Love’s Quilt - Martin Wiles

Hatred starts fights, but love pulls a quilt over the bickering. Proverbs 10:12 MSG

I love them as much now as I did when I was a little child.

Blankets (even electric ones), flannel sheets, regular sheets, comforters. Nothing compares with a quilt, especially a handmade one. And how do I know it’s handmade. Turn it over. If the stitching is crooked, I know. I also know by how heavy it is. Like the one a family member made for my wife that has an army blanket sewn in between the quilt layers.

In my opinion, nothing matches a quilt during the winter months. One quilt will often take the place of several layers of other types of cover. And the designs are intriguing. My favorite is the wedding rings. Snuggling under a quilt, with nothing between it and my body, brings comfort as nothing else can.

When tent camping, my wife and I make sure to carry along a quilt, even in the summer months. As the night wears on and the morning arrives, with falling temps, pulling the quilt up under my neck and tucking it behind my shoulders brings joy such as I rarely experience. Although the quilt is not a comforter, it comforts.

According to the writer of Proverbs, love is like a quilt when it comes to bringing comfort for searing words. Such words, filled with hatred, lead to fights, but loving words soothe the situation just as a quilt does cold temperatures.

My grandfather had a knack for pulling a quilt over heated circumstances. When my grandmother had bad days and when she fussed at him for virtually everything he did, he pulled a quilt over her heated words with loving responses. My father followed his example. When Mom’s words bit into his day, he responded with the quilt of love.

Giving quilt-like words to those who assault us with rough material words isn’t easy. God can prepare us ahead of time when we pray and consult His Word if we know the situation is coming. But He can also give us the right words if we don’t have time to prepare and are caught off guard.

Quilt words extend love even when we’re not given the same in return. In doing so, they keep the chill out of situations and prevent them from escalating into more than they have to be or should be.

Make up your mind that you’ll speak quilt-like words to others, regardless of what they say to you.

Prayer: Father, give us the wisdom to pull the quilt of love over bitter situations.

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Living with Disappointment - Martin Wiles

This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 NLT

What we hoped to see, we didn’t.

A part of our spring camping experience in the mountains with friends included walking the Oconee Bell Loop Trail—a short and relatively easy 1.5-mile trail that follows a creek adorned with the rare wildflower. My wife and I had hiked it the previous year with my brother and sister-in-law, but we wanted our friends to experience seeing the beauty of this little jewel.

The weather had been radical. The day before our hike, a strong system of thunderstorms had rolled through, causing us to temporarily abandon our campsite for drier ground. The day of our hike called only for scattered showers. One of the rangers cautioned us that we might not see any blooms. Recent frost—along with the strong storms—had delayed much of the blooming period and the violent rains had knocked the blooms from the few plants that were blooming.

The ranger’s caution proved correct. As we meandered along the trail near the creek, we gazed at hundreds of the tiny plants. Buds extended on many of them, but no blooms. Perhaps in another week, but we wouldn’t see them. We kept our hopes up to the very end of the trail; however, we saw no small white bells hanging from the green plants. Perhaps next year, we’ll see them. This year, we faced disappointment.

While I’ve often heard this verse used in Sunday services, for the psalmist any day would do. From his perspective, God had made each day, and that made rejoicing worth it—and obligatory.

Disappointments litter our lives. We can’t stop them, and they come in various degrees. Our disappointment in not seeing the rare Oconee Bell bloom pales in comparison to some disappointment I’ve faced—and witnessed others face. But disappointments don’t have to color our lives with depression and regret.

Sometimes, the disappointment is only disappointment from our perspective. What seems like bad news or a horrible experience is only such because we can’t see the entire picture as God can. Trusting He has something good in store and is working in our favor changes how we see our circumstances.

God directs all events that touch our lives. Since He loves us, He’ll work in our best interest, just as a parent does their child. He will direct and control according to His loving nature.

Accepting that disappointments will come also helps us prepare ourselves mentally for them so that we’re not destroyed by them when they arrive.

