The Pen - Lynne Phipps

So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. 1 Samuel 16:13 NIV

During the summer months, I keep my miniature horse, Frank, and his companion Minnie, the donkey, in a pen attached to the barn throughout the day. Once evening arrives, I release them into the corral where they can graze all night until the sun rises. Why, you might ask? 

Dr. Noman Tariq explains: 

Grass is most risky for horses at certain peak times. In the spring, new growth means high levels of sugar and starch. After a frost, stressed plants build up even more sugar. These changes can lead to laminitis, obesity, and other health issues. Horses at risk should have limited turnout during these periods. The weather has a significant impact on the amount of sugar in grass. Sunny days raise sugar levels, and cold nights stop plants from using it, so it builds up by morning. 

Miniature horses and donkeys are especially prone to laminitis and diabetes, so keeping them penned up when grass sugar levels are highest is important for maintaining their good health. Although Frank and Minnie are not pleased and don’t understand their situation, I know why keeping them penned is important, and that’s what really counts.

Sometimes, we feel penned in too, just as I’m sure David did after being anointed as King and then having to wait approximately twenty years to finally take the throne. God, however, knew that David needed not only to be anointed king but also to mature spiritually, emotionally, and mentally before he could be the kind of King who could rule wisely. The throne did not come to David until God knew that he was ready for the task at hand.

Likewise, because God’s timing is always perfect, He often makes us wait a time before the way opens, allowing us to move forward in a certain direction. Understanding that this is not a punishment but a time for the Holy Spirit to mature and grow as God deems fit allows us to wait more patiently and spend time praising Him for the good work He is doing within us. In the end, we will be well equipped for the good work He has prepared for us.

Enjoy the pens in which God places you, knowing they have a purpose. 

Father God, thank You that Your timing is always perfect. Remind us through the power of Your Holy Spirit that waiting on You is not wasted time, but a time to grow, mature, and praise You for the good work You are doing in us, so that in turn, we might accomplish the good work You have prepared for us to do. In Christ’s name, amen.

Lynne Phipps and her family live on a small hobby farm in the heart of Alberta, Canada’s farming country. She has been writing devotions for forty years and never tires of the spiritual correlation the Holy Spirit blesses her with. He uses normal everyday events and the behaviors of the multitude of glorious creatures He has brought across her path to point her to the truths of God. Lynne is a devotion writer for VineWords: Devotions and More, Christian Devotions, and Love Lines from God. 

If you seek hope and healing because of hurts you have faced, then Hurt, Hope, and Healing is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

How to Establish Healthy Habits - Martin Wiles

Can an Ethiopian change the color of his skin? Can a leopard take away its spots? Neither can you start doing good, for you have always done evil. Jeremiah 13:23 NLT

Old habits are hard to break. And how to establish healthy habits is sometimes more difficult than we imagine. 

For four years, we lived in a small townhouse. Our Chihuahua, Twix, was accustomed to the way the doors to the bedroom and outside opened and would stand at the appropriate side of the door to enter or exit. Then we moved. Although the townhouse we moved into had the same floor plan, it was a mirror image of our previous one, which confused Twix.  

On Twix’s first trip outside, he stood at the left side of the door. That’s what he had been accustomed to. But now the door opened from the right. He repeated the same action for the bedroom door and had to change sides when I opened it. After a week, he managed to break his old habit and stand at the proper side for entering and exiting.

Being born with dark skin was a genetic trait among Ethiopians. So was a leopard having spots. An Ethiopian had no power to change their color, nor can a leopard become spotless.

According to the prophet, we, too, have a genetic flaw of sorts. We can’t do good because we’ve all done evil. The reason is our sin nature, which leads us down the wrong path toward sinful behavior and attitudes.

My dog’s habits were neither morally good nor bad. They were just habits. I’ve had a few habits like that myself. Among them, biting my fingernails. It took my grandmother giving me twenty dollars and one finger getting infected for me to break that habit. But I’ve also had some habits that were morally wrong and difficult to break. Those habits emerged from the sinful nature I was born with. By myself, I was helpless to do good.

In our own power, we can’t break the habit of doing bad and adopt the habit of doing good. But it is possible when we appeal to a Higher Power. Christ in us enables us to change the color of our skin and lose our spots. He enables us to consistently do good rather than evil. Accepting his offer of forgiveness opens new possibilities for an abundant life.

Accept Christ so you can break the old bad habits and adopt new healthy ones.

