, "Yes. I'm sure!… Continue reading are you sure?