Whatever comes your way, remember God has created the day, and He has a grand purpose in it that will eventually work for your good.

Prayer: Father, in our times of disappointment, we turn to You for hope and guidance.

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Throwback Tuesday - Battling the Weeds - Martin Wiles

Battling the Weeds

“No,” he replied, “you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. Let both grow together until the harvest.” Matthew 13:29-30 NLT

I stared it in the face, and it glared back. How had it gotten there? I had walked by the flower pot every day, but I hadn’t seen it. Had I spotted it when it was young, I could have eliminated it without damage to my flower. But now…it was dangly and gaudy. Perhaps that’s why I hadn’t noticed it previously. The flower and weed’s roots and leaves were intertwined. To remove it now would surely upset the flower’s root system. I had a choice: remove the weed or let it continue growing, hoping the flower would disguise its presence. Read more...

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Prepared for the Worst - Martin Wiles

A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. Proverbs 22:3 NLT

An ominous forecast awaited, so we prepared.

The weekend forecast depressed us. We had planned a camping trip with friends, but it appeared if we went, we’d sit under a canopy the entire time. So, we canceled and rescheduled for the next weekend at a different place—in the mountains.

As the next weekend approached, the forecast disappointed us again. While rain and storms were not forecast to last the entire weekend, Friday was scheduled to be a violent day. So, we prepared. Arriving late Thursday evening, we began our attack on the approaching bad weather. We staked down our tents, closed the windows, and zipped the door. We erected a canopy over our eating area and strung a large tarp over our sitting area.

Early the next morning, two hours before daylight, the storms approached. Our preparations wouldn’t keep us dry, so we decided to take a ride to a nearby town and spend the day looking around in stores. When the storms passed later that afternoon, we’d return.

As we made our way back, we wondered what we’d find. Had our preparations been enough? As we drove down the road to the campground, we encountered a line of cars. A swollen creek had washed away the road. But the sheriff’s department was making plans for campground visitors to use an alternate route through a gated neighborhood.

After an hour's detour, we arrived at our campsite. We surveyed the damage. Because of our preparation, the damage was minimal. Only a small amount of water coursed in our tents. We retightened the tarp and dried off our food goods. Preparation had saved us.

The wise king spoke well of preparation, too. According to him, if you know danger is coming, take precautions. Otherwise, we will suffer the consequences.

Opportunities for preparation abound. Preparation can keep us from financial and relational ruin. It can also mean an enjoyable retirement. Even now, I’m planning for my retirement, which is only three years away. Preparation leads to better grades in school. Many hands also make for lighter work. The list is endless.

But our greatest need for preparation concerns eternity. Jesus will come again—whether at our death or at His Second Coming. Recognizing our sin, repenting, and inviting Him into our life prepares us for His return and our eternity and gives us the most fulfilling life we could ever ask for.

Don’t be a simpleton, failing to prepare for what you know is ahead. Prepare now.

Prayer: Father, we trust You to show us how to prepare for the things that come our way.

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A Safe House - Martin Wiles

God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Psalm 46:1-2 NLT

I hunkered down, hoping my shelter would hold.

During a five-year span, my brother, daughter, and I hiked, backpacked, and tent camped in the mountains. They say mountains make their own weather—and they do. Regardless of whether or not they were in the forecast, thunderstorms normally erupted in the afternoons. Some were brief—while others lasted for hours or even an entire night.

On one hike, the thunderstorm approached at lunchtime. We quickly erected our tents and huddled inside as the lightning popped and the water gushed around our tents. Our shelters held—and stayed dry.

On another occasion, we settled in a campground, only to have one thunderstorm after another march through the campground during the night. We quivered as the thunder rolled and the lightning popped. Occasionally, I’d take out my flashlight and shine it around the tent to see if I had any leaks. The next morning, I looked at the gully where raging water had rushed beneath my tent, yet the tent held.

