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I am My Fathers Daughter
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12 (ESV) When I was pregnant with our first child, we talked a lot about what he might look like. We joked about hoping he did not inherit his grandfather’s hairline and prayed he would have his dad’s brains and my sense of humor. One of the first pictures we took of Kyle was this one: This is three generations of Hampton’s. As you can see, there is no denying Kyle is his father’s son, and Richard is his father’s son. The Man – The Myth – The…
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How to Laugh Without Fear of the Future
She is clothed in strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. Proverbs 31:25 (NIV) August 15th is the day I have been dreading for some time now. It also the day I have spent the past 18 years preparing for. The countdown is on, only two and a half months until our youngest son leaves for college. Will I stand by the car, turn around one last time, wave bravely to him, and laugh without fear of the future? Will my face show strength and confidence in his choice to live so far from home? Or will I crumble under the uncertainty of the future? Women…
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How to Mess Up Your Life Purpose
The Lord watches over you, the Lord is your shade at your right hand. Psalm 121:5 (NIV) Time after time I tried to find the perfect job. I dreamed about a position in Corporate America that would be the most beneficial to me and my family. Dreams of success and promotions skirted in and out of my mind. I hungered for the accolades of acceptance the world so readily lavishes on those who climb the ladder of success. What I got instead was door after door slammed in my face. Failure and rejections can cause us to question our faith. Was I praying hard enough? Had I accepted a position…
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Jonah and God’s Unsettling Grace
But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?” Jonah 4:4 (NIV) We left off in chapter 3 as God relented and pulled back His judgment against Nineveh. Let’s now look at the last chapter of Jonah. Jonah is about to go pout. God’s grace did not sit well with Jonah. His opening words to the Lord are an exasperated cry, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home?” I would think for a preacher, having the people listen, take the Word of the Lord to heart, and change would provide job security. Why was Jonah so angry? Jonah knows God, and he is…
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Jonah, Returning to the God of Second Chances
Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Jonah 3:1-3a (NIV) The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time and Jonah obeyed and went to Nineveh. Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown God’s message to the people is bleak. Time is coming down to the wire; they only have 40 days until they will be overthrown. By overthrown, I don’t mean they might lose a coin toss or be defeated in a short battle. No, they face extinction. The…
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Jonah in the Belly of the Whale
Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. Jonah 1:17-2:1 (NIV) In the second chapter of Jonah, which you can read HERE, we find Jonah drowning in a sea of shame. Here are three things I note in the first few verses for today: The Lord provides for us. Jonah was not saved from death by some random fish. No, “the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah.” God’s timing is perfect. Why three days? My guess is that is how long it took for Jonah to…
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M is for the Many Things……
I remember singing this song in grade school every year at Mother’s Day. If you were one of the lucky ones in the Chorus, you got to hold a poster board with one of the letters that spell out MOTHER. I really wanted to hold the M. Honesty, I have no recollection if that ever happened or not. I do, however, remember looking out into the crowd and watching my Mom sitting out there looking proud. I remember her smile and the way her body bounced to the music I remember the way my heart swelled with pride and joy at being her daughter. If I had to write that…
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Jonah, the Runaway Prophet
But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord. Jonah 1:3 (NIV) Today we start a 4 week devotional series on Jonah by looking at Jonah Chapter One, which you can read HERE. (Did you know that there are only 48 verses in the whole book of Jonah?) The year was 1977, I was 14, and the Movie was Star Wars. I did not see very much of the movie that night. My friend Carol and I had…
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5 Stones of Grace
Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. 1 Samuel 17:40 (NIV) It’s the classic Bible story of David and Goliath. There is a battle planned between the Philistines and the Israelites. The Philistines giant warrior measures six cubits and a span (roughly 9ft 3 inches) Goliath wears extreme armor and carries powerful weapons. The Israelites put a call out for a brave soul to fight the giant. This is where David comes into the picture. He overhears the threats of Goliath, the giant,…
