By Peggie Potter-Balaun

In 1 Samuel 9-14 there is the account of Saul of the tribe of Benjamin being anointed 
and appointed by Jehovah God to be the first king of Israel and how he disobeyed the
command of God to completely annihilate the pagan Amalekites. Now before we wince
at the thought that the loving God of Israel would make such a request please keep
in mind several things:
First, the Amalekites had been determined to destroy the Hebrew people since their release from slavery in Egypt.
Second, they were a cruel pagan people who regularly sacrificed their own children to idols. The Word of God says that a nation who practices such things is cursed (Jeremiah 22:3) and those who practice such things are already considered dead (Galatians 5:19-21 and Romans 1:32 ) This was also before the age of grace and Father God, thirdly, was intent on keeping the nation He had covenanted with to give birth to His Son Jesus, the Messiah and Savior of the world !
  King Saul's failure to obey God led to the escape of the Amalekite king Agag's pregnant queen whose decendants became known as the Agagites.
   Fast forward to the time of Judah's captivity in Babylon . Under the Persian king Xerxes' rule an evil man know as Haman the Agagite persuaded the king to rule that the Jewish people living in the Persian empire should be annihilated. A young beautiful Jew, a Benjamite and her cousin and guardian Mordecai, discovered this plot shortly after she became King Xerxes'queen. Unlike king Saul, Mordecai and this brave young woman risked their own lives to expose this plot ! They succeeded, where king
Saul centuries before had failed potentially leaving the Jewish people vulnerable to
genocide at the hands of an evil Amalekite/Agagite !
   People tend to forget that our omniscient God knows the beginning from the end as
well as the past from the future. It is, therefore, never a good idea to disobey Him.
As the old hymn says,"trust & obey, cause there's no other way...". We don't always
know why God asks certain things of certain people. We must indeed always trust
that Father God knows best !

By Kadeen Edwards 

Obedience
(complete and utter surrender)

“But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice”
‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭15‬:‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬


Some great questions to ask ourselves are: Do I really desire His Will for my life? Do I really desire to do what He says or to do what I want? The truth is, for me, I desire His Will for my life, and my heart desires to obey His Word; however, sometimes my heart also desires what I think I want, but truth be told, I know that what God’s Will is for my life is far better than what I want or what I think I want because His thoughts are higher and His ways are higher, and He sees everything from a greater perspective. He knows what I need more than I know what I need. And so with that thought in mind, I think of Romans 12:1, where it says: Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This is your true and proper form of worship. So there are two voices speaking, maybe a few most times in my mind, but there’s one that is louder and speaks a better word, and it is God’s voice and His will for my life always. Although surrendering is not an easy task, it is essential for us to align our lives with God’s will. When we surrender, we relinquish all control and embrace the idea of losing our lives to gain something that cannot be lost. Sometimes, I cling to control because I believe it provides me with stability. However, I have come to understand that it is not my actions that hold me together, but rather the spirit of God that sustains me. In Him, I find my existence, my movement, and my very being. There is nothing I can accomplish without His presence. When I surrender everything to Him, there is nothing He cannot accomplish through me or for me. Total surrender involves relinquishing control over everything beyond my reach and embracing actions within my power, while simultaneously cultivating the wisdom to discern the distinction between the two.
When we submit to God, we open the door to all kinds of amazing experiences because it’s only through Him that we get to experience the abundance that He’s called us to. When we hold on to our lives, we lose our lives, but when we lose our lives and submit to Him, we gain even more.
It’s incredible how obedience concurrently offers both liberation and restriction. It establishes boundaries while granting us the freedom to explore. When we obey God, it serves as a protective measure. Unlike restrictions imposed by external forces, God’s commands are beneficial and purposeful, designed to safeguard us and foster our growth. By obeying and trusting in God, we experience a continuous flow of peace, liberation from fear, renewed strength, rejuvenated hearts, and invigorated minds. With God, the seemingly insurmountable challenges transform into opportunities. As we dwell in God’s presence, we are granted the profound experience of His abundance, love, and promises, filled with joy and everlasting pleasures. Obedience creates harmony when we go against what God is calling us to do in our lives. It creates a rougher journey than the one He was taking us on. This reminds me of the Israelites, who had an 11-day journey to get to the promised land, but it ended up taking them 40 years because they went against what God was doing. I pray for complete surrender that I would abide in the word God has spoken for my life so that the life that I live today and thereafter will be fruitful and harmonious.

