by Barbara Latta
Two wealthy men met Jesus, but their lives had different outcomes.
Now may the Lord Jesus Christ and our Father God, who loved us and in his wonderful grace gave us eternal comfort and a beautiful hope that cannot fail, encourage your hearts and inspire you with strength to always do and speak what is good and beautiful in his eyes (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 TPT).
I wrote this poem in honor of my mother a few
years ago and gave to her on Mother’s Day. I added the last 5 lines after her
trek to heaven in 2018.
I hope you enjoy this tribute to all mothers
everywhere.
by Barbara Latta
Why do gardeners take such great care to prepare soil before planting?
The proper space is chosen for the right amount of sunshine, furrows are plowed, and fertilizer is applied. Weeds are pulled to prevent choking the precious seeds that are soon sown. Germination success is due to the soil the gardener chooses.
Jesus used this agricultural picture in Mark 4:1-20 to teach us how important it is to prepare our hearts. He told the disciples this example was the key to understanding all His parables. The value placed on the truth of scripture is the determining factor for good growth.
Please welcome guest blogger Beth Hildebrand today. Beth and I met through the Flourish Writers Community. Beth shares some insights about letting Jesus handle our storms. Please check out the links to her website and social media below along with information about her new book.
There was a time in history when 13 guys were in a boat in a
large lake and a huge storm caught them off guard. Rain came down so hard and
fast, water filled their boat, and the guys couldn’t get it out fast enough.
Instead, he instructed the circumstance to stop. Maybe God
allowed that storm to happen so the guys could see with their own eyes the
reality of who Jesus says he is. God in the form of a man.
He still wants us to holler out to him when we’re upset. He still wants us to question him when we wonder if he’s really who he says he is. He still wants us to call out his name asking him to stop what’s happening.
She is the author of a new book titled: The Art of Struggling:
Finding Hope When It Feels Like Your World’s Falling Apart. It’s been rhythmically structured to include
stories of people in the Bible who struggled in their lives physically,
emotionally, or even spiritually, along with examples of how these days we face
the same struggles. Through a collection
of written prayers, a story, reflection questions, Scripture, and an artistic
expression option in each chapter, this book befriends the reader through times
of struggling and how to persevere with hope.
Each year beauty pageants are conducted all over the world with hopeful contestants vying for a prized crown. From the cradle to college, girls groom themselves, work on talent competitions, and perfect their platforms with aspirations of being declared the most beautiful of them all.
The Hebrews complained—again.
While in the wilderness, snakes slithered among their legs and bit them because of their worthless words and accusations against God and Moses. They dropped in death like stones on the desert floor.