Father, give me the power to throw away that which is damaging to me and others so I can adopt healthy habits that glorify your name. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

The Bully - Lynne Phipps

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith. 1 Peter 5:8-9 NIV

I once happened upon a situation where a person was extremely angry with their dogs. They yelled, hollered, and chased after them in a threatening manner. They tried to get the animals to move from one area to another. The dogs were terrified and had scattered in different directions, desperately trying to flee from the bully’s path.

One of the frightened creatures, spotting me, ran to my side and huddled against my leg. Having seen where their owner wanted them to go, I spoke quietly to the little canine and walked toward the designated area. The pup followed. As I approached the assigned area, I called the other dogs over to me as well, speaking in a positive voice. All the dogs responded and were soon safely out of the bully’s way.

Fear kept these dogs from hearing their owner’s loud and angry voice. Dogs respond to tone and attitude more than words. When I introduced the right tone and attitude, they listened and obeyed.

Just as this person’s dogs scattered and ran in fear, our enemy, known in the Word as Satan or the devil, also seeks to put us on the run by bullying us with fear tactics. He wants us to doubt God and his truth. He wants us to rebel against God, just as he did. Our enemy seeks to sow doubt in our lives regarding our faith, often when we are most vulnerable. 

When sickness, sorrow, economic crisis, natural disasters, relational difficulties, and the like assault us, the enemy of our souls roars in with his lies, seeking to steal the truth from our hearts. He desires to crush our view of God, bombarding us with doubts and fears concerning our situation. Amidst his rampage and our resultant fear, it becomes hard for us to hear our Lord’s calm voice. But God seeks to remind us of his ability to use all things for our good and grant us strength and wisdom to endure. 

Let us therefore learn to recognize our enemy and his tactics by studying the Word and committing it to heart. Then, on the day of attack, amidst the lion’s roaring, we can tune our ears to God’s still quiet voice of assurance and hope. He can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. 

Father God, when the enemy roars into our lives, teach us to stand firm and listen to Your still, quiet voice of hope, wisdom, and safety. In Christ’s name, amen.

Lynne Phipps and her family live on a small hobby farm in the heart of Alberta, Canada’s farming country. She has been writing devotions for forty years and never tires of the spiritual correlation the Holy Spirit blesses her with. He uses normal everyday events and the behaviors of the multitude of glorious creatures He has brought across her path to point her to the truths of God. Lynne is a devotion writer for VineWords: Devotions and More.

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

 

The Groomers’ Tools - Lynne Phipps

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.  Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:13-14 NIV

Enrolling in a professional dog grooming course required me to purchase tools and a proper carrying kit. Having purchased all the necessary equipment and labeled my kit box, I was also instructed that all my groomer’s tools needed to bear my specific mark. This allowed each student to identify their own tools, thus avoiding mix-ups as we worked together.

Marking these solid steel instruments, however, was no easy task. Fortunately, a friend had the right equipment to cut a small v-shape into the side of each of my cutting blades, scissors, metal combs, and clippers. Once this was achieved, my tools would never be mistaken for anyone else’s. No one could take them out of my hand or kit and claim them as their own.

Likewise, God tells his chosen people that we, too, are sealed with his mark: the Holy Spirit who indwells all who come to know Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit, in turn, continues to mark us as God’s tools for the glory of God's Kingdom through the fruits of the Spirit. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control show the world we belong to God.  

Romans 8:35 assures us that nothing can separate us from Christ: not trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, or sword. In John 10:28, Jesus states that no one can snatch us from his Father’s hand. 

The Father knows us. He has marked us as his own, now and forever. What a marvelous truth and assurance, allowing us to rest in the one in whom we have believed. He is the Savior of our souls and can guard what we have entrusted to him for eternity.

Find peace in knowing that you belong to God. 

Father God, thank you for marking me with the seal of your Holy Spirit, a deposit guaranteeing my inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession. Amen.

Lynne Phipps and her family live on a small hobby farm in the heart of Alberta, Canada’s farming country. She has been writing devotions for forty years and never tires of the spiritual correlation the Holy Spirit blesses her with. He uses normal everyday events and the behaviors of the multitude of glorious creatures He has brought across her path to point her to the truths of God. Lynne is a devotion writer for VineWords: Devotions and More.

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Stress Buster - Lynne Phipps

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. James 1:5,6 NIV

My Irish Setter, Ruby, suffers anxiety in any unfamiliar situation. Seeing her transform from her exuberant, happy self into a quaking, shaking mess grieves me. She often needs a stress buster. 

Anxiety is not only limited to dogs, however. We humans also have our share of anxious moments. I had one once when I traded my car for a different model. Just thinking about the decision and all it entailed set my insides quivering. What if I spent all that money and got a lemon. What would I do then? How would I afford the repairs on my fixed income?  What if, what if whirled around in my head.