​Title: A Child’s Life
by Linda Hokit
      “Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven
belongs to such as these.”
Matthew 19:14 NIV
      VBS and other child outreach programs, such as the sports camp our church does each year, have always
been important to me, since I accepted the Lord at a VBS. I have seen children share the Gospel with
each other with the greatest of ease. Others gave up gifts they had earned so someone else could have a gift as well. To be sure, there are always kiddos that just have to wiggle at inopportune times.
      
​      However, When I was an appointed a missionary at a conference, a presenter had the missionaries present raise
our hands when she hit on the age, we made our commitment to serve in missions. I was in my late
twenties. Others where in their 50’s and still others were as young as elementary school! Her point was,
that God was using the work done by missionaries, children’s leaders and parents helped to raise up
children who could also be used of God. She was demonstrating that we were not just raising up fine
adults but also children and servants of God!
      A number of verses in the Bible reference children. Some focus on children directly and others ask adults
to take on such things as the qualities, attitudes and assumptions of children. In doing so, we shred
away the ought's and expectations of adulthood for the simplicity of an unincumbered life in God’s
Hands. In Matthew 18:3 Christ says, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children,
you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” In Mark 37, Jesus says, “Whoever welcomes one of these
little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one
who sent me.”
      A modern example of God calling someone in their young years is Jim Elliot. Jim’s parents served the
Lord in a bi-vocational way. He accepted the Lord at six years old and grew in his faith until he met and
married Elisabeth. He was insightful and often recorded his thoughts in a journal. One of the things he
was known for saying was, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
Jim and Elisabeth served in Ecuador where they were among those seeking to share the love of God with
an indigenous tribe who eventually killed Jim and four other men who were seeking to make a
connection with them. One thing led to another and the person who killed him eventually accepted the
Lord and became a leader in the work to reach the others tribe members in ways they could understand.
Elisabeth remarried and became an inspired author and teacher. Countless young adults were also
inspired to serve because of their sacrifice.
       As a result, the mission they supported grew. If you would like the whole story, check out
the movies called, Through Gates of Splendor, Beyond Gates of Splendor
and End of the Spear. Elisabeth also wrote Through Gates of Splendor and Shadow of the Almighty.
After seeing our children at Sports Camp react in truly compassionate ways, listen to presentations
about prayer and participate in Bible Study, I began to ponder the ways God’s has used children in the
past. It didn’t take long to come up with a short list. Samuel was called at a young age while serving in
the temple after his mother dedicated him to God. David fell Goliath while still a boy.
      Moses’ sister Miriam watched over him while he was in a basket in the bullrushes. Christ was
doing His Father’s work at 12 years old. A young boy gave up his lunch, which Christ multiplied for
the multitudes to eat. In like manner, God has a call and a cause for each of us regardless of how
old we are when he calls us!
      In closing, I would like to share a story about my father that helped me understand at a young age about
serving others. I guess every parent has a story that starts out with how they walked miles to school, in
the snow, uphill, both ways! Well, my dad did not walk in the snow because he lived in Oklahoma, but
he did walk a mile or so to school. His school was one room and it was his job to come early and set a
fire so the room would be warm when everyone arrived. We were all about serving, helping other and
showing respect in our family, but what I got out of the story was how rewarding it is to serve. How
important it is to be a team member whether or not anyone knows or notices.
      Just one story, helped me find my place in the world! Because we moved so much in my young years,
my brother and I were always the new kids. Even though we both did well in sports we did not always
have a chance to play on the first string. So, I became the person on the track team that always came in
second, or third place. However, that was fine with me, because if I ran or jumped in multiple events, I
could earn us a number of “Team Points” and made me a valuable member of the team. As an adult I
was always in a “middle management” role and loved it, because it gave me face-to-face-time with
those I was serving and helping. If I had “moved up the ladder”, I would have lost my opportunity to
meet needs! I would have lost my opportunity to just sit, chat and sometimes share God’s love.
      So, in summary, children, who some might consider the least of these can actually serve as examples of
a successful servant in Christ!

