Word of the Year 2026

  

“Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I entrust my life.” Psalm 143:8 (NIV)

I love early morning. The world is quiet. Darkness slowly turns to light. The sun rises with all its majesty. A new day begins. New possibilities. New hopes. New beginnings. A new opportunity to meet with God.

In Psalm 143:8 David gives us a model for a morning prayer.

David’s prayer begins by asking the Lord to remind him of His unfailing love. David then tells God that he trusts Him for the day ahead. He asks the Lord to show him the way that he should go. He concludes his prayer by once more entrusting His life to the Lord.

What a perfect prayer to begin the day! My desire is to begin each morning of 2026 with this prayer.

My practice in recent years has been to choose a word of the year and a verse of the year. I print out the word and the verse and tape it to my bathroom mirror where I read it each morning. This year my word is Morning, and my verse is Psalm 143:8.

I encourage you, my readers, to choose a word and a verse for 2026. If you do, I would love for you to share it with me. Happy New Year. May the Lord bless you richly in 2026!

What Do We Pray For?

  

“If anyone of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5 (ESV)

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 (NIV)

Life can be hard. Problems can seem insurmountable. We want to pray but don’t know how. What do we pray for?

The Bible says that if we ask for anything according to God’s will that He will hear us. (1 John 5:14). But what is God’s will? What should we ask Him for?

The Bible is full of many promises. Two of them come to mind.

James 1:5 promises that He will give wisdom to those who ask for it. And He gives generously. When life is hard and we don’t know what to do, we can ask God for wisdom. God promises to give wisdom to those who ask.

God also desires to give His children peace. On the night before He died, Jesus said to his followers: “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you.”  Inner peace in the middle of problems is a gift that He wants to give.

Get out your prayer list. For those who have big needs, pray for God to give wisdom and peace. For those whose needs seem to be small, pray for God to give wisdom and peace. There is no one who does not needs God’s wisdom and peace. Ask Him. He delights to give good gifts to His children.

 

Be Thankful

  

“Enter His gate with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His name! For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 100:4-5 (ESV)

How should we enter God’s presence? With praise and thanksgiving!

Why should we thank God? Psalm 100 gives us three reasons. God is good. God’s love is steadfast. God is faithful.

The evidence of His goodness, love and faithfulness is on display every day. Often, we are too busy to notice it.

During November, let’s ask God to make us aware of His blessings.

I like to keep a gratitude list during the month of November. Every day I write down what I am thankful for. Then, I thank God the gifts He has given me.

Will you join me in making a gratitude list this November?

Let’s make this month a special time of noticing God’s gifts and of thanking Him for them.

When Thanksgiving Day arrives, may we overflow with thankfulness to our great God.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Faith the Size of a Poppy Seed

 

 

“If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain ‘move from here,’ and it will move.” Matthew 17:20 (NIV)

Did you ever bite into a warm poppy seed bagel covered with cream cheese? Delicious. If you are like me, a few poppy seeds always get stuck in your teeth. Think about how small a poppy seed is. That is the size of a mustard seed.

Now imagine Mount McKinley, the tallest mountain in the US. It stands 20,310 feet above sea level. Imagine faith the size of a poppy seed moving Mount McKinley. What a ridiculous thought!

Yet, this is exactly what Jesus said in Matthew 17:20.

Do your problems seem as big as mountains?

Do your doubts seem large and your faith seem small?

Do you feel like you must wait until your faith is stronger before you start praying?

It is never too soon to pray. Do not wait until your faith is stronger. Remember the tiny little poppy seed. God hears prayers even when our faith is small. So, start praying! Then, watch the mountains start to move.                                               

 

 

 

 

 

 

In God We Trust

  

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.”            Proverbs 3: 4-5(NKJV)

What is the motto of the United States? The answer can be found on any coin or bill. “In God We Trust.” In 1955 Congress passed a bill to put these words on all US currency. The bill passed with bipartisan support and was signed into law by President Eisenhower.

We live in a wonderful country. But it is a country which is plagued with many complex problems. What is the answer? Who can we trust? Our motto says that we can trust God.

The Bible describes God as all wise, all powerful, all knowing, and abounding in love. God is faithful, and He hears our prayers. Our God is trustworthy.

I can’t tell you the answer to our country’s problems. But I would like to suggest a first step. Prayer.

The Fourth of July is approaching and we are ready for fireworks, parades, and hots dogs. Let’s add one more tradition to our Fourth of July celebration. Let’s take time to pray for our nation.

In 1955 the members of Congress put aside their differences and agreed on one thing: In God We trust. In 2025, let us do the same thing.

