In Luke 19:20-21, we read: “Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow’” (ESV). In this passage, we see that this individual could not … Continue reading Paralyzed by Fear
Tag: opportunities
Unjust Scales
My dog Max is very food driven. When I have food, his eyes are glued on me. It is his desire that I share whatever food I have available. When I am getting Max and Marci their breakfast and dinner, Max watches me closely. It’s as if he is watching to make sure that I … Continue reading Unjust Scales
Plan and Follow Through
Planning is important. The Bible tells us that before we start building something, we would certainly want to count the cost (Luke 14:28). Even so, planning is not everything. If you can only think up great ideas, but can never see them to completion, what good comes from the ideas? In Proverbs, we read that … Continue reading Plan and Follow Through
Rightly Related Rejoicing
God has given us great power to tