Thanksgiving in 2020 may look different this year. It has been a rough year, but we should be just as grateful as ever. However, our feelings may not always line up the way they should.

Last year for my Valentine blog, I wrote about the first love song that many of us ever learned "Jesus Loves Me." I thought this year that I would focus on another song that relays how God loves us.

Did you have fun unwrapping your Christmas gifts? Did you unwrap with wonder and expectation at what might be in that beautifully wrapped package? We still have one more gift to unwrap, or depending on how you look at it, 365 gifts.

One of the most often used excuses for not reading the Bible is that it is hard to understand. While it is true that some parts can be difficult to comprehend, much of the Bible is simple and straight forward.

If you know me, you know that my taste in Christian music is more contemporary. I love praise chorus and the more modern hymns, but there is one old gospel song that I remember from my childhood. My mother watched religious broadcasts on TV, and this song was on quite often. The chorus of that song, The Lighthouse wrote by Ronny Hinson, still rings in my head from time to time.

Writers find inspiration in many ways. Blogging is no different. Sometimes it gets challenging coming up with something new to write about. Most of the time, we write our blog and then find a picture to attract the attention of readers. At least that is how it usually works for me, but this week is different. My inspiration this week came when I saw the beautiful picture that accompanies this blog.

Have you ever asked someone for a favor and had to talk them into helping you? You may have said things like, “It won’t take long.” or “I know you would really be good at this.” Sometimes we treat God the same way. We think we have to talk God into helping us. 

What do you think about ______? This question is usually asked when someone wants your opinion on something. You can fill in the blank with whatever the topic of discussion is at the time. But there is another way to look at the question, and that is simply, “What do you think about?”

If you look throughout the Bible, God was always calling people to something or someplace new. He called Abraham to leave his home and go to a new place so that he could make him the father of many nations.

When is the last time you had a check-up? We all know how important physical check-ups are to maintain our health and stay on top of any issues that might arise. Never the less we don't like to be poked and prodded by doctors. However, most of us do it because we know that the results could be disastrous if we don't and a health issue could sneak up on us. Do we give the same consideration to our spiritual health?

One of the first Bible verses that many of us learned as a child was John 3:16. The verse says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Recently in the news, a Christian celebrity has been raked over the coals for standing by and supporting a longtime co-star after that celebrity allegedly committed a serious crime. This actress that has openly declared her faith has been scolded, called names, and had fans tell her that they will no longer watch her movies and TV shows. Some have even called her unchristian.

Do you remember the hymn, “The Immutable Basis of a Sinner’s Hope?” No? Me either. But I do remember it as it was later retitled, “The Solid Rock.” The lyrics were written in 1834 by Edward Mote. The tune and name change came almost 30 years later, written by William Bradbury.