Children—particularly little children—are more responsive to adults who are willing to speak with them face to face by crouching down to their height. There is something about that simple gesture that invites connection. As adults, we are often inclined to show kindness and favor to small children because they are weaker than we are and… Continue reading Surpassing Grace: March 2024 Scripture Writing Plan
Category: God’s Love
Abundant Mercy: Scripture Writing Plan February 2024
Have you ever been punished and knew you deserved it? How did you feel about your punishment? Were you resentful? Upset? Resigned? On the flip side, have you deserved punishment and been spared? How did it feel? Were you relieved? Grateful? Or did you take it for granted? How one receives both justice and mercy… Continue reading Abundant Mercy: Scripture Writing Plan February 2024
God is My Refuge: January 2024 Scripture Writing Plan
Every so often, we get raging thunderstorms in Texas. Instead of a light sheet of rain, it's as if someone decided to dump a river over a few square miles in 10 minutes. Wind and hail tear things to pieces. Lightning shoots across the sky. Thunder roars. When such a storm strikes, you don't want… Continue reading God is My Refuge: January 2024 Scripture Writing Plan
The Great Physician: June 2023 Scripture Writing Plan
Franny J. Crosby was a well-known American poet and lyricist, known today for the many hymns she composed. She was also blind. At 6 weeks old, a doctor’s incorrect treatment of her eye infection caused permanent blindness. (Some scholars assert that she was born blind.) A preacher once said to her, “I think it is… Continue reading The Great Physician: June 2023 Scripture Writing Plan
God Sees Me: April 2023 Scripture Writing Plan
Have you ever watched sparrows? For such small and simple birds, they teem with personality. When we lived in the city, I would watch them from time to time, bathing playfully in the puddles left by the sprinklers. At other times, they would get down in the dirt and take a dust bath. They also… Continue reading God Sees Me: April 2023 Scripture Writing Plan
Hosea – God’s Unfailing Love: July 2021 Scripture Writing Plan
“Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us...Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord;His going out is sure as the dawn;He will come to us as the showers,As the spring rains that water the earth."Hosea 6.1,3 Could you continue to love someone… Continue reading Hosea – God’s Unfailing Love: July 2021 Scripture Writing Plan
God’s Persistent Patience: Scripture Writing Plan March 2021
Patience is something many want to receive, but few want to practice. Just imagine how awful it would be if the Lord did not extend patience to us! In Acts 6, Luke introduces us to a man named Stephen who was, "full of faith and the Holy Spirit" (Acts 6.5). He was willing to serve… Continue reading God’s Persistent Patience: Scripture Writing Plan March 2021
Steadfast Love: Scripture Writing Plan for February
Love. It is likely the most overused and misapplied word in the world. Most of the time, love is referred to in the context of romantic love, followed by filial love, and enjoyment of something. Romantic love, in particular, is glorified in our stories and music. It is worshipped. Idolized. Like all idols, however, romantic… Continue reading Steadfast Love: Scripture Writing Plan for February
When Plans Go “Askew…”
We carefully construct plans for our vacations, finances, homes, futures, etc., only to have them violently overturned in an instant. Our disappointment is only rivaled by an intense feeling of helplessness as we watch smoke rising from the charred remains.
"The best laid schemes of mice and men go often askew..."
You may (or may not) have noticed fewer blog posts lately. Many of my own careful plans (including blogging) have been repeatedly upended this year. So, if you're feeling a bit frustrated, I'm right there with you!
So what can you and I learn from the ashes of our ruined plans?
When You Feel Like Nobody Sees You
Within each one of us is a longing to be seen. It is this very longing that makes social media such a powerful medium. Every post offers a glimpse into our daily life. We can share our favorite foods, our cute pets, our cutting complaints, our magical moments. Better still, we get to control how much we reveal, making our lives look "practically perfect in every way"! Yet does anybody---on social media or in our day-to-day---really see us as we are? Do they see our grueling work (or, at times, embarrassing laziness)? Do they see the tears? The frustrations? The joys? The longings?
Elihu's Corner 