By Mary Spence
I have a favorite coffee cup. I got it from a potter in North Carolina when we were on vacation there with our family. It looks like sand with the surf rolling up on it. It's big and the perfect shape to fit my hands on a cold morning, when full of hot coffee.  I absolutely love that mug.  I paid $40 for it! Yes $40; for one coffee mug. Every time I used it I could almost feel the warm seaside sun on my face and the ocean wind blowing through my hair.
But guess what? It's broken. Chipped in one of its trips through the dishwasher. Please don't tell my artist daughter that I put pottery through the dishwasher. I know, I deserved it.
But anyway... I do not love that mug any less for its imperfection. It still fits perfectly in my hand when it's full of hot coffee. I still smile everytime I use it, thinking about the memories of frolicking in the ocean surf with my grandchildren.
God is alot like that. He knows we are cracked, chipped and broken. But He still loves us. In fact He takes those broken things in us, and uses them to help others who are walking through similar challenges. In my own life I lived through a lot of broken relationships, had many hurts inflicted on me by others  and learned over the last 50 years to put up walls around my heart to protect myself.  Walls to keep those who would harm me at arms length. But God needed me to break down those walls and let people in so He could use me as He planned for my life. I had to "unbecome" the person I had grown into, to become who God needed me to be.
And I learned that He uses us even with our chips, cracks and dents. Maybe even because of them I guess.
I believe that each time He holds us in His hands like my beloved coffee cup, He smiles. It doesn't fix that we are imperfect or blemished, or stubborn or plagued by sin. He loves us.
Remember Ephesians 1:4-6?
"For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves".
He loves us so much He made a plan from the beginning in the Garden to be reconcilled to us by allowing His son to be crucified for our sin.
He created us and knew us before we were born in our mothers womb and there is no sin so large that we can cause separation from our God. So rest assured my friends that God loves your cracks and dents. Even if you can no longer hold coffee. There is a place for you. And you are valuable to Him.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10 NIV
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for your love for us. You knew us before we even existed and loved us enough to design a way for us to be in relationship with You. Thank you for your grace and your mercy. Nothing we have done in our past is too great for us to bring to you and be forgiven. Please continue to help us repair our broken places and move out of our comfort zone to be who you have designed us to be; living and serving you as you have planned.
In your precious son's name.
Amen

      ​Tunnel Vision – Opens our hearts!
By Joyce Pelletier
     Exodus 14:21-22 ‘Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right  and on their left.’
 
