“So don’t be afraid;
you are worth more than many sparrows.”
(Matthew 10:31 NIV)
I walked
into my house one Friday afternoon after playing Mah Jongg at the Greene County
Library. I joined the group out of curiosity, played several hands, and won one
hand. My husband, Jeff, asked me how I liked playing the game with a new group
of men and women. I told him I enjoyed it and looked forward to returning the
next week.
“Fight the good fight of the faith.
Take hold of the eternal life to which
you were called
when you made your good confession
in the presence of many witnesses.”
(1 Timothy 6 :12 NIV)
The Apostle Paul urges me to claim the benefits of eternal life today! Like a champion in a boxing ring, I will come out fighting. Nothing can hold me back from punching out all the distractions, one at a time. I will take hold of the prize of eternal life in Jesus. I hope you will, too!
“When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.”
(Isaiah 43:2 NIV)
Testing hurts, but it will not destroy my soul. Suffering strengthens my faith and turns my face to my heavenly Father. He is always waiting for me to run to Him. I will everyday thank God for being in control of the force of nature. I hope you will, too!
“To this you were called,
because Christ suffered for you,
leaving you an example,
that you should follow in His steps.”
(1 Peter 2:21 NIV)
Lord, I am humbled and honored when I think about how You have chosen me to follow in Your steps and suffer as You have. You suffer when Your children push You away, try to make it on their own, and reach for Your creation instead of You. I will follow Jesus, His perfect example of suffering, and seek to become more like Him. I hope you will, too!
“Be holy because I,
the Lord your God, am holy.”
(Leviticus 19:2 NIV)
Reginald Heber wrote the popular hymn, “Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty” along with fifty-six other hymns as vicar in his family’s parish. The Bishop of London stopped Reginald from publishing a collection of high-caliber hymns, so he set off for India as a missionary. After he died on the mission field, his widow published his Hymns Written and Adapted to the Weekly Service of the Church Year. I will set my sights on God’s will today, no matter the consequences. I hope you will, too!
“Devote yourselves to prayer,
being watchful and thankful.”
(Colossians 4:2 NIV)
Oswald Chambers wrote, “The one thing that keeps us from the possibility of worrying is bringing God in as the greatest factor in all of our calculations.” If I commit my way to Him and trust Him with even the tiniest detail, He will bring success. It may not be what I want, but it will be the best, because He will be at the center. I will devote myself to a deeper relationship with Him. I hope you will, too!
by Macy Johnson
“Everyone who competes in the games
goes into strict training.
They do it to get a crown that will not
last;
but we do it to get a crown that will
last forever.”
(1 Corinthians 9:25 NIV)
My
husband, Jeff, and I enjoyed watching the 2026 NCAA Men’s College World Series
Baseball Championship. The University of Oklahoma’s team defeated the
University of North Carolina’s team in the final game.
