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How are YOU doing in this storm?

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Guest writer today! My forever friend and sister-in-law, Sue Elkins, has an encouraging word from the Lord! Be blessed.

In times like these, we need a Savior
In times like these, we need an anchor
Be very sure, Be very sure
Your Anchor Holds and Grips the Solid Rock

This Rock is Jesus, Yes He’s the one
This Rock is Jesus, the only one
Be very sure, Be very sure
Your Anchor holds and Grips the Solid Rock

How many times have we read about the bondage of the Israelites in Egypt or thought about the trials of Job? We never thought anything close to that could ever come to our world. Who would have imagined, in this day and age, that a plague could hit not just the United States, but our WHOLE WORLD!

Now, many of us have either lost loved ones, friends or acquaintances or we know someone who has.  It is just unfathomable that we have been closed up in our homes now for months with more still to come.  No family gatherings, no going out to dinner, no friends over for parties, and NO CHURCH!  

For many of us, weekly church has been our lifeline for years.  It was where we received our strength.  We were closer to that church family than we are to some of our own family.  They encouraged us, we worshiped together, we laughed and cried together through many things and now they are GONE! What will we do?  Perhaps that question is exactly what God wants us to ask ourselves:

What will I do?  

Have we become too dependent on others for our relationship with Jesus? 

Can we stand alone in the midst of a storm if we have to? 

Do we feel strong in our prayer life and studying of God’s word that we can feed ourselves?

“Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me; thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.” Psalm 138:7

Some of us have been preparing ourselves for years for storms we didn’t know would come or how they would come. 

So…

How are YOU doing in this storm?

I have always tried to have daily devotions and time with Jesus, but I must confess that I haven’t always understood how IMPORTANT that time was.  These past few months have truly awakened me to how much I need to pay attention when I am in His presence.

I need to listen, so He can talk.
I need the strength, guidance and wisdom from His word.
I need this time with Jesus so much now, but really haven’t I always? 

The enemy would like to take this difficult time and destroy our faith, our foundation, and our relationships; but if we lean upon the power, the Right Hand of God, to sustain us during this time, we will come out victorious!! 

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped:  therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.”  Psalm 28:7

I’ve always loved to sing.  A catchy tune can be in my head for days.  I would find myself singing stupid little songs while cooking, cleaning, walking on the treadmill, but some of those catchy little tunes weren’t for any good edification. 

I stopped listening to anything but Christian music in my car years ago because I didn’t want those lyrics in my head; but sometimes tunes from way back just drop in your mind and you are singing them without thinking:

“All my ex’s live in Texas”
“She wore an itsy, bitsy, teeny, weeny, yellow polka dot bikini”
“Soup and sandwich, soup and sandwich, go together like a horse and carriage”

Where does this stuff come from?  Well, what is our mind tuned to?

Of late, I have found myself singing songs of Zion, tunes of refreshment to my soul! 

“Because He Lives, I can face tomorrow”
“I know the Peace Speaker, I know Him by name”
“When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to The Rock”
“Waymaker, Miracle Worker, Promise Keeper, Light in the Darkness”

Is that because my mind is focused on something more than this life, but eternal life?  The Lord is my strength and I have always trusted in Him.  He has been there so many times for me, why would I doubt that He will be there for me now?  He is leading, has always been leading, and my heart must trust in that and rejoice!

“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.”  Isaiah 40:31

Waiting is so hard.  Israel waited for deliverance from Egypt, Job waited for his troubles to pass, we can wait…..and while we are waiting He will RENEW our strength!  

We will build up our faith.
We will worship together via our online services.
We will encourage each other by social media.
We will sing songs of Zion in our homes.
We will pray more, read more and then we will….
MOUNT UP WITH WINGS AS EAGLES as we join together once more in our places of worship and we will not grow weary and we will not faint!  

We will stand stronger against the enemy. Lord, let us not forget this time and fall back into our old routines.  You have brought us out of the wilderness, PLEASE do not let us forget!!!

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.  Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.  Restore unto me the joy of the salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.  Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.”  Psalm 51:10-13

Create, renew, restore, uphold……O God, let me cleanse my heart so that You can renew that right spirit.  Let Your presence and spirit restore in me the joy of Your ways and uphold me in the Holy Ghost, which was so freely given to me, that I may teach and reach those who are weak and those who have never known Your precious love!

REVIVAL is coming….first to us as individuals, then to the Church as a whole.  Be ready.  Be prepared. Be a part of it all.
God Bless You All and Let’s Have Revival!



Sue Elkins is a former pastor’s wife, mother and super proud grandmother of four. Recently retired from 35+ years in real estate, she spends her days, before quarantine, burning up the highways to visit Roarke, Everly, Miller and Avery Kate and never passes up a road trip with her best friend and husband, Dexter.

You might also enjoy Where Was Jesus in MY Storm?

What a Friend We Have in Jesus; The Story behind the Hymn

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I have written several “story-behind-the-hymn” posts over the years and somehow missed this one! Surely, What a Friend We Have in Jesus is a song we have all related to at some point in our lives. If we grew up around church or gospel music, we can probably at least sing the chorus.


Joseph Scriven was born in Ireland in 1819. He was educated and received a degree from Trinity College in Dublin and became a teacher. With plans to settle down and soon to marry, life was good for Joseph. Unfortunately, the day before his wedding, his future wife drowned. 

