“Who among you fears the Lord
and obeys the word of His servant?
Let him who walks in the dark, who has
no light,
trust in the name of the Lord and rely
on his God.”
(Isaiah 50:10 NIV)
My friend,
Susan, and I have experienced many struggles together in our community of
faith. Her patient listening and wise advice have kept me in line and looking
up to our heavenly Father. In response to one of my weary, negative texts she
encouraged me, “You can do it! Be the light!”
by Macy Johnson
“The lamp of the Lord searches the
spirit of a man;
it searches out his inmost being.”
(Proverbs 20:27 NIV)
The Holy
Spirit leads me to places where He wants to serve with me. He knows what others
need before I do. He searches their spirits and leads me to be a blessing to
them.
by Macy Johnson
“Make levels paths for your feet
and take only ways that are firm.”
(Proverbs 4:26 NIV)
I recently
camped at George L. Smith State Park near Twin City, Georgia. It surrounds a 412-acre
pond filled with stately cypress trees which reminded my husband, Jeff, of the
lakes he fished as a boy in Louisiana.
by Macy Johnson
“In the beginning
God created the heavens and the earth.”
(Genesis 1:1 NIV)
Have you
ever heard of the Golden Ratio? My husband, Jeff, introduced me to it while
reading The Epoch Times newspaper one afternoon.
The Golden
Ratio is represented by the Greek letter phi and is approximately equal to 1.618.
This mathematical proportion is found in nature, art, and architecture. April
Holloway writes in the Epoch Times (“The Golden Ratio – a Sacred Number That
Links the Past to the Present”) this ratio is used by architects and artists to
“achieve a perfect aesthetic composition.”
by Macy Johnson
“In that day men will look to their
Maker
and turn their eyes to the Holy One of
Israel.”
(Isaiah 17:7 NIV)
My
husband, Jeff, and I watched a documentary about Terry Kath, a gifted musician
and an original founder of the musical group Chicago. His daughter,
Michelle, interviewed many who knew Terry. He tragically died in a handgun
accident when his daughter was very young.
by Macy Johnson
“Jesus, tired as he was from the
journey,
sat down by the well.”
(John 4:6 NIV)
While
camping at Florence Marina State Park, my husband, Jeff, and I visited nearby Providence
Canyon State Park. It was established in 1971 to preserve the unique scenic
beauty of Georgia’s Little Grand Canyon.
by Macy Johnson
“He who pursues righteousness and love
finds life, prosperity and honor.”
(Proverbs 21:21 NIV)
I pulled
our camper into Georgia’s State Park at Florence Marina on Lake Eufaula.
Arriving near the Alabama state line I felt like I was lost in space, hovering
between time zones. My cell phone received signals from a tower in Central Time
(Alabama), while I stood in Eastern Time (Georgia). The camper’s clock said 3:00
pm and my phone said 2:00 pm. Both times were correct.
by Macy Johnson
“The creation itself will be liberated
from its bondage to decay
and brought into the glorious freedom
of the children of God.”
(Romans 8:21 NIV)
A wise
person once suggested, “Only floss the teeth you want to keep.”
I wish I
had taken better care of my teeth. My wallet is seriously taking a beating now
because of my former foolishness. My mouth is home to four tooth implants. I am
thankful for my new teeth and the joy of a stronger and healthier bite.
by Macy Johnson
“If I speak in the tongues of men and
of angels,
but have not love,
I am only a resounding gong or a
clanging cymbal.”
(1 Corinthians 13:1 NIV)
I confessed
to the Lord while writing to Him early one morning, “Only you can reveal the
Truth. My words are gobbledygook.” Oxford Dictionary defines gobbledygook
as “language that is meaningless or is made unintelligible by excessive use of technical
terms; nonsense.” My words are fruitless without the Holy Spirit to interpret
them in the heart of the reader.
by Macy Johnson
“The infant will play near the hole of
the cobra,
and the young child put his hand into
the viper’s nest.”
(Isaiah 11:8 NIV)
A scrawny
deer suddenly appeared next to Jeff while we were enjoying a fire at our
campsite. It bent down to pick up and eat a large leaf that had fallen from a
nearby tree. The deer crept around the fire to my side. Its big black eyes
looked at me with anticipation of a morsel to eat.
by Macy Johnson
“For I am the Lord, your God,
who takes hold of your right hand and
says to you,
Do not fear; I will help you.”
(Isaiah 41:13 NIV)
One
morning while camping at Georgia’s Fort McAllister State Park near Savannah, I
read a devotional story about a boy hit by a car while riding his bicycle. My
husband and I planned to take a long bike ride that morning. It would be the
first time I got on my bike, Penelope, since the accident when I fractured my
pelvis. Was the devotional a sign?
by Macy Johnson
“But whoever drinks the water I give
him will never thirst.
Indeed, the water I give him will
become in him
a spring of water welling up to
eternal life.”
(John 4:14 NIV)
I imagined
my day to be like a glass filled with ice cubes. The activities ahead were those
cubes – touching each other and somehow connected. I imagined the Holy Spirit was
the cool, clear, clean water poured over the ice. Slowly throughout the day,
the ice cubes melted and became one with the water.
by Macy Johnson
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers,
whenever you face trials of many
kinds,
because you know that
the testing of your faith develops
perseverance.”
(James 1:2-3 NIV)
Drip,
drip, drip. I was startled out of a deep sleep to the sound of raindrops splashing
inside on my windowsill. I rolled out of bed, shuffled to the laundry room, and
retrieved a beach towel. After placing the towel in the window’s casing, I fell
back into my dreams.
by Macy Johnson
“If you pay attention to these laws
and are careful to follow them,
then the Lord your God will keep
His covenant of love with you
as He swore to your forefathers.”
