Pastor’s Blog

Daily Devotion October 6, 2023

Love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, and strength. Memorize his law and tell them to your children over and over again” (Deuteronomy 6:5-7, CEV).

     My wife Cathy is an amazing mother. I marvel as to how easily she relates to our children and grandson. A few years ago, I overheard Cathy reading the children’s book, The Cookie Store Cat, to our twenty-two-year-old daughter. I wasn’t surprised. Courtney is still a child at heart and Cathy relishes the role of storyteller.

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Daily Devotion October 5, 2023

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other”               (John 15:16-17, NIV).

     Years ago, a friend of mine participated in a mission trip to the Republic of Haiti. One day, Rick was sitting on a bench beneath a tree. A young Haitian boy took a seat next to Rick. Rick fascinated the boy. He had never met an American.


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Daily Devotion October 4, 2023

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out” (Proverbs 10:9, NIV).

 

     I found the following confession from a subscriber known as bluej1375 on Ranker.Com:

        Not a father but a story about mine. One day, I decided to pull a sick day at school and came downstairs
        and saw that my dad was making a coffee, I asked him what he was doing and why he wasn’t at work,
        and he said I could ask you the same question. We stood in silence for a moment, and he said I won’t tell your 
        mum if you won’t. We had a good laugh about it, and he let me have the day off.


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Daily Devotion October 3, 2023

“I assure you that unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of heaven” 
(Matthew 18:3, GNT).

     In their book, The Parent You Want to Be, Les and Leslie Parrott tell the story of a four-year-old girl named Shia. Shia began asking her parents to leave her alone with the new baby. The parents worried, that like most toddlers, Shia might want to hit or shake the baby. So, they refused their little girl’s request. Yet Shia insisted. The parents eventually realized that she wasn’t showing any signs of jealousy, so they allowed Shia to have her private conversation with the baby.

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Daily Devotion October 2, 2023

Fathers do not make your children angry, but raise them with the training and teaching of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4, NCV).

     If you’ve attended a youth sporting event, you no doubt have met “that parent.” I’m talking about the mom or dad who continually berates their child for underperforming on the court or the field of play. The individual who steals the joy from everyone sitting in the stands. Their continuous critique reminds me of the old school manager who lives by the motto: The beatings will continue until morale and production improve.

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Daily Devotion September 29, 2023

The LORD says, “Forget what happened before, and do not think about the past. Look at the new thing I am going to do” (Isaiah 43:18-19, NCV).

     Last year, writers from Bored Panda asked parents how often their children would say they committed “monumental mishaps.” A mother named Deva sighed, “In the eyes of my children? Every. Single. Day.” Deva went on to describe one of her worst mistakes. “I cursed in front of my son’s friend the other day. A big, fat %@*! when we were in the car.” When I apologized my son said, “Don’t worry, Mom. Everyone’s immune to you by now.”


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