This summer we had the opportunity to go South for a few days to attend the wedding of our granddaughter. In the process of planning, purchasing tickets, getting everything ready for the journey, our son asked me about different things that might hinder our journey.  
          He asked about borrowing a walker to get around the grounds of the park where we would be for the wedding, dinner and festivities. He found exactly what would work for me. I was so happy about that. Getting around was something I didn’t want to bring trouble or added work for their celebration.
          Then as we talked about the actual journey, Joe asked about tunnels. He kind of knew I am not a fan of them. I started to stress inside thinking about going underground and had moments of anxiety.
          The day came when the first jaunt on 95 came and there was the signs for the Harbor Tunnel through the Chesapeake Bay. I was sitting in the car with my daughter-in-law and She was driving and singing and praying. I took my phone out and decided I was going to fight this little journey under the tunnel. I decided to use my phone and distract the event by taking a picture of it. Then I looked at the road in front of me and  you could see how the pavement was elevating upwards and that indicated to me that the end of the tunnel was ending soon. The lights grew brighter and brighter and then, Nicky and I both recognized the light at the end of the tunnel. We were going to make it through and none the worse for wear.
          To my disappointment, when I looked at the video, I realized it didn’t work. So, I had nothing to look at after the fact. Nicky and I chuckled about it and finished that portion of the journey to Swan Harbor Park, where we would spend the day celebrating a new life starting for our grandchild and her new husband.
          I put it all aside. The day following the wedding we packed our hotel items up, and went to help others empty a camp from where they were staying for the festivities.
          When we finished that, we were on our way back to Southern Maryland and going around the DC area. Before we knew it we were approaching the tunnel to go back. This time, I was ready. I started the phone and as I sat in the front seat, I turned it on about 3 miles before the entrance. I kept it going through the entire part of the 95 and then before I knew it the trip brought us up from the tunnel to the above ground once again. After seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, I shut the video off.
         A few minutes later I turned it on and timed the viewing and it turned out from the entrance of the tunnel, to the other side, I read the time and it was 3.4 minutes. I was flabbergasted. This whole worry for nothing journey was so short. It was very humbling and thinking how foolish it was to be so fretful. I looked at the whole time from where I started the video to the other side, and it was not even 5 minutes.
         I could sense God laughing with me as I fretted over this foolish adventure. But, on the other side of the coin, I could see the care in which God helped me to overcome such an adventure. The thought of fretting gets us nowhere. Working through our fears causes us to grow in trust and hope. He helps us through the seemingly impossible situations with his very own hand.
 
          Coming home after this journey, every moment was so embedded in my heart as a memory of our first meeting with our 5-year-old, first great grandchild. Now that is something to write home about. Every moment we spent together was special and the memory stays on the screen of my heart. Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make your Paths (even tunnels) straight.
Don’t forget the Light at the End of the Tunnel! He’s there waiting for you!

​by Donna Churchill

I have a wooden block on my bookcase, one of the sides says “find Joy in the ordinary.” 

A most recent quote that spoke to me said, “Faith doesn’t usually grow in dramatic leaps. It usually grows quietly – through ordinary days, repeated trust, and small acts of obedience that no one else sees.” (Alisha Headley) 

A recent passage of Scripture I read says, “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men has been with Jesus.” (Acts, chapter 4).

I hope that you have picked up on what all these quotes have in common – the word “ordinary.” I love ordinary; I love ordinary days. I love ordinary ways. I love seeing God move in the ordinary. I most often notice the ordinary and drink it in.


Several years ago, I wrote a blog about an ordinary day. I’d like to bring it out of the archives and share it with you.


AN ORDINARY DAY (1)


It was an ordinary morning as most of my mornings usually are. I had no reason to think it would not be just another ordinary day, too.

I got up, had breakfast and a short devotional time. It was going to be a very hot, humid day so I had planned to get outside early to water the garden and all my potted plants. My son-in-law had not had time to install my air conditioner before he left for a 3-day hiking trip, so I knew I would get no relief from the heat as the day wore on.

So, let me set this up for you – to water my garden is not as simple a task as it sounds. The outside faucet is on the backside of the house and my garden is on the south side of the house, quite a distance away. I need to put two hoses together to be able to reach the whole garden. It was just the end of May, so I had not brought the hoses out of my garage yet, so I first needed to unwind them from their winter storage and hook them up to the faucet. Should have been easy, right? Yeah, not so much!!

As I struggled to get them untangled, I started to sweat (yes, I know, southern women ”perspire,” but trust me, I was sweating; it was hot!!). I was still in the shade of the inside of the garage, but the day was heating up quickly. I struggled and I sweat; I sweat and I struggled until finally the hoses came loose and I lugged them out of the garage and headed toward the faucet.

