Leadership
The Love of a Shepherd
April 30, 2024
We can too frequently neglect to consider the consequences of poor shepherding. The negative affect the state of a shepherd’s heart has on the ability to influence as God desires is regularly underestimated. Scripture provides numerous examples of leaders whose behavior adversely affected those they influenced, most often because their hearts were not in line with the heart of the Father. Moses’ account of the happenings at the edge of the Promised Land is no exception. Although often overlooked, it is important to note the role the majority of the leaders of the 12 tribes of Israel played in turning a 40-day journey into a 40-year wandering. And there is a lesson for us in the backstory...
The Lament of a Shepherd
April 23, 2024
Winter is an interesting time of year in the part of the hemisphere where I’m located. Dreary, dark, foggy days can go on seemingly forever, with the sun peeking through the clouds on only a rare occasion. Often, our lives feel similar. When we are mourning the loss of a loved one or lamenting a situation in our lives, all around us can seem dreary. David lamented on several occasions, as is evident throughout the psalms. One such time was after he was anointed king and was being unjustly accused by Saul. Saul’s obsessive paranoia caused him to rally his troops and relentlessly pursue David. Saul had become so compulsive that he put a hit on David’s life. He wanted the young man who had helped soothe his tortured soul through music, his own son-in-law, killed. We can only imagine how torturous this must have been for David.
Uncharted Waters
April 16, 2024
As I was tapping away on my laptop, the ring of my cell phone was startling. Dr. Fong was on the other end of the line. I had been waiting for the results of a specialized MRI completed a few days earlier. We had played phone tag the previous day and because he had not tried harder to reach me after-hours, I was not concerned. But the words “I wasn’t expecting this” and “referring you to a neuro-oncology subspecialist” had me listening more intently and sitting a bit straighter in my chair, scribbling as quickly as I could to write down the information.
Without Hesitation
April 9, 2024
Working through devotional questions related to 1 Kings 17, two verses captured my attention... So he went and did according to the word of the Lord. So he arose and went to Zarephath. —I Kings 17:5, 10 Without question, Elijah trusted God and, without hesitation, obeyed. Rather than continuing to read the miraculous account of the jars of flour and oil remaining full until the drought ended, the Holy Spirt pushed pause in my soul. It was like the cloud had metaphorically stopped in the sky above me and the Father whispered, “Camp here for a while”. I heard a question rise within me, “Why? Why did Elijah do what he was commanded so willingly, so quickly, seemingly so easily?”
The Deep Trust of a True Shepherd: Part 2
March 26, 2024
Yahweh’s instruction to Abram was clear, as was the remarkable promise... The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” — Genesis 12:1-3 Abram chose to trust, and he obeyed God... without question. One would be hard-pressed not to be challenged by the thought of that level of obedience to such a call. Even if God made the same promise to me that He made to Abram would I leave my neatly appointed home in a safe corner of the world, my grown children and their children, and set out for an unknown place? Without question? In full obedience? Or would my response sound more like this...
The Deep Trust of a True Shepherd: Part 1
March 12, 2024
It was the first time God spoke to Abram, but Yahweh made His instruction clear... The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation.” —Genesis 12:1 An idol worshipper, according to Joshua 24, Abram had specifically been chosen by the God of the universe to be the father of the Almighty’s chosen nation. Unexpectedly, it would seem. After all, Abram did not include the one true God in the list of the gods he worshipped. But Esther was a Jew. And as has been the case throughout history, a person of seeming authority wanted the Jews annihilated. The edict had been issued. A price was on their heads.
The Risk of Shepherding Well
March 12, 2024
She was an accidental shepherdess, you might say. Orphaned, kidnapped, held captive, and raped, this illiterate woman from modern-day Iran ultimately found herself Queen. The circumstances had not come from a Kate Middleton meets Prince William type of fairy tale, but by decree “to gather all the beautiful young virgins... in all the provinces of the Kingdom... to the harem” – 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia. Favor and kindness rested upon her, and after a year of spa days and selected foods, the King rested the royal crown upon her head. On the surface it seems like a happy ending to much trauma. But Esther was a Jew. And as has been the case throughout history, a person of seeming authority wanted the Jews annihilated. The edict had been issued. A price was on their heads.
Culinary Artistry
March 5, 2024
It’s a familiar passage – the words of God to Joshua after Moses’ death. And it’s been such a real part of our lives that it is boldly and deeply engraved on a large multi-colored wooden plaque in our home. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. —Joshua 1:9 Recently, however, in my morning devotions that included this verse, it was not these words that captured my attention. It was the Father’s earlier admonition to this newly promoted shepherd leader...
What does it mean to follow Jesus' example?
As human under-shepherds of The Good Shepherd’s flock, we have great responsibility. Even though we often feel limited by our sinful nature, there are responsibilities of shepherding the Father has empowered us to do well...
The Skies
I’ve spent a lot of time in the sky recently. (And, to clarify, that’s very different than having my head in the clouds!) A flight from the U.S. to Singapore, then on to Bangladesh, followed by a return trip, and flights to Texas, Georgia, Arizona, and California kept me in the heavens for a substantial time over the last three weeks.
What More Could a Loved Lamb Need?
I have been a fan of Jill Briscoe for many years and enjoy her daily devotionals. I like how she has taken Psalm 23 and talks about how it's frequently used to comfort those who mourn.
A Presence of Hope
Presence, no matter the circumstances, is imperative in the lives of our sheep.
Thrive
The word Thrive itself brings visions of flourishing, doesn’t it?
Fénelon Moments
Did you ever have a commitment on your calendar that seemed routine on the surface but in the end brought joy and wonder at what God can do?