Finally, I did make a choice, but my anxiety level remained high as I repeatedly went over my decision, hoping it was a good one. As so often happens, God dealt with my anxiety by prompting me to go for a walk. As I walked, I realized I needed to review my decision step by step. Had I prayed for wisdom and guidance? Yes. Did I receive peace to move forward? Yes. Did the dealership I chose have a good reputation? Yes. Had I calculated my finances before entering into the deal? Check. Had I involved others who could help me think rationally and wisely about such a major purchase? Yes. 

In light of my review, I needed to make another decision. Would I trust that God had given me guidance and wisdom through each step of my decision? Further, if future problems with the vehicle arose, did I think he would guide me through them and supply all my needs? Or would I doubt and continue to be like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind? 

I chose the stress buster of belief and kept choosing it whenever my mind sought to return to doubting. By doing so, my anxiety was relieved, and I began to enjoy my new vehicle, for which I am truly thankful.

How about you? Any stressful, anxiety-ridden situations in your life today? If so, ask God for wisdom to deal with them. Then, trust the wisdom He gives, for it’s a stress buster that will not fail.

Lord God, thank you that I can count on your wisdom, which you give generously to all who ask. Empower me by your Holy Spirit to trust that wisdom, which can burst my stress levels and bind me to anxiety. In Christ’s name, amen.

Tweetable: What is your stress buster? 

Lynne Phipps and her family live on a small hobby farm in the heart of Alberta, Canada’s farming country. She has been writing devotions for forty years and never tires of the spiritual correlation the Holy Spirit blesses her with. He uses normal everyday events and the behaviors of the multitude of glorious creatures He has brought across her path to point her to the truths of God. Lynne is a devotion writer for VineWords: Devotions and More.

I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are an editor who wants to hone your grammar skills or someone who just wants to improve your writing or speaking, this is the book for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

The T-Shirt - Lynne Phipps

Therefore, put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place. Ephesians 6:13-14 NIV

My Irish Setter Ruby tore a large gash in her chest when she encountered a strand of barbed wire as she was galivanting through the bush. Fortunately, the tear did not penetrate the muscle. I doctored the wound, and it healed well until Ruby figured out how to twist and lick it. I then needed to take other measures. That's when the t-shirt came into play. 

My daughter produced one of the girl's outgrown t-shirts that fit Ruby perfectly. It protected the wound from further damage from dirt and debris and from Ruby's licking, preventing it from drying and healing.

As I watched Ruby proudly sporting her bright pink t-shirt, I was reminded of the scriptural command to put on the full armor of God, specifically the breastplate of righteousness.

Soldiers of the past wore breastplates. We, however, may know them as Flak Jackets, Kevlar, or bulletproof vests. These coverings have always been designed to clothe most of the upper body, providing significant protection from anything that could severely damage or pierce a person’s heart.

Likewise, the breastplate of righteousness that Paul speaks of protects our spiritual heart. Satan, the ruler of this world, forever schemes against us. He stands before the throne of God, continually accusing the people of God. He wants to pierce our hearts with doubt regarding our salvation and God’s eternal love, grace, and forgiveness for all who call upon His name in faith, confession, and repentance. 

Further, Satan desires to stab us with false guilt and unworthiness, robbing our hearts of the joy of our salvation. This is why we must put on our spiritual breastplate every day. The breastplate is our belief in Jesus’ death and resurrection on the cross. 

Once we commit to Christ, God no longer sees us as unrighteous and imperfect. Instead, he sees us through the power of the shed blood of Jesus. Jesus's blood covers us with a veil of holiness and protection and makes us righteous in Christ for eternity, no matter what the evil one tries to whisper in our hearts.

Put on your breastplate of righteousness daily so that you may stand against the evil one who prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. This way, you can be sure that someone will not be you.

Father God, thank you for our breastplate of righteousness, attained for us through the shed blood of Jesus and his resurrection. Remind us to don it daily.  In Christ’s name, amen.

Tweetable: Have you put on the breastplate of righteousness? 

Lynne Phipps and her family live on a small hobby farm in the heart of Alberta, Canada’s farming country. She has been writing devotions for forty years and never tires of the spiritual correlation the Holy Spirit blesses her with. He uses normal everyday events and the behaviors of the multitude of glorious creatures He has brought across her path to point her to the truths of God. Lynne is a devotion writer for VineWords: Devotions and More.

