Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God….” Do you recognize the uhs, likes and youknows in your life? Filler words comprise one of the most common weaknesses I observe in my public speaking students’ presentations. Rather than pausing if they need to gather their thoughts, they fill Continue Reading…
John 9:4 “As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.” The president of the college where I teach recently exhorted the students to persevere in their work. To make the most of every opportunity. Continue Reading…
Psalm 118:6 “The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” “Do you see many students who struggle with fear?” asked the girl who was interviewing me for a school publication. Considering I teach Public Speaking—the number one fear of most Americans—I Continue Reading…
Psalm 73:25 “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.” “Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me…” You’re probably familiar with St. Patrick’s famously quoted prayer. But did you know Continue Reading…
Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified…for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” I dreamed Ray and I were in a kayak floating down a stream when a shark surfaced. He kept bumping our boat, consistently Continue Reading…
Psalm 73:25 “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.” Have you ever felt like the Psalmist? He looks at the state of the world around him and sees those far less upright than him prospering. The rich and ruthless seem to be Continue Reading…
Matthew 28:20 “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” [ESV] Oblivious: B-e-c-k-y T-o-e-w-s. That’s how I wound up spelling it. When we picked our son Josiah and his girlfriend Lauren up at the airport last Thanksgiving, the first thing I looked for was a Continue Reading…
Genesis 28:16 “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” Jacob knew it was time to get out of Dodge. He had deceived his brother Esau and stolen his blessing as the firstborn. Esau vowed to kill him. So he fled. He headed for his Continue Reading…
Luke 7:16 “…God visited his people.” (ESV) A number of years ago we received a calendar from some missionary friends living in France. The December scripture was taken from this passage in Luke 7: “Dieu a visite son peuple.” I remember thinking how much that verse captured the essence Continue Reading…
John 4:10 “Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.’” Jesus basically tells the Samaritan woman if she knew…she would have asked…and he would have Continue Reading…