Happy Fourth of July!

Like a Hen Gathers Her Chicks

  

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem…How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.” Matthew 23:37(NKJV)

The hen spreads her wings to gather her baby chicks. The rain comes and pounds relentlessly. The chicks are safe and warm nestled beneath her wings.

This is the image that Jesus used as He wept over the city of Jerusalem, saddened at their reluctance to come to Him.

The heart of Jesus is loving and kind and tender. Like the hen, He longs to keep His children close to Him, safe and secure. He extended an invitation to them, but they were not willing. So, Jesus wept.

Why would anyone be unwilling to come to Jesus? Why am I so often unwilling to turn to Him? We are all sinners, inclined to want our own way. A relationship with Jesus means acknowledging that He is Lord and King.

The cost of having a relationship with Jesus is total surrender. The cost is high. But the benefits are higher! Jesus loves us more than we can imagine. He loved us enough to lay down His life for us. Imagine being as close to Jesus as those little chicks are to their mother!

Jesus is calling. The invitation is open. Will you say yes?

Word of the Year 2025: God’s Love

 

“…to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height - to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge.” Ephesians 3:18b-19a (NKJV)

Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians includes the request that they would know how much God loves them. The greatness of God’s love is incomprehensible. My prayer is that I would know more of His love at the end of 2025 than I do now.

Every year I choose a word of the year to meditate on throughout the year. My 2025 Word of the Year it is technically two words: God’s Love. I will type the words of the year and the Bible verse, print it, and attach it to my bathroom mirror so that I will read it every day.

I also encourage you, my readers, to choose a word of the year and a Bible verse of the year. If you do, I would love to hear what you have chosen.

As the year 2025 stretches before us, I know that God loves each of us far more than we can imagine and that He will walk with us every day of 2025.

Happy New Years to all!

Uprooted Tree

  

“If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea, and it would obey you’.”                   Luke 17:6ESV

It lay on the ground next to my home. The palm tree, once so proud, lay flat on its side, its roots exposed. Hurricane Milton had ravaged the area in the dead of night. Its powerful wind tore roofs off buildings, knocked trees into power lines, stripped off branches, and also uprooted my palm tree.

As I looked at the tree, I was thankful that it fell parallel to the house and did not cause any damage. Imagine the power of a hurricane that could uproot a sturdy tree!

In Luke 17, Jesus says that faith the size of a mustard seed can also uproot a tree. A mustard seed measures between 1/32 and 3/32 inch in diameter. Mustard seed faith is tiny faith. But tiny faith placed in a mighty God can do impossible things.

My faith often seems small and my problems often seem big. Doubts sometimes outweigh faith. Why even pray when my faith is so small? No! Jesus does not tell us to increase our faith then come back. Instead, He invites us to come and pray even when our faith is as tiny as a mustard seed.

Thank You, Lord that You are more powerful than a hurricane. Thank You that You invite me to come to You right now. And so, Lord, I bring my mustard seed faith and come.

 

Thank You

 

 

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of changing.” James 1:17

A gift arrives in the mail. What do you do? “Write a thank you note” was the answer in my generation. Today the answer is “Send a text or an email.” The important thing is to communicate to the giver that you appreciate the gift.

How many gifts does God give us each day? An infinite number! Everything that we have is a gift from God. Life. Health. Family. Food. Drink. Shelter. To name a few.

In my own life, I usually remember to thank the people who give me gifts. However, I am not as quick to thank God for the gifts He gives each day.

The holiday of Thanksgiving is a yearly reminder for us to thank God.

During November, I make a conscious effort to notice the blessings of God. It helps me to make a list each day. Then I take time to thank God for each blessing on the list.

Let me encourage you, my readers, to make November a month of giving thanks. Start a gratitude list. Add to it each day. Ask God to open your eyes to His blessings each day. Then be sure to thank Him for each of those blessings.

May each of you have a blessed Thanksgiving Day.

 

 

 

Moon

 

 

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork.” Psalm 19:1

The clouds parted. There it was! The full moon in all its splendor! Walking in my community is always a delight. My morning walks tend to be early for most of the year. Once the sun rises, a pervasive humidity blankets the state of Florida, making walking unpleasant. But at 6 a.m. there is a coolness, making walking enjoyable. The joy is even greater when a full moon is shining.

Psalm 19 states that the heavens declare God’s glory, that the sky proclaims His handiwork. The majestic beauty in the sky above shouts out how glorious our Creator is.