Although my tent survived storms, tents are fickle shelters. Strong winds can easily blow them away if they are not staked down. Even then, they would not stand against high winds, a tornado, or a hurricane. Nor are they lightning repellent. One strike and I’d be toast. And a bear? Their sharp claws could demolish a tent in a matter of minutes.

The psalmist often spent the night under the stars tending sheep … and perhaps sleeping in a makeshift shelter. But his refuge wasn’t there. He, too, faced bears and other nocturnal predators. His refuge was in his relationship with God. Whatever the trouble, God would rescue him.

Our world holds many dangers. Once, we feared some rogue nation—or even a world superpower—might drop a nuclear bomb on us. Now, school shootings, mall shootings, drive-by shootings, and terrorist bombs occupy our minds.

Regardless of the danger’s nature, God is our refuge. Even if we are shot, bombed by a terrorist, or caught up in a nuclear blast, God holds us fast. Death leads us to heaven. Injuries give God an opportunity to teach us life lessons and to grow our faith in Him to care for us through the thick and thin of life’s experiences. Nothing is more powerful than the God we serve.

Our temporary homes may fail, but our God never will. Trust Him, regardless of what life brings you.

Prayer: Father, we thank You for being our shelter during the storms of life.

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Flashback Friday - When Christmas Mixes with Sorrow - Martin Wiles

“Can you think of anything we can sell?” I asked my wife. 

Christmas 2013 shaped up to be the leanest Christmas season my wife and I had ever experienced. Gifts were purchased from places we normally didn’t buy them from. Buying for each other was out of the question; we merely attempted to give small tokens of love to family members.

Financial struggles had led providers to disconnect one service we enjoyed, which led to an early termination charge of $400. They, in turn, promptly exercised their contract right to draft what we owed from our bank account.

My wife had just completed four small transactions at local retailers, and, except for a small book royalty she planned to use on our Christmas presents, our account was depleted—and now, overdrawn. Not only did the provider take the book royalty, but they also drafted the amount of my wife’s transactions that hadn’t cleared the bank. Now, in addition to everything else, we had returned check fees. When my wife called the service provider to ask for grace, they rudely reminded her of the early termination fee and told her any money we deposited in the bank would be absconded until the balance was paid in full.

Mom was kind enough to deposit enough cash to cover the few transactions we had made, but we soon discovered the service provider had pocketed that, too. After eight days, our bank would begin charging overdrawn fees. As the final day approached, my wife and I let our eyes roam over any items in the house we might sell to cover our debt.

Other than family mementos we had no intentions of selling, the only thing we could uncover was my wife’s carnival glass collection. “Let’s sell it,” she said. After making sure she wanted to part with what she loved so much, I agreed. What other choice did we have?

As I carefully tucked each piece away in newspaper to deliver to an auctioneer friend, I couldn’t help but think of the memories associated with every piece. Trips to the mountains, hours spent at auctions, miles traveled to visit antique shops, yard sales. We had invested many years in the collection. For eight days, we had prayed for God to provide. The way He did brought sorrow but at the same time thankfulness that we had assets to sell.

God’s Christmas gift to humanity also brought a mixture of joy and sorrow. Jesus’ cry from the cross—along with His Father temporarily turning away from Him—evidenced God’s pain. His Son was paying for the sins of the world. At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me” (Matthew 27:46)?

But God’s joy is expressed through another verse and in another time before the cross: For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

As I packed my wife’s treasures in a box to deliver for sale and thought about God’s gift to me, I was reminded that Christmas often brings with it a mixture of joy and sorrow. Joy over what God has done in my behalf, but sorrow that my sin required such an awful sacrifice.

Whatever the reason for the sorrow you may be facing this Christmas season, rejoice that Christ has overcome—and, in Him, you can, too. Christmas joy can trounce all pain and grief.

Tweetable: Is sorrow mixing with your Christmas? 

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Forgetful - Martin Wiles

Never forget this! Deuteronomy 25:19 NLT

Many things I wish would hang around…don’t.

The process began around the age of forty. Things began escaping me. Names came first. People I’d known for years now had names that appeared as strangers. I recognized the faces, but couldn’t recall the names.

