Nehemiah 9:17 (NLT) – But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.   I love dogs and although I don’t own one, I have many doggie friends all over town.  Dogs love me because I give them a good scratch and often release fistfuls of fur.  I…

Ephesians 5:18-20 (NLT) – Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.  Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything.   Aren’t people who have this approach to life pleasant to be around?  Give thanks…

2 Timothy 4:2 (NLT) – Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction.   A crucial component to my son’s achievement that I neglected to mention yesterday is guidance.  Addison’s wonderful mentor and coach guides both his physical and mental training. …

Psalm 119:30 (NLT) – I have chosen to be faithful; I have determined to live by your regulations.   My son reached a pinnacle this weekend in his gymnastics career.  Through hard work and determination, he qualified to compete at the US National Championships.  In words you’ll understand, this is like finishing 9th grade with…

Isaiah 41:10 (NLT) – Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.  Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you.  I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.   Don’t you love this encouragement straight from God?  If we truly believed these promises, we would never…

If you don’t know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else. – Yogi Berra   I’m in Colorado Springs at the Olympic Training Center for my son’s gymnastics competition.  Along the gym walls are inspirational quotes, including this one from Yogi Berra.  It applies to faith as well as many areas of…

Matthew 10:16 (NIV) – I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.  Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.   I have a furry friend.  As I sat on the curb pulling weeds this spring, a baby bunny would hang out under the cover of a nearby plant.  He was…

Colossians 2:8-9 (NLT) – Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.  For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.   If you want to know God, you need only…

James 1:21 (NLT) – So get rid of all the moral filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.   While it’s possible to read God’s Word strictly on an intellectual level, we won’t understand much of…

Mark 6:31-32 (NLT) – Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.”  He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.  So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be…