That, too, became a chore and my struggle continued! The end of the hose was not screwing onto the faucet as easily as it should have. At this point, I am out in the hot sun and I am really sweating!!

FINALLY, the hose twisted onto the faucet after much struggling and grumbling!! Now I had to pull the hose along the backside of the house and thread it through and around lawn furniture and planted pots to underneath my porch, where I keep the hose during the summer months for easy access. As I was working on this, the hose got kinked and hooked several times and I had to walk back to the backside of the house and untangle it. Keep in mind, it is extremely hot and humid already and I was sweating like a pig!! I hate to sweat!! Did I mention that??

So, the third or fourth time the hose got caught, instead of walking back and patiently untangling it, again, I, in great frustration, yanked on it! When I did, the hose came loose with a jar and I bumped my head on the underside of the porch and then knocked over a flower pot and bicycle by the side of the house. The flowers and dirt spilled out of the pot all over the grass!! And, man, did my head hurt!

I swore – several times, as a matter of fact and grumbled very loudly!! I was hot, mad and irritated!! Why, I thought, does everything always have to be so hard???!!!

Then, to add more fuel to the flame, I went around to the front of the house to get my watering wand that my daughter had borrowed to water her garden the previous day I hooked it up to my hose, only to find it was broken!! I was not a happy camper!!

So, was this an ordinary day? I would say, yes. Things like this happen all the time. Was my behavior ordinary? Not at all! And that was the problem!


“The ‘show business,’ which is so incorporated
into our view of Christian work today, has
caused us to drift far from Our Lord’s
conception of discipleship.
It is instilled in us to think that we have to do
exceptional things for God; we have not. We
have to be exceptional in ordinary things,”
~ Oswald Chambers

“We have to be exceptional in ordinary things…..”


I was not exceptional in those ordinary moments of my life that morning. I did not behave in such a manner as to glorify God. It didn’t matter that no one was there to witness my meltdown. I was there, God was and He saw me!

Guess what? The test of character is not in the exceptional, but in the ordinary! No one was witness to my temper tantrum that morning. You would not know about it had I not told you – no one would know – except the one who matters most – my LORD!

I’m realizing it is much easier to exhibit godly character when everyone is watching you then in the ordinary moments of life when no one is around or where it doesn’t seem to matter. I once heard it said, “Integrity is who you are when no one is looking.” Ordinary is the test of our character and integrity! And God is in the ordinary!

I’m convinced God really doesn’t need us to achieve great things for Him; He’s quite capable, in and of Himself, thank you very much! But He does care who we are in the ordinary things of life, how we treat the ordinary people we interact with on a daily basis, how we respond in ordinary circumstances and how we handle the drudgery of the ordinary day in and day out.

Do we show forth His character? Do we represent Him accurately? Is He pleased with our behavior, even when, or especially when, no one is looking? I know I did not commit the unpardonable sin that day and I know that something like that might even happen again, but it sure was a moment for me to take notice of how quickly I can deteriorate into carnal ways. My sense of entitlement was revealed to me again in the attitude of my heart in thinking that I shouldn’t have to deal with this much aggravation. That is life! Stuff happens!

LORD, forgive me for grieving your heart by my behavior! Help me to be exceptional in the ordinary!






​

Through thick and thin 
by Kadeen Edwards



          “Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.”‭‭ 2 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭


       The journey with Jesus can manifest in sudden highs, lows, moments of stillness, and steady progress. It’s easy when God intervenes and delivers us, allowing us to ride a wave of spiritual exhilaration. We experience sudden healing blessings and a surge of strength, fueling our desire to be with Jesus. We dedicate ourselves to daily study of His word, soaking up His presence.


            However, as the journey progresses, we must slow down and appreciate the blessings that appear here and there. We still trust the Lord and remain steadfast in our faith, knowing that His presence is still with us, though not as intensely as in the beginning.