Almost twenty years later, things have gotten worse. Sometimes I can’t even recall the names of students who I presently teach. They come to my desk asking for a pass to the library, and I pause before writing their name. Because I can’t remember it. Most of the time, it eventually comes to me, but not without using some brainpower.

I wish I could remember the names of all the students I’ve taught down over the years.

I would love to remember all the stories my maternal grandfather told. Just children’s stories, but with a Southern accent I wish I could still hear. I’ve forgotten it.

I wish I could remember all the stories my paternal grandfather told me about his life growing up. Many of them I do remember and have written down, but many more are lost. And all my grandparents are gone, so I can’t ask them.

I wish I could continuously remember the death dates of my relatives who have died. Sure, I can look the dates up, but that takes time, and even if I did I’d probably forget them again.

Rehearsing is a good way to remember. It’s how I remember special Bible verses I don’t want to forget. If I go too long without rehearsing them, I’ll have to start over again.

While we don’t truly forget—unless we have brain damage or a brain disease—many things are beyond our ability to pull into our present memory. God gave His Old Testament people some things He didn’t want them to forget. Some of the things their enemies had done to them were among the list, but more importantly were to love others, to show kindness, to remember the poor, and to remember that they were once slaves.

Remembering what God has done in our lives is always proper. He has delivered us from sin’s penalty, placed abundant life in us presently, and promised us eternal life in a wonderful place called heaven.

Remembering these things causes us to remember other important things: helping the suffering, giving to the needy, associating with the lonely, helping the orphans, lending to the widows. Things that Jesus says serve Him and demonstrate our identity in Him.

What can you do to make sure you don’t forget the most essential things in life?

Prayer: Father, help us never to forget Your love for us and our responsibilities to others.

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The Pain of Living - Martin Wiles

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 NLT

Pain is your friend.

Or so I’ve been told. Perhaps I read it. Maybe a doctor told me. Probably I learned it through experience. My continuous back pain alerted me that something was wrong. When exercises didn’t help—and when the pain continued for an extended period of time—the doctor ordered an MRI. The diagnosis? Arthritis and scoliosis of the spine. The MRI didn’t make the pain go away, but at least I knew the reason for the pain.

And my aching knees. When I cannot step up on a ladder or even a footstool without stabbing pain, I know something is wrong. Although I haven’t had tests to reveal the culprit, I know they are worn out—or at least on the way to being. The years my brother, daughter, and I hiked in the mountains did it I’m sure. Nothing to do but have a knee replacement, but I’ll not do that until it’s necessary. I’ve seen the pain others have endured to “fix” the pain.

Pain often seems more like an enemy than a friend. Something I want to defeat. Something I want to go away. But deep inside, I know it’s my friend. And more than physical pain.

Paul said he had been crucified with Christ and that Christ now lived in him.

Crucifixion wasn’t anything to sneeze at. The process involved horrible elements as history notes—and as the example of Jesus illustrates. Victims normally died because of exhaustion or asphyxiation, not necessarily because of the pain of what had preceded the crucifixion or from the spikes in their hands and feet.

Jesus’ pain differed because His involved more than physical pain. He endured the pain of the world’s sin upon Himself. A price paid with a different type of pain. One that involved having His Father temporarily turn His back on Him.

When I accept what Christ has done, His pain becomes mine. I die on that cross with Him, enduring the pain of giving all of my sins to Him and letting His blood cover them. Painful because in my humanness I’d rather keep the sins … relish in them … savor them.

Once we endure the pain of letting our sins go, Christ comes to live in us and bathes us in His righteousness. For the first time—and forever—victorious living belongs to us. The pain of doing life on our own disappears. Christ lives in and through us. We possess resurrection power. The joy of living replaces the pain of living. 

Let Christ replace your pain of living with joy.

Prayer: Father, thank You for replacing the pain of living with the joy of living.

Tweetable: Is pain stealing your joy? 