I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are an editor who wants to hone your grammar skills or someone who just wants to improve your writing or speaking, this is the book for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Sniffing Temptation - Martin Wiles

When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. 1 Corinthians 10:13b NLT

Stop. Sniff. Stop again. Sniff again. Caught.

We call our little Chihuahua-terrier mix our cordless dust buster. Wherever we sit to eat, she positions herself underneath our feet so she can retrieve any dropped crumbs. She particularly enjoyed standing beneath our daughter’s middle son when my wife kept him. Pig Pen, we call him—and for obvious reasons. The way he eats causes him to leave many crumbs behind. Sometimes, whole chunks of food. But, of course, our little mutt didn’t complain.

Our daughter’s two oldest boys usually ate snacks—and sometimes meals—on our love seat or my wife’s recliner. Mine was off-limits—unless I was not home to monitor their activity. Our little vacuum cleaner stood guard by each one, hoping a crumb would fall. When the boys finished and got up to throw their trash away, our little mutt quickly went to work, sucking up every crumb they left behind.

One day, as I edited a book manuscript for an author and my wife sat at the table working on making items for a baby shower, we heard a whine—our dog’s standard signal when she wants to go out.

“Let Rita out,” my wife said.

“She’s not at the back door,” I replied.

“Well, I heard her whine,” she said.

I had, too. Then it dawned on me where she was. She had been there before. Under the love seat. Trapped. How she got there when the ends were not reclined, I never figured out. But once she got under, she couldn’t get out without me reclining one or both ends.

On this occasion, reclining didn’t work. I kneeled on my aching knees and saw she had wedged herself in a small section and was surrounded by springs and bars. Rescuing her meant lifting one end of the recliner off the ground.

She ran out, but did she learn her lesson? No. As soon as I put the recliner back down, she scooted under to see if she had missed any crumbs.

Leftover food tempts our little dog. Not necessarily a bad thing, unless she gets in a predicament under the recliner. But temptations are not reserved for my Rita. Paul says they come to believers and unbelievers alike. The difference is that God assists the believer when we turn to Him.

Temptations are not sin—but can quickly lead there. The good news is that God controls them and will not let them intensify to the point we can’t overcome with His help. Emphasis on “with His help.” Regardless of the nature or intensity of the temptation, God has an escape route available if we’ll ask. The temptation may smell good—as it does for our little pooch—but it will lead to trouble every time. Victory over them, on the other hand, strengthens us for the next attack.

Stopping for a quick sniff when temptation comes might be okay, but choosing to eat is another story. Better yet, ask God to keep you from sniffing in the first place.

Prayer: Father, give us the strength not to stop and sniff when temptation comes. 

Tweetable: Are you sniffing where you shouldn't? 

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Walk-on Wednesday - Washing Away Guilt - Martin Wiles

Welcome to Walk-on Wednesday. By Hump Day, we are struggling, but we believe a good devotion can strengthen us to finish the week strong. 

So he (Pilate) sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood.” Matthew 27:24 NLT

He’s only an animal, but some of his looks show he’s feeling human emotions.

I once owned a Chihuahua out of necessity. I’ve owned quite a few by choice as I was growing up. This one belonged to my daughter, who moved into an apartment that didn’t allow animals. She bought him while in college. She attended classes almost daily, so she never had time to housetrain him fully. And since you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, we never managed to housetrain him completely. Occasionally when I got up in the morning or came home after work, I would find surprises I shouldn’t on the floor. As I stared at him with my hands on my hips, he peered back with downcast eyes—as if the look would alleviate his guilt.

Pilate thought washing his hands would remove his guilt. As the one the Jews brought Jesus to for conviction, he knew their motive: jealousy. He finally gave in to their demands, but he reminded them the guilt would rest on them, not him. To prove it, he washed his hands.

But we can wash away guilt with water. Nor can it be scoured away by sacrificing an animal on an altar. The Jews discovered that after thousands of years of trying.

When we feel honest guilt over sins we’ve committed against God, only one solution avails itself: take our sins to the throne of Jesus, confess and repent of them, and then walk away.

The forgiveness God dispenses is based on what Jesus did on the cross. Repressing it, talking about it, reading about it, ignoring it, and denying it won’t make it go away. 

Guilt is God’s reminder we’ve sinned. Only he can cleanse us from a guilty conscience so we can serve him in freedom.

Try confession when you’re tempted to try and soothe your guilt in some other way.

Prayer: Father, thank You for the guilt-free living we can experience through Jesus Christ. 

Tweetable: How do you deal with guilt? 

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My Muddy Heart - Emily Marszalek

But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. Psalms 86:15 NIV

My two dogs love to dig in the backyard.

