Category: Devotionals

Now that my husband and I are officially old and living in a retirement setting, we have been asked to participate in a course at Messiah College where first-year students interview oldsters about their life journey. The students interview their subjects on three different occasions and then write up a paper drawing some conclusions that might impact their own life journey.

My student, Megan, was assigned to me at random. Our first interview was much as expected, covering the basic facts of my life. The chronology was simple, but I emphasized how often God intervened to add surprise twists and turns in my career path. I told Megan that if someone had told me when I was her age that I would one day write books about sex and talk to thousands of teens every year about relationship issues, I might have run in the opposite direction!

The second interview filled in gaps and we finished early, so I asked Megan a bit about her own life. One of the first details she shared was about how she celebrated her 18th birthday this past summer: She chose to go sky diving for the first time.

I looked at her in astonishment. “That is exactly what I did on my 18th birthday!”

Suddenly our interview lost its perfunctory nature. We were talking about a very personal connection.

More than half a century ago I jumped out of a plane. Ever since then I have wondered how God would tie that random experience into His overall plan. And now, after Megan was randomly assigned to interview me, neither event seems to have been in free-fall. God used our connection to teach a lovely young woman that He is still in the business of surprises.

Towards the end of May, my husband and I moved to a retirement community. We’ve had a month or two to settle in to our new apartment, so last weekend, my mother came from Massachusetts to check out the accommodations. We laughed: Most residents here have plenty of gray hair, and none of them can say their parents have visited them!

Of course, with Mom around, we had a series of family gatherings. My brothers and my cousin came for lunch on Friday. Our kids and the grandkids came for an afternoon picnic at the pavilion on Saturday, with opportunities to feed the ducks and play games and tell old stories. Then on Sunday, we had another big gathering at my niece’s house over supper. The few hours together passed so quickly! These brief visits offer little opportunity for meaningful conversation.

One day our heavenly Father will invite us all to a real Family reunion. Everyone who has responded to His invitation can attend. No schedule conflicts will arise. No childcare will be necessary. Best of all, no time limit will cut short our time together: We will spend eternity at this reunion! Be sure to join us there!

Ever have a James Bond moment?

Theater-goers hold their breath during movie chase scenes. They watch stuntmen screech around corners, drive over cliffs and do controlled spins. Stuntmen don’t have to worry about an unexpected vehicle that might appear barreling down the highway. For them, every movement has been carefully choreographed and thought out ahead of time. James Bond is never truly in danger.

The other day I was driving down a major highway at 65 mph when the vehicle that was two cars ahead of me suddenly swerved to the right, hurtling over to the shoulder of the road. Seconds later, the van in front of me abruptly did the same thing, violently veering on to the shoulder as its driver struggled to control his vehicle and the wheels spat out gravel.

From my vantage point, there was no obvious reason for their evasive actions, but once the van moved out of the way I grasped the problem: Twenty feet ahead, in my driving lane, lay a tangled mass of bicycles.

With no time to ponder how they got there but noting that the van was slowing down and blocking my access to the shoulder, I gunned my CRV and ripped it to the left into the passing lane. My husband watched in horror from the passenger seat as we narrowly escaped hitting the pile of metal bike frames. Our pulses did not return to normal until we were several miles down the road.

Scripture tells us that our days are numbered by the Lord. We have no idea when the He may call us home, but we trust He has carefully choreographed His plan. While we rest in Him, we too are never in danger.

My husband and I are still in the throes of downsizing and moving to a retirement setting. Our backs ache, our minds whirl. One moment I think we have made progress, and then the next, we open another closet and feel overwhelmed by the piles of clutter within. How did all this stuff accumulate over the years?

During this period, I have thought of how easily distracted we are by the clutter of life. Were I alive during the time of Christ, I likely would have missed out on the key events of Holy Week. Instead of grieving over the crucifixion, I would have been walking to the well for water. Instead of rejoicing in the resurrection, I would have been mending a torn robe or shopping for figs in the market. And instead of recognizing the painful behaviors in my own life that offend God daily, I would allow them to sit quietly behind a closed door.

One day, that door will be open for all to see. My pride, my impatience, my selfishness will be exposed. How did I allow these to accumulate over the years?

On that day, I will move from this earthly home to my heavenly one. No packing, no yard sales, no sorting and tossing. Alone I will stand before the Sovereign Lord of the universe. And only by the His grace and the sacrifice of His Son will I be able to enter into my forever home.

My dad turned exactly 100 years old last October. He now lives in the nursing wing of a senior residential facility in Massachusetts. My mom is able to visit Dad every day. Recently, when she stopped by his room, she found him sound asleep so she sat down beside his bed to read until he awoke. Moments later, Dad stirred and Mom looked up to see a large smile emerge on his face. He said a single word: “Wow!” Then he went back to sleep.

A few more minutes passed and again Dad woke up briefly, long enough to smile and say, “Wow!”

Then he closed his eyes and went back to repeat the cycle a third time. After hearing him say “Wow!” once more, Mom spoke up. “Just what is it that you see?”

Dad’s answer was simple: “Heaven.”

I don’t know just what it was my father saw as he snoozed in his bed that winter afternoon, but his “Wow!” is enough for me to know that Heaven is real and that it is beautiful. One day I will see it for myself. What about you?

Did you take time off for a vacation over the December holidays? My son is a high school teacher, and after a week or two away, he finds it a challenge to harness his students and settle into grading papers. How do we transition back into the saddle early in January?

During December I typically set aside all my regular writing assignments and focus for a month on preparing a series of 24 Advent devotionals that center on a single theme. The devotionals are a wonderful distraction, but when January comes I find it hard to climb back on the horse and resume my earlier writing projects.

Part of my problem is that devotionals require such a different style of writing from my novels and non-fiction projects. The devotional pieces must be brief and tightly written. If I am writing a novel, I don’t have to resolve the main character’s problem in 250 words or less. After a time away, the saddle feels foreign, heavy, unwieldy. The cinch feels constricting.

Rather than buck and kick, I pick up chapter 1 of my novel and reread the entire manuscript from the beginning. As I read, I start to make small edits – a word here or a phrase there. This superficial step gets my mind in gear. But as I go, something deeper happens. My heart responds. My characters come alive and I enter their world. I remember that the project is not merely a writing exercise. It is my response to God’s prompting.

What obstacles do you face getting back into your routine? Does it help if you remember that God is holding the reins?