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Throwback Tuesday - Coming Apart - Martin Wiles

Coming Apart

He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. Psalm 23:2 NLT

If I don’t come apart, I might come apart.

I’m a “yes” man. I know the dangers, but I’m the world’s worst when it comes to saying no. Perhaps accomplishing multiple tasks in a given time frame sparks my adrenaline or enhances my self-image. Maybe I simply enjoy the challenge of seeing how much I can complete in a given day. I suppose it could be I see so many good things that need doing. If I feel I have the skill set to accomplish them, I volunteer. My grandmother continually reminded me about too many irons in the fire. The world is saturated with wonderful opportunities, but if I don’t manage my time I will come apart at the seams trying to complete too many of them simultaneously. Read more...

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Need More Time - Martin Wiles

On the day the Lord gave the Israelites victory over the Amorites, Joshua prayed to the Lord in front of all the people of Israel. He said, “Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon.” Joshua 10:12 NLT

Lord, I need more time.

With Dad. To properly tell him good-bye. To let him hear how much I love him and how I think he was a great parent. But I’m not sure he can hear me. His organs are shutting down. The doctors have done all they can. We plan to honor his wishes and remove all the life-prolonging equipment, letting him go home to heaven.

Lord, I need more time.

With Mom. If things keep going as they are, I’m not sure she’ll get things straight anymore. Some of her conversations are quite confusing. She mixes up stories, people, and dates. Her mom had Alzheimer’s, and I think if Mom lives, she’ll get it too. How will I handle her not knowing me? How will I handle not being able to carry on an intelligent conversation with her?

Lord, I need more time.

To pay the bill. You know we received “the notice.” In two days, our service will be disconnected. We have no idea where the money will come from, but You tell us not to worry. You’ll provide our food, shelter, and clothes. But a little more time would be nice. 

Lord, I need more time.

With my brother. And for researchers to find a cure for the disease. He’s so young. I thought we’d hike in the mountains until we were both old men. Now he walks either with braces, a cane, or a walker. Sometimes, he is rolled around in a wheelchair. The medicine helps, but he’s just not the same person. I can barely understand him now and find myself asking, “What,” more often.

Joshua needed more time also. He and the nation of Israel were in a desperate fight. Daylight waned, but the enemy kept coming. So, he, too, asked God for more time, and God granted it by extending daylight for an entire day. A miracle. 

The list of why we might need more time—or why someone we love might need more time—is endless. Sometimes, God gives more time; sometimes, He doesn’t. Faith prompts us to ask for time, but faith also enables us to accept things as they are when He doesn’t.

Regardless of whether God gives us more time or not, we can trust Him. His nature is love. His wisdom far exceeds any knowledge we could ever gain. He operates with unconditional love for the people He has created. And He has control, just as He did over the day when Joshua fought that long-ago battle.

When you need more time, ask God. He may grant it—and even if He doesn’t, He’ll give you the wisdom and strength to carry on.

Prayer: Father, give us the time we need to do the work You’ve given us to do.

Tweetable: Do you need more time? 

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Stumbling Around - Martin Wiles

But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee. Psalm 35:15a NIV

My middle brother and I sat on the patio, reliving memories of how much we stumbled during our teenage years.

The 1970s raged, I was a teenager, and most of my friends drank, so I fell into the habit. Every Friday and Saturday night, after going out on the town with my buddies, I’d do a little stumbling into the door of my house.

Mom never went to bed until after I got home, although Dad had been asleep two hours by that time. He left the monitoring up to her. I knew she knew I’d been out partying, but she never said a word—and never told Dad. She didn’t approve, but I suppose she knew I would express my teenage rebellion in one way or another. The next morning, I’d walk straight again.

A little more than a decade later, my middle brother repeated my actions and did a little stumbling himself. Probably more than I did. Once again, Mom kept her mouth shut—to him and to Dad. He, too, would walk straight again the next morning. I suppose Dad went to his grave never knowing about all the stumbling his three sons did. Fortunately, the day came when we learned to walk straight and didn’t need to stumble anymore.