             Then, we encounter a low and stillness, testing our faith. The low may resemble a sudden storm, causing uncertainty and a sense of distance from God. His presence becomes quiet, and we can no longer see, hear, or feel Him as we did in the beginning. This is the most challenging part of our journey, yet it also nurtures our faith.


           Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen. This phase of our journey transforms our sudden faith into a gradual one. It becomes the place where we learn to trust God even when His presence is elusive. We cling to His past faithfulness, growing in strength and confidence in His unwavering love and care. 
Sent from my iPhone

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Putting Faith in Action!
By Joyce Pelletier
July 12, 2026
 
James 5:13-16 The Prayer of Faith
     Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them, and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
     It is a humbling experience to ask for prayer, but it is also a commonplace for us to be. The older I get the more I recognize the need for prayer. Even though we are Christians, we still make blunders.
     When I do things wrong and hold back from asking for prayer for forgiveness, it is sometimes rather difficult to accept that I am forgiven. As long as we are sincere, it’s a done deal.
     Mistakes happen. I like to think of them of golden opportunities for learning how to forgive and accept the human part of self. It does get easier as we grow in the Lord. He knows us and our sins. He knows when it’s going to happen. There is no preparation for sin. It sneaks up on you in a fastidious moment wherever we might be.
     I was driving along the Beltline from Colchester to Burlington. There were no other cars around in the area where slower drivers are to stay to the right so faster drivers can swish by you.
     We were halfway through that section and a black animal (no idea of what he or she was) and as it sauntered across to the island that divides the highway, it was rolling on his chest and next thing I new he was just under my car. There was no place for me to stop. It’s a rather tricky area when you never know if a car is coming up behind you or not.
     I didn’t hear any thud, so I assumed that I miss this little critter. However, as I kept going I saw it still moving, in the rearview mirror. I could not tell if it was still doing his fancy gait or not. It was not safe to stop, plus no place to pull over. Last I saw him he was still moving, so I assumed he was ok.
    I continued towards our destination and forgot all about the incident. Later that evening, I started to think of this poor critter and hoped that he had not been hit, he was in a very precarious situation. Then the guilt plundered on my heart and head.
    I love animals and we watch vet shows a lot on TV. I went from guilt to hope the rest of the night. I really don’t know if he made it or not. Because I didn’t hear the dreaded thud, my hope was on God protecting this creature.
     At bedtime I asked Maurice to pray for me. He reminded me that I needed to forgive myself. Truth be told is I am the hardest person to forgive.
     I thought about the book I’m preparing for our Bible Study group about the cross by Max Lucado and it brought me to thinking about Judas. He couldn’t forgive himself. He gave up his life because he didn’t want to face the truth.
     God knew this would happen before the beginning of time. Judas took things in his own hands and judged himself then took his own life. I know that this was not what God wanted him to do. The Father knew he’d betray Jesus, but he was also eligible for forgiveness. He could have experienced healing forgiveness and gone on to witness to the amazing presence of God. However He chose to run away scared, and his life was done.
     When I think of that kind of possibility, I know when I do wrong things, God knows about it and he’s more than ready to forgive me with the click of a finger. After considering this, God knew I did not mean to hurt this critter, he had for me a new lesson about forgiveness. It’s not okay to sin, but the greatest alternative is to “forgive myself” and allowing God to take the glory.
     I regret when these things happen, but I also know that forgiveness is intended for all who turn back to the one who has power to save us. That is the greatest lesson. The moral of this is keep my eyes peeled wherever I am. God has another lesson for me. Also, lest I won’t forget the value of prayer from a loved one, and reminders of the joy of forgiveness. 