The grief was more than he could bear, so Joseph moved to Canada to start over. There, he met and fell in love again, with Eliza Rice, and planned to be married, again. It is unthinkable that you could lose so much in one young lifetime but weeks before they were to be wed, Eliza became sick and died from her illness. Joseph was only 25.

From this heartache, and through faith in his God, a mission was born. Joseph took a vow of poverty and began to help the poor and the handicapped in any way he could. For ten years he made himself available to come alongside those that were in need and he found comfort and purpose in serving.

Then, unbelievably, heartache would strike again! His mother, still in Ireland and Scriven in Canada, became very ill and he did not have the funds to help her or to go and be with her. He penned the words to this poem for her and it has since comforted, encouraged and uplifted generations!

What a friend we have in Jesus

All our sins and griefs to bear

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer

Oh what peace we often forfeit!

Oh, what needless pain we bear

All because we do not carry 

Everything to God in prayer

Have we trials and temptations

Is there trouble anywhere

We should never be discouraged

Take it to the Lord in prayer

Can we find a friend so faithful

Who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness

Take it to the Lord in prayer

Are we weak and heavy-laden,

Cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our refuge

Take it to the Lord in prayer

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in prayer

In His arms He’ll take and shield thee

Thou wilt find a solace there

Today, we find America in a crisis like none we have ever seen. Yet, people are coming together around the world to remind each other and to reach out to those who have not heard that Jesus is still near. Prayer still works! He has not forsaken us; He never will. 

Let us, as The Church, not let this opportunity be wasted! There is so much hope in our God, so much hope for our eternal future and so much hope right this very minute that we will see Jesus intervene on our behalf and answer unbelievable prayers. We can see thousands upon thousands come to know the Peace Speaker by Name, Jesus, if we talk positive, think positive and pray like we have never prayed before. 

Are we cumbered with a load of care? Sure, we are uncertain of what tomorrow will bring but Precious Savior, still our refuge!! We take it to Him in prayer, bind together to encourage and pray for one another and continue our wonderful online opportunities of worship, which have been such a blessing to so many. 

Oh, what peace we often forfeit, what needless pain we bear when we neglect to turn over our fears and worries to the One who holds our future in His hands. But when we take it to Him in prayer, He will meet us in our despair and we will find solace, or comfort in His presence. 

God sent YOU, not the disciples, not the Apostle Paul or even John the Baptist to share this Good News in these difficult days. This tells me that if we have His Spirit,  we have all we need to be salt and light right now and bring hope to those around us.

Be encouraged!

You can read previous posts of hymns and their origins here!

Jesus, Lover of my Soul, Everywhere He Leads Me I will Follow On, Stand Up for Jesus, America the Beautiful, Pray for Peace, People Everywhere, O Little Town of Bethlehem, O Holy Night,


Fasting? Protect Your Heart!

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You can read the first three posts in our fasting series here, here and here. We are still talking about the Armor of God. Suiting up with that armor EVERY DAY means we are always prepared for spiritual warfare. Fasting, coupled with prayer is an integral part of that armor! Today, we are putting on the Breastplate of Righteousness.

Have you heard the story about King Ahab? Yes, the same one who had Naboth killed so he could have his vineyard, but that’s not the story I am talking about.

In the 16th chapter of 1 Kings,  Ahab “…did what was evil in the LORD’s sight more than all who were before him.”

Jumping over a few chapters, we are told that prophecy revealed to King Ahab that he would surely die in an upcoming battle.  Ahab thought he could take control of that situation by disguising himself, yet he instructed his ally, King Jehoshaphat, to go ahead and wear his royal robes.

The catch was that the enemy had been told to “Fight with neither small nor great, but only with the king of Israel.” And when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “It is surely the king of Israel.” So they turned to fight against him. And Jehoshaphat cried out. And when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

But a certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breastplate…And the blood of the wound flowed into the bottom of the chariot.”

Ahab’s  plan didn’t quite work out, first of all because God’s Word never returns void and secondly, his demise was due to a small opening in his armor, his breastplate.

This breastplate could save a soldier’s life! It protected the vital organs, especially the heart.

Putting on the Breastplate of Righteousness is an intentional act, as are all of the pieces of armor. We make the choice to seek His righteousness and acknowledge we can do nothing apart from Him.

We can also have a “small opening” in our armor and not be fully protected! Could it be said that our breastplate isn’t as effective when we aren’t praying, haven’t fasted in forever, we are not reading the Word or following it, when we have obvious sin, or even when we think we can get by on our own merit? 

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 ESV.

We can’t afford to be without this breastplate of righteousness! The enemy is watching and waiting for us to be careless and when we aren’t maintaining our relationship with the Savior, we are “taking off” pieces of our armor and leaving ourselves exposed to an attack from the enemy of our souls.

“Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.” Hebrews 3:12.

Fasting, with prayer, makes us stronger, our armor more secure because we have determined to be closer to our God. We don’t let a day go by where we aren’t putting on the whole armor of God…that we may be able to stand, not in our own righteousness but in His! 

See you tomorrow!

Do you have your copy of my easy-to-read Fasting Devotional? Don’t let the title fool you! It is a 21 day devotion for ANY FAST. Each day is an example of someone in the Bible who fasted, some for the wrong reason as well, and what we can glean from them. There are also Daniel Fast recipes and instructions for following that fast as well. Available at Amazon.com