My Walk with God 🌱

  “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me? -Jeremiah 32:27 A few weeks ago, hurricane Beryl made her way through the Caribbean. While parts of the region were spared from the full extent of her impact, others were not so fortunate. Several islands experienced devastation, with many homes flattened or damaged extensively. One such location was Union Island, St. Vincent. The island's infrastructure was completely destroyed... and yet this photo emerges out of the landscape of rubbles. The home of Joseph Franklin, resident of Union Island. Photo courtesy The Guardian:   https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/12/solitary-wooden-house-on-union-island-escapes-fury-of-hurricane-beryl Allow me to indulge you a bit further with a news report and interview. The Little House That Went Viral on Union Island Persons may have varying opinions or perspectives on this story, but there is no denying that a house continues to not only stand, but sta...

Illustration ©  Review & Herald Publ. Assoc. "And I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to myself. that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:3 I remember reading a piece of writing some years ago that described a vision that the writer received. They recalled seeing a large group of believers sensing the darkness of this world and setting off on a journey to heaven, or as some may refer to it, the promised land. As they progressed along this journey, they noticed that the path got narrower and steeper, and little by little, they needed to shed the bulk and the weight of the things they had started with on the journey. The path was challenging, and oftentimes, they would have lost their footing if they hadn't maintained their focus on the light provided by the Holy City ahead. Some got discouraged along the way, and fell away. Almost at the end of their road, the path was so narrow, all they could depend on was holding on with both...

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:6-7 Hello friends, did you feel flustered this week? Worried? Overwhelmed? Disturbed? Anxious? Grieved? At times, we can be affected by a number of concerning events, personally, locally or internationally. I was concerned about a man dying in a freak accident in the local news, a sick relative, the suicide of a young lady, some upcoming major ventures, someone's failing marriage, about the war between Palestine and Israel, and about my plant babies possibly not surviving this heat. The list can go on and on. We all have our own list of things that worry us. Some things we seem to have no control over, and this can disturb our peace of mind. I just want to encourage us all with a reminder that even when   there is n...

“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book”  -Psalm 56:8 NLT This week, a teacher died suddenly from a heart attack. Last month, a young man died due to gun violence. This week, the lives of several members of a family were taken by an unknown assailant in their home. A few months ago, a man lost his father. A son is still numb from the death of his mother decades ago. A father died years ago while battling a terminal illness. A sister leaves her sister behind. What do all these unrelated persons have in common? All these persons who are now asleep, have left behind friends, family, and even communities who carry the memory of them and miss them dearly.  While death is something that occurs daily, I was especially moved this week with compassion for those who are grieving. I am surrounded by persons suffering silently and I quietly share in and empathize with their pain. Some are weighed down with ...

"And I looked and saw a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was One like the Son of Man, with a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. Then another angel came out of the temple, crying out in a loud voice to the One seated on the cloud, “Swing Your sickle and reap, because the time has come to harvest; for the crop of the earth is ripe." - Revelation 14: 14-15 In the US, the month of September has been designated as the month for raising awareness of Sickle Cell Disease. Do you know someone who is affected by this? Depending on which part of the world you are in, the chances of this may vary, as certain regions/ethnicities seem to have a higher frequency than others. According to statistics, twenty million people worldwide are affected by this condition, of which approximately 100,000 are in the US (1 in every 365 persons are born with the disease, and 1 in every 13 persons carry the trait). Normal blood cells are disc-shaped and flexible and can travel eas...

  "And we desire for each one of you to show the same diligence [all the way through] so as to realize and enjoy the full assurance of hope until the end." - Hebrews 6:11 I stumbled across this photo over a decade ago. I saw a resilient tree, holding on to barely any soil, and yet it found a way to survive. Its roots searched for and found something to hold on to, and dare we say, it even appears to be thriving, against all odds. In life, many, if not all of us, at one point in time or another, may find ourselves in circumstances or seasons where we may feel like this tree. You may have been crowded out of your comfort zone by grief, despair, unfulfilled desire, displacement, need, depression, disappointments, challenges, struggles, the cares and worries of this life. You may find it difficult to find your way back to a place of assurance, stability or security, contentment or fulfilment.  Tonight, be reminded that all is not lost. Like this tree, as long as we have life, we...

"Bless the Lord oh my soul, and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name." -Psalm 103:1 This week, this particular song has been replaying in my mind. What a beautiful joy it is to find oneself in a state of gratitude for all of ones blessings, and praise and worship to our Creator and Redeemer. It lightens our hearts, and is infectious to those around us. It doesn't always come easily though, because as individuals, we go through several ups and downs in life, with regards to what may pre-occupy our thoughts and minds. Reflecting on God's goodness and His mercies and blessings in these times will then have to become an intentional exercise, one that re-directs our thoughts and heart to Him, acknowledging and refreshing ourselves with the reminder of the goodness of God through it all, generally and in our own personal lives.  The psalmist David wrote a beautiful tribute to the Lord during one of his moments of reflection and appreciation. It is one that we can all ...

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. - Ecclesiastes 3:11 This month was the start of my vacation, and I felt quite exhausted, run down and out of shape, but oh so thankful for the break. I was being convicted that I needed to start taking better care of myself and I was determined to let this vacation find me at the end of it in a much better condition than I was in at the beginning. By God's grace, I have set out to be more intentional about my diet, to have a more consistent exercise regime, and I have established some goals that I hope to see achieved by the end of the period. This week my mind went back to a photo a student shared of a butterfly captured a few days before vacation began. The decision to have a 'self-care July' came first, but the photo lead me to use the butterfly as a source of inspiration and motivation to the end goal. I imagined mysel...

