John 17:9 – I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. (NIV) I see a lot of memes on Facebook that appear to condemn the church for not being the church that the world expects. The memes usually attack the church for being hypocritical and not compassionate enough. There is some truth to wh…

Matthew 5:44 – But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. (NKJV) During the occupation of the Netherlands from 1940 to 1945, about 25,000 people were imprisoned for interrogation and prosecution in a jail near The Hague. Most were member…

A while ago, my dad was very ill; he couldn't even walk, and I saw him wet himself while trying to reach the restroom. I had never seen him in such a vulnerable circumstance before, and I felt weakness just descend on me. It was so sudden, just like having cold water poured on me. As a means of strengthening myself the next morning as I was going t…

1 Samuel 3:10 – Now the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel answered, "Speak, for Your servant hears." (NKJV) Recently, as my husband and I drove by a local cancer and blood centre, I glanced at it, and the Holy Spirit softly whispered, "I want you to go there once a week, sit quietly, and pray for the pat…

In my last devotional, It Only Takes A Spark on April 18, 2024, I told how a farmer lost his barn in a fire due to a spark from his tractor. This time, I want to tell how John was involved in the building of the new barn. John and the hired man were working in our shop making ductwork for our heating business. As I was baking cookies, the kitchen d…

Matthew 6:16 – And when you fast, don't make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. (NLT) I once fasted, but not from food. I suddenly found myself saddled with two car payments. Knowing that I cou…

Over twenty years ago, my husband and I rented out the house that we have up north to a young family. Their lease was for one year, and we received the first and the last month's rent before they moved in during the late fall. After occupying the house for five months, they called to tell us that they would be moving out. They owed us money — three…