The Bridegroom and the Bride

All that I have and all that I am I lay it before you
All of my hopes and all of my plans I lay them before you
As a living sacrifice That was bought with such a price
A covenant between bride and groom May I be an offering that’s pleasing
To the one who paid the debt for all my sins So All that I have and all that I am
I lay it before you

      Twenty two years ago, in a Church in the Old North End of Burlington, Vermont, I
gathered with my friends and family to boldly go where some have gone before. I got
married to the love of my life, a man who I knew way less than I would have ever admit
at the time. We were young. We were naïve, and we were married.

       The future was ripe with possibilities, and I was all for it. The reality was a lot different
than I expected. In my fanciful imaginings as a child, I believed marriage to be this
larger-than-life bond that would fill in all the empty places in my soul. I would never be
lonely again. I would always have a partner in life to be there through thick and thin. All
the insecurities I felt as a single woman would be dissolved into bliss.
     
      Only the version of reality that I signed up for was very different than the fantastical
version in my head. My insecurities didn’t get soothed or dissolved. In fact, some of the
worst things I thought about myself were magnified in ways that I would never have
dreamed possible. And while I was able to work in the beginning, having children right
away, I soon became isolated in a way that I would never have pictured either. My
children were amazing and beautiful (still are) but they held a different kind of
companionship. They were never meant to be partners in life.
 
      I have never regretted my decision to have children, but pregnancy and postpartum
hormones did surprising things to my body that I also could not have expected.
The worst things about me were amplified in my mind and sometimes in my ears. Was I
actually lovable? Was I ever beautiful? Was I just destined to be alone for the rest of 
my days, while committed to maintaining a relationship with the man I had chosen for
myself? 

      I had never felt more ugly, more fat, or less valuable than I did in marriage. And yet…
there was another covenant at play. Another bridegroom.
“For your maker is your husband, the Lord of Hosts is His name.” Isaiah 54:5
He is the One who whispered in my ear, “You ARE beautiful,” when I sat in a Bible study
feeling very confident that I was not.

      He is the One who breathed comfort to me while I mourned miscarriage after
miscarriage alone. He is the One who healed the wounds made against me again and
again. He is the One who allowed me to go from despair to confidence. He is the One
who spoke to me in the middle of my loneliness and reminded me that I am not alone.
I have known incredible and beautiful intimate moments with the One who promised
never to leave me nor forsake me, the One who told me He would be with me always,
even to the very end of the age.

      I was recently listening to an explanation about the new covenant that God made with
his Church. In ancient times, the marriage contract would have been clear to the
culture. The bridegroom would make a pledge, sealing the deal with a shared drink of
wine. They would then go on to pay a dowry price. They would leave a pledge for the
bride, and finally they would go to make a home for their bride. The response of the
bride is to give her life in return.
     
      Jesus, at the last supper took the cup of wine, and told his disciples that it was the new
covenant. He drank of the cup, and shortly after, he paid the price for the bride—laying
down his own life for her sake. He conquered death in a most valiant display of love,
and then after visiting his disciples again, he told them he would go on to prepare a
place for his bride, but not without leaving a pledge, the Holy Spirit. In response, as his
bride, I lay down my life to him.

      Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your
bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and
proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what
God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2

      My beloved made a way for me through the darkest night, and the stormiest weather.
My beloved promised to be with me always and I live with that hope and understanding.
Marriage was meant to foreshadow or point to the most amazing relationship that we
could ever have or know. The most high God is my husband, and I don’t ever need to
be afraid.

 by Linda Hokit
June 22, 2026
…seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be given unto you.
(Matthew 6:33 KJV) Allelu, Alleluia..
Ask and it shall be given unto you. Seek and you shall find. Knock and the door shall be opened unto you
(Matthew 7:7 KJV) Allelu, Alleluia..
…man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
(Matthew 4:4 KJV) Allelu, Alleluia..

Song: Seek Ye First
Song Writer: Karen Lafferty
1996

     I went to a camping event for young girls this weekend and as usually happens we began to sing! In fact,
as I thought back over the years, we sang when we where happy. We sang when we where pensive. We
sang when we needed to fill time. We sang to say grace at meal times. We sang to say good morning or
good night. We sang when there was a crisis and we needed to settle the children.