Walking with Jesus “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." - Matthew 7:13-14 A picture is worth a thousand words. This so true. There are some images that capture my attention, and make me reflect, find meaning, and extract a lesson. I came across this image years ago, and I stored it in my memory. The foot on the left I visualize as mine, small, walking together with and keeping up with the sandaled foot on the right, which reminds me of Jesus. I sense him to be a like a big brother, a father, a friend, who I look up to, whose feet have purpose, and invites me to join Him. I look at His feet and know they are big shoes to fill, and inspire admiration and respect in me. He is a worthy companion on this journey called life, who knows the way, shows the way, and welcomes me to walk beside Him. No matter the t...

At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”  -1 Kings 3: 5-15 This week I wished upon a star. Well, it happened this way. I had just finished a conversation, and then glanced up at the sky. Next thing I know, I saw a shooting star. A pretty common phenomenon, I imagine, but for the average person, it isn't a regular sight as we don't look up as much, so when we see one, we are intrigued.  The concept of wishing on a star originated from Ptolemy, a Greek astronomer from back in the day who reasoned that a shooting star was a sign from the gods that they were listening to your wishes and ready to grant them. While it is a whimsical move, I found myself without thinking, making a wish for the first thing that came to my mind. It surprised me actually, what first came to my mind to wish for in that very moment. Afterward, it had me reflecting. What if it really did come through... is that what I re...

Every day I will bless You, And I will praise Your name forever and ever. -Psalm 145:2 Have you ever been on the receiving end of an unexpected but much appreciated act of kindness? It is a beautiful feeling knowing that someone considered you and met you at a point of need with their act of kindness. Not all acts of kindness come gift-wrapped, or from someone we can see, or with a price tag. In fact, everyday we are on the constant receiving end of a mutitude of gifts. Consider our senses, without which we wouldn't hear beautiful songs, or see the sunsets around us, or smell that rose in the garden or even taste delicious fruits or the lovely meals prepared with love. How about a family member, a friend, a neighbour, or even a complete stranger who is there for us if needed? Even the ability to heal when we get a cut, or the ability to walk or run or do simple tasks? “When eating fruit, remember the one who planted the tree.” -Vietnamese Proverb Today, we have so much to be thankf...

“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.” -Matthew 18:12-14 This week, I came across a piece of art in my archives which has been one of my all time favorites. I don't know who the artist was, but I consider it a deeply meaningful image. It depicts a sheep that has found itself in a precarious position, and its shepherd having placed himself in a risky position to be able to rescue the sheep. Several questions usually surface in my mind when I reflect on this. How did the sheep get there? Didn't it realize how dangerous it was before reaching so far? How did the shepherd find the sheep? How many times has the shepherd or the sh...

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” - John 4: 13-14 The woman at the well is a classic character in the gospel accounts. The story can be found in John 4 (which you are encouraged to read), but this is a quick summary. She goes to the well to draw water, and meets Jesus who is seated there. He asks her for some water, but she is confused that he would consider asking her for water. During a meaningful conversation, Jesus tells her that He has a better water, a living water, and if she would drink from this water, she would never thirst again. At the end of the conversation, Jesus reveals his identity and she fully understands what he was saying. Jesus was the Messiah, and he was referring to himself and the fulfilment that comes from accepting and pursuing God in faith, in spirit, and in truth....

'The Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love." -Psalm 147: 11 "Hope floats" .  Have you ever heard this term? What does it mean? It describes the ability that hope gives to rise above and eventually overcome difficulties and hardships, which can otherwise weigh down on ones spirit, slow down ones progress or trigger the temptation of giving up. Picture yourself on a long exhausting journey, and no end in sight. We continue not knowing if we will ever reach our destination. However, if it is a place we have been to before or been told of it before, we know it exists, we have its image in our mind, we walk with the hope of seeing it at the end.  We are acquainted all too well with life's twists and turns, but through it all, we hold on to hope, that things will get better. Some may place our hope in a human being like ourselves, a thing or even an event. These may fail us. For the Christian, our blessed hope doesn't only re...

"Not that I have already obtained it, this goal of being Christlike, or have already been made perfect, but I actively press on so that I may take hold of that perfection for which Christ Jesus took hold of me and made me His own." - Philippians 3:12 QUESTION : What does a slippery salmon and a rip-current have in common? Continue reading 😎 Have you ever tried to swim upstream in a river? For those who have, they often say it is a tiring process, sometimes even futile for those who are not strong enough swimmers. There is a particular fish that has been known to do this very thing, at least once in its lifetime. The salmon, who is usually born in fresh water (rivers), tend to live most of their lives downstream in the ocean. When it is time for them to lay their eggs however, they instinctively return to the areas they were born, which unusually requires for them to find their way from the ocean back to the rivers, and successfully swim upstream.  I have another analogy I ha...

"For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace to help in time of need." - Hebrews 4: 15-16 Have you ever been through a circumstance in your life where you have tried sharing and talking to someone about your struggle, but they just don't seem to get it? It could very well be that they have a difficulty in empathizing with you because they either haven't been through a similar circumstance, or they experience and respond to something differently than you. However, when you do find someone who not only can relate, but is capable of empathizing with you also, it is a freeing experience, being able to be yourself and speak freely, without fear of being judged or misunderstood. Tonight, we are reminded that Jesus, who is our High Priest, is also one who can be that one true confidante. The Word says that He can sympathize with many i...