(Deuteronomy 7:12 NIV)
My credit
union recently changed its name. When I logged in online, I was asked to change
my User ID for the new platform. I falsely assumed I was asked to change my
password. The next time I tried to log into that account I was locked out after
three erroneous attempts. I called the credit union and the User ID/Password
confusion was successfully cleared. God got my attention.
by Macy Johnson
“The prudent see danger and take
refuge,
but the simple keep going and suffer
for it.”
(Proverbs 27:12 NIV)
I enjoy
watching college basketball games. I played basketball in school many years ago,
but practicing the piano took preference over other activities.
by Macy Johnson
“The Lord will guide you always;
He will satisfy your needs in a
sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered
garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.”
(Isaiah 58:11 NIV)
It is good
for me to abstain from events and things on a regular basis. Activities and
indulgences could grab me by the throat and not let go.
by Macy Johnson
“You need to persevere
so that when you have done the will of
God,
you will receive what He has promised.”
(Hebrews 10:36 NIV)
My
husband, Jeff, and I visited around our breakfast table when I noticed a new,
silver Jeep winding down our driveway. I assumed it was a postal service worker
on that Sunday afternoon, delivering Jeff’s Amazon order. “Go get your
package,” I suggested.
by Macy Johnson
“Each of us should please his neighbor
for his good, to build him up.”
(Romans 15:2 NIV)
I approached
a lady seated in a wheelchair at the nursing home. “I watched you sing with us
today,” I said, expecting a smile or some other acknowledgement of my words.
She stared at me and I sensed confusion. So, I followed up with, “You have the
prettiest eyes.” A glimmer of love shone on her face.
by Macy Johnson
“He will yet fill your mouth with
laughter
and your lips with shouts of joy.”
(Job 8:21 NIV)
During a dominoes
game one afternoon, a friend recalled a conversation with another friend who babysat
her young grandson. She knew he was picky, so she asked him, “How does your
mother cut your sandwich for you?” In obvious exaggeration, he opened his
little arms and answered, “I am just a child! You are an adult! Don’t you know
how to cut a sandwich?”
by Macy Johnson
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord,
“I will rescue him; I will protect
him,
for he acknowledges my name.”
(Psalm 91:14 NIV)
We pulled
into the campsite and reviewed the checklist. When Jeff turned on the water at
the spigot, it leaked from the camper’s outside shower. He tightened the
plastic shower knob and it broke. While he called the dealer, I drove to the
camp office and returned with a list of local RV repairmen. We connected with
Chad’s Mobile RV. Chad and his assistant arrived in a few hours, fixed the
problem, and checked for other leaks. He was a godsend.
by Macy Johnson
“The Lord bless you and keep you.”
(Numbers 6:24 NIV)
I waited
patiently to lay down my last tile and win the hand during the weekly game of
Mexican Train Dominoes at the Methodist church. Just a few more players’ turns and
I could play my last piece. Then Tom, seated next to me on my right, stole my
play and blocked me from winning!
by Macy Johnson
“The Lord is God, and He has made His
light shine upon us.
With boughs in hand, join in the
festal procession
up to the horns of the altar.”
(Psalm 118:27 NIV)
The Sum
of Saving Knowledge (A Brief Sum of Christian Doctrine) was a thoughtful gift from my
husband. One morning as I absorbed its words of wisdom, I thought, “I am
walking on the path my heavenly Father has laid out for me.”
by Macy Johnson
“So you also must be ready,
because the Son of Man will come at an
hour
when you do not expect Him.”
(Matthew 22:44 NIV)
It was a frigid
January morning in Georgia. Ice floated on the lake forty yards out from our
dock. Three ducks swam between our property and the ice floe, diving
periodically and in sync. A squirrel scampered from his nest high in the tree
to gather dead leaves from branches nearby. He carried the mouthful up in the
frosty cold to make his nest cozy. Amid the rare, below-freezing temperatures,
life goes on.
by Macy Johnson
“Share with God’s people who are in
need.
Practice hospitality.”
(Romans 12:13 NIV)
A Cliff
Note is a summary or brief explanation of a long text or speech. Many
Cliff Notes in high school came to my aid for reading assignments.
Cliff made
his appearance while we set up our camper. As the campground host for the
month, he welcomed us to AH Stephens State Park. We soon discovered Cliff was born
seven days before me, had a wife with dementia, and was a former BMW Master
Mechanic.
by Macy Johnson
“Come now, let us reason together,”
says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet
they shall be as white as snow.”
(Isaiah 1:18 NIV)
I woke up early
one Friday morning to a freezing chill and dreary skies. A wintry-mix had been
predicted for many days, but I skeptically scoffed at the weatherman’s report.
Several singers warned others of the pending “storm” during my church’s choir
practice the night before. I was scheduled to volunteer at the hospital that
morning, but non-essential personnel were urged via email to stay home. Maybe
someone knew something I did not?
by Macy Johnson
“His delight is in the law of the
Lord,
and on His law he meditates day and
night.”
(Psalm 1:2 NIV)
January brought
me a new “Word of the Year”: delight. Merriam-Webster defines delight as
“the act of taking great pleasure.” When do I take delight in God’s presence?
by Macy Johnson
“I
press on toward the goal to win the prize
for
which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
(Philippians
3:14 NIV)
My
husband, Jeff, and I watched the Southeastern Conference Championship football game.
The announcer declared, “Football is a game of momentum.” I pondered this
revelation.