     In fact, I remember a video few years back where girls being evacuated from their camp after a flood
sang on the bus. They were commenting about the overwhelming scene they were experiencing and
then they began to sang! They sang many of the “old” choruses I remember singing in youth group. They
sang “Pass it On”, “Sanctuary, Seek Ye First”, “Amazing Grace”, “Reckless Love”, etc. There is something
about learning scripture this way. I think that’s why the Psalms are so special to many of us when we
want to express joy or sadness or fear or thanksgiving. They are scripture meant to be sung. Learning
verses as songs seems to not only make the scriptures quickly accessible to us but also provides a Godly
message to those around us.

     The three verses above are among my favorite! I learned these verses in my young years by singing
them! I still remember them and was able to sing along with the girls on the bus. Better yet, I know how
to apply these verses to my life circumstances. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God” has always been
important when I have to remember what is really important in life! In the scriptures it comes after
Jesus talks about worry. He says, look at the birds and the flowers. God takes care of them. They don’t
have to worry about having their needs met! Neither do we.

     For example, when I moved to Vermont, I was having trouble finding a place to live. Before I moved, I
had thinned out my belonging so I could live in a smaller place. I knew the time would come when I
would need to downsize, so I did it while I was packing to move. It took a couple of weeks of looking. I
finally saw an ad that had very little information and no picture, but I was strongly impressed to call. I
made the call, drove out, met the landlord and walked away with a “tiny apartment” that is now 10
years later is about half the rent being asked by other landlords. That allowed me to retire three years
ago, something I did not imagine doing at the time!

     “Ask and it shall be given to you”, is not a verse we sling at God when we want the latest or newest item
on the market. It is a verse that reminds us that God will provide what He knows we need to be all that
He wants us to be. I believe God will provide what we need so we can be His servant, not so we can be
comfortable. When I retired three years ago, it did not seem like a good decision at the time. And, yet 
there was no doubt in my mind I should make that choice. I was strongly led to not just retire from a job
but to embrace a new adventure. Since then, opportunities to serve have steadily come my way. I now
volunteer for about five different entities. As I do, I am finding God opening doors to share my faith,
speak with people in crisis from a spiritual foundation, and making friends who enrich my life each day.
     
     The opportunities to speak about the value of God in my life have been real and divinely provided in
every way. But God does still come to the rescue as well. A couple of days ago I lost my phone. Oh, my word, it was
stressful because I lost it while away from my home. You know I asked God to help me find that phone! I
searched. I had friends call the phone. I retraced my steps. Finally, I went to my carrier thinking I might
need a new phone. However, I asked one more favor and it worked! What I want to share is that the
person at the provider store stayed at his station and continuously hits the right buttons so I would hear
my phone ring while I was looking at the place we discovered it was located! If he had not done that, I
would not have found the phone and would have been out more than a few pennies! He taught me
what to do next time it happened and answered the questions I asked. Not once did he try to sell me a
new phone. He is the only person in 10 years who has not tried to benefit from my need in that store!
     
     That brings me to, “Man shall not live by bread alone”. The gentlemen in the story above acted like he
understood that man does not live by bread alone. So, did the students in one of the English as a
Second Language Schools we taught through our churches in Alaska. Our students where quite
motivated to attend classes so they could learn to communicate better in English. Little by little they
opened up and shared their faith background as well! In one class the teacher asked the class why they
wanted to learn English. More than a few said, they wanted to be able to witness for Christ in English!
     
​     They knew what it meant live by the Word of God. In another class, there was a gentleman who spoke
English quite well. Yet, he came week after week. I discovered he was a deacon in his church and wanted
to minister to those from his country that came to Alaska. I witnessed many situations where he found
ways to provide for both the physical and spiritual needs of those around him! He understood about
living by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. May we all be so obvious in our faith in
Christ.