Reference Point Devotional

Life can take unexpected twists and turns. We work hard only to be led away from work we enjoy and love. Our family life does not come to the fruition we expect. Friendships waver; a relationship to a church we love dissipates; we grieve those we have lost in this life. It can feel as if we are drowning in the problems of this world. Our hope, though, is in the trust we can place in Jesus. We can trust that when the mountains seem tall or the journey long that He can and will direct our steps.

For those of a certain generation, or who raised kids in the 1980s or 90s, you may be familiar with the Bill & Gloria Gaither song “I Am A Promise”, published in 1982. For those not familiar with the lyrics, the song begins, “I am a promise / I am a possibility / I am a promise with a capital ‘P’ / I can be anything / anything God wants me to be.” Recently, my mom was visiting to watch my 4-year-old and started

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner there are A LOT of people already wondering how to maneuver through the day. The flowers… the chocolates… the balloons. Those tokens of affection. Oh, my. Even the little ones who set their carefully -or not so carefully- decorated Valentine’s Day boxes in place are wild with excitement wondering how many valentines they will receive or if their current heartthrob

Be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded. (2 Chronicles 15:17 NIV)

Here we go again…a new year.

Rather than beginning the calendar with a recitation of past losses, challenges, and hurts.

Rather than wondering, “What now?” or “What next?”

A footbridge on my wooded undergraduate college campus was named after an early 20th century dean who told her students, “Remember who you are and what you represent.” Our college leaders continually reminded us that we were members of our college community and that we were to represent our college by upholding the honor code, the few rules, the rigorous liberal arts education, academic honesty, and to respect our fellow students and local community.

This is a well of remembrance. Here we draw life-giving water from springs that never run dry. Do you remember when you first fell in love with Jesus? That moment when you experienced His salvation that changed your life forever? This free and totally undeserved gift fills me with unspeakable joy, but it often gets lost in the busy day-to-day life of an information professional, mom, wife, volunteer, friend, sister, and daughter.

Anxiety is something that many of us deal with in our daily lives. Recent circumstances in our world have made anxious thoughts commonplace. How can we overcome anxious thoughts? How do we not allow anxious thoughts to permeate every aspect of our lives, including our jobs?

Throughout our lives, many of us will find ourselves in a season of drift or insecurity. Unmoored and untethered to a comfortable and firm foundation, like a boat without an anchor, it is in these times that we find ourselves searching for truth, connection, and stability. We find ourselves drawn to hope.

While working in the public library my understanding of who the “least of these” were grew as I daily interacted with those who are marginalized in society: the homeless, those who are technologically challenged, those who aren’t comfortable speaking English, the recently released from prison, and those whom society seems to have forgotten for whatever reason.

In our lives we want to accomplish things as quickly as possible. The same is true with our library systems; we want to receive information sources immediately. As Christians, we pray and receive promises from the Lord, but most of the time, we want those promises right away. Sometimes we find it hard to wait. My wife and I know this firsthand. In January 2021, we traveled to Nigeria. As we were preparing for our return trip to the States, our COVID-19 tests came back positive. We had to wait for 14 days for additional tests, which came back negative. The waiting was hard for us and for our kids, who were in the U.S., waiting for our return.