In spite of dedicated attempts to deter the behavior and gentle scolding when I’ve caught them in the act, the habit persists.

One rainy day, they both entered the house with mud-caked faces, chests, legs, and paws. I attempted to clean them before they maneuvered throughout the house, but hundreds of muddy paw prints soon covered the kitchen and living room floors, requiring a thorough mopping. I was furious.

Losing my temper, I screamed while scrubbing the floors for the third time that week. “Can’t you two just obey for once? How many times do I have to tell you not to dig!?” Continuing to grumble while I scrubbed the muddy floors, God convicted me. I had not only lost my temper but also harbored an attitude of impatience, bitterness, and resentment.

I remembered how often I had been muddy myself. Like my sweet pups, I repeat the same mistakes. Yet, regardless of how many times I sin and muddy my heart, God never turns me away when I turn to Him in repentance. He always accepts me back and forgives me, washing away my sin so I can live clean. As the psalmist says, He is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” God’s grace meets me in my muck and washes me clean.

Although I often fail to extend God’s grace and patience to others, I trust His good work in me that continually shapes me to be more like Him.

Repenting of my anger and impatience that rainy afternoon as I continued to scrub my soiled floors, God’s grace cleansed my muddied heart. As I cuddled up with my now clean pups and enjoyed my clean floors and clean heart, I thanked God once again for His patience and grace.

Does your heart feel muddied? Come to God with a repentant heart and invite the deep cleansing only His grace can provide.

Tweetable: How do you clean up your muddy messes? 

Emily Marszalek enjoys the simple pleasures in life with her two Goldendoodles—Charlie and Lucy—and her fiancé Nick in the Pacific Northwest. Her writing has appeared in publications including Angels on Earth, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Listen to your Dreams, Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Blessings of Christmas, The Lutheran Digest, Refresh Bible Study Magazine, Christian Broadcasting Network, and Daily Inspired Life.

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Throwback Tuesday - Do Animals Go to Heaven? - Martin Wiles

Do Animals Go to Heaven?

Series: Hey God…I Have a Question

God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to produce offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NLT

Courtney was a middle schooler who attended the same church as me. Every Wednesday evening when the pastor asked for prayer requests, her hand shot up. Her requests were often not for family members or friends but for one of her animals. If her cat was about to deliver kittens, she prayed. If a dog became ill, she consulted God. The pastor acknowledged the importance of her requests as he did all others. Under my breath, I often laughed at her naivety but later realized that while we served the same God perhaps she understood him better. Read more...

Tweetable: Have you had animals you hope to see in heaven? 

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Saying Goodbye - Martin Wiles

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13 NIV

After six years, we had to say goodbye.

Twix, our candy-bar colored Chihuahua, had been a roustabout. My daughter bought him from a relative when he was six weeks old. When she moved into an apartment where animals weren’t allowed, Twix went to stay with her boyfriend. When her boyfriend moved, Twix moved in with his parents in Vermont.

After my daughter and her boyfriend broke up, Twix lived with Mom. When Mom had knee surgery, Twix came to live with us. In time, his teeth deteriorated. Soft food and treats were all he could eat.

Then Twix’s jaw dropped. He could no longer hold food in his mouth. What we dreaded had finally happened. A trip to the vet revealed the bad news. There was nothing he could do to give him quality of life. We said goodbye, and we all cried. His presence in our home had brought joy. Knowing he would no longer be with us left an inconsolable sadness.

Paul’s readers in Thessalonica were sad. They grieved because their loved ones had died. Yet, Paul wanted them to know they had hope. Even now, their loved ones’ souls were in heaven, and one day those spirits would be reunited with resurrected bodies.

Saying bye is never easy, whether to animals or humans—or when we’re moving away from friends or family. That’s why making memories is so important. If I’m not careful, busyness and misplaced priorities can steal the time I should be spending with the ones I love. Work, hobbies, and church are all important—but not more important the memory making.

I suppose telling an animal goodbye is more difficult because they have no immortal souls as humans do. When they’re gone, it’s the end. We’ll never see Twix again. His body will return to dust. But my friends, family, and loved ones who have died—but who knew Christ as their Savior—I will see again in heaven. So I don’t say goodbye to them with the same sadness with which I said goodbye to Twix.

Numerous ways exist for us to prepare for saying farewell—wills, life insurance—but if we miss the most important way of salvation, we’ll make it very difficult for our loved ones and friends to say goodbye to us. Make it easier for them to tell you goodbye.

Tweetable: Are you prepared to say goodbye?

Prayer: Father, thank You for making it possible for the goodbyes to be easier. 

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