The psalmist doesn’t say why he stumbled—perhaps he sinned or slipped up, too—but his enemies gathered and laughed when he did. So, he turned to God for justice … and compassion.

Stumbling around is a part of life—and not necessarily because we’ve consumed too much alcohol. We’re imperfect human beings. Knowing Christ as our Savior keeps the stumbling to a minimum, but we still wobble occasionally.

We can stumble into times of indecision, confusion, and yes, even disobedience. God doesn’t cast us aside or laugh at us when we do—we’re secure in His hands—but others might deride us, wondering how we could call ourselves a Christian and do such things.

Expecting the occasional stumble helps our emotions take the shock when the stumble comes. We’re clothed in Christ’s righteousness, but our behavior won’t perfectly mimic His until we arrive in heaven.

Praying for guidance also helps when we stumble. If the stumble involves sin, confession and repentance are in order. If not, God is more than willing to guide us to the right decision. His Spirit will speak to our spirit, and we’ll know when we’ve taken the right course.

Trust God to help you walk straight after you’ve stumbled. His love is enough to forgive and restore you.

Prayer: Father, when we stumble in life, steady us with Your omnipotent wisdom.

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Flashback Friday - Scoring Points at Home - Martin Wiles

Scoring Points at Home

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Ephesians 5:21 NLT

One by one I plucked them and nestled their stems in the cup of my hand. 

My wife and I once lived in an old home. Next door was an even older deserted home that was slowly dying from age. Numerous weeds snaked across the yard, yet once a year in the spring the yard transformed itself. Jonquils appeared among the weeds and displayed their yellow hearts. I would sneak over and pluck them one by one until I had enough for my purpose. Then finding an old milk bottle, I filled it with water, carefully placed the flowers inside, and placed the arrangement by our kitchen window. Nothing was more precious than the smile on my wife’s face when she noticed. Read more...

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Calming the Storm at Christmas - Leslie Colburn

Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. Psalm 107:28-29 NIV

The Christmas season is upon us. 

The music. The excitement. The decorations. The celebration of our Lord and Savior’s birth. The time for reflection, forgiveness, worship, and joy with family and friends. 

But for those of us who have lost a loved one, the Christmas season can intensify emotions of sadness and feelings of loneliness. New waves of grief that had subsided become fierce and overwhelming again. 

This is the fifteenth Christmas without my mom. We haven’t decorated, shopped, planned, celebrated, laughed, baked, or traveled together. I will never get to see her celebrate Christmas morning with my daughters who dress in matching jammies. They will never get to put baby Jesus in the manger together and hear her tell them about His birth.

I want to say that Christmas without her has gotten easier. In some ways it has, but with so many vivid memories of her around this time of year, the waves of grief can knock me off my feet without any notice.

I knew that my twenty-seventh Christmas with Mom would probably be our last together because she was so sick with cancer. I also knew the first Christmas without her would be hard, almost unbearable. That year my family and I booked a trip to Mexico—no tree, no traditions, no familiarity. 

I will always carry the scars of my broken heart, but my scars are a reminder that God heals. On my fourteenth Christmas without Mom, I finally got her Christmas china set out of storage. After my mom died, I didn’t want the dishes because of the memories. This year, I was glad to have those dishes. I loved unwrapping each piece, remembering my mom, and being able to bring a part of her to my family table. 

This Christmas, I cried when I got my mom’s nativity set out of storage and set it out for the first time since she left. But I found peace as I watched my daughters put the baby Jesus in the manger. 

When we cry to the Lord in our troubles, He will bring us out of our distress. He will still the storm to a whisper and hush the waves of the sea.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your constant presence in my life. Thank You for taking the storms in my heart and calming me with Your healing touch.

Tweetable: How do you calm your Christmas storms? 

Leslie Colburn is a mom and a writer with one goal: spreading encouragement and the message that re-gifting love is what matters the most. Her newest book, Perfectly YOU, is the next installment of the Cross My Heart Books series and will be released in early 2021.

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