Viewing the full moon varies from month to month. Some mornings it is raining. Or the sky might be cloudy. At other times, the sky is clear, displaying a radiant full moon.

When the clouds hide the moon, I am disappointed. Does that mean that the moon is not there? Of course not! Above the clouds, the moon is shining as brightly as ever. We might not always see the moon, but it is always there.

The same is true of God. He tells us in Matthew 28, “I am with you always, even until the end of the world.” Sometimes His presence with us seems as vivid as a full moon on a clear night.

At other times, when the storms of life come, He seems far away. Does that mean He is not there? Of course not! Above the storm clouds, our God is shining as brightly as ever. We might not always see God, but He is always there.

Lord, give us the grace to trust You when the storms of life obscure our view of You. Thank you that You are always with us.

 

Snarling Dogs

 

 

“But I will sing of Your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for You are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.” Psalm 59:16(NIV)

Singing of God’s strength, singing of God’s love!  What a wonderful thing to do on a beautiful day, when birds are singing, the sun is shining, and life is good.

These were not David’s circumstances when he wrote Psalm 59. Outside were men sent by Saul to kill him. Verse 14 describes the men as “snarling like dogs”.   

In spite of threatening circumstances, David chose to sing of God’s strength and of His love. He chose that occasion to remember that God was his refuge and his strength.

Have you ever gone to bed worrying about the next day’s problems? Have those troubling thoughts ever seemed like a pack of snarling dogs?

David’s solution was to remember who God is and to sing praises to Him. Perhaps the songs of praise drowned out the snarls of the dogs. Two things were true. Snarling dogs were outside. God is more powerful than snarling dogs.  Two facts. Which truth to focus on?

In today’s world, Christian music is available 24 hours per day. When I am worried, I turn on my favorite Christian station and set the volume on low. I fall asleep thinking about the words of praise songs. It’s a wonderful alternative to thinking about “snarling dogs” all night long.

Praise you, Lord God. You are strong. Your love never fails. You are my refuge in times of trouble.

 

 

 

 

 

Eclipse

  

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1(NIV)

Total darkness. Dropping temperatures. Birds roosting in the middle of the day. The moon blocking the sun. The corona. The “diamond ring”.  How awesome! How magnificent! How great is our God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth!

Before yesterday’s eclipse becomes a distant memory, let us pause and stand in awe before our God, the Creator of heaven and earth.

I am not a scientist. I am a simple follower of Jesus Christ who believes that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. There are Christian scientists who have scientific arguments for Creation.  I am not a scientist. I am simply a woman who spent an afternoon watching the tv account of the eclipse. I am a woman who gazes each morning at the sunrise. I marvel at the beauty of spring flowers. And I wonder how anyone could not believe that there is a Creator.

 How great is our God, the Creator of heaven and earth!

Invitation to Meet

 

                                                  

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:6 (NIV)

There is something special about lunch with a close friend. Especially when it is just the two of you. A private lunch invites private conversation. Things can be shared at a private lunch that would not be shared in a larger group. Personal joys and personal struggles. A time to listen and a time to speak. A private lunch with a friend is a precious joy. 

Amazingly, God our Father invites us to meet privately with Him. When we pray, He invites us to share our personal joys and our personal struggles. He always listens and always understands. As we open His Word, He speaks to us. Like a good friendship, our meeting includes both speaking and listening. A private time with God is a precious joy.

Lord, thank you for inviting me today to meet with You. Thank you, too, that You will invite me again tomorrow. And that with each sunrise comes a new invitation. What a privilege to have a God who wants to spend time with me!

 

 

Exactly

 

                                                      

 

“I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.” John 14:31B

 

“Now Noah did everything just as God commanded him.” Genesis 6:22

 

Jesus loved the Father and pledged to do exactly what the Father commanded Him to do.  For Jesus, this meant going to the cross.  

 

Noah was a man who desired to obey God.  For Noah, this meant building an ark in a world that had never seen rain.

 

Do I do “exactly” what God commands me to do? Or are my standards of obedience 99% or 90% or even less?  The Sovereign God deserves 100% obedience.  Anything less is sin. 

 

If God tells me to do something, I must do it.  When God says to go, I must go. There is no room for negotiation. It is audacious to suggest that a Sovereign God is wrong! When I disobey or partially obey, that is what I am doing. And, sadly, I do just that far too often!  

 

Lord, open my eyes to see who You are. Give me the tiniest glimpse of Your greatness, holiness, and majesty. Cause me to remember Your love and goodness and wisdom. May I bow before You in worship and submission. Give me the grace, dear Lord, to do exactly what You tell me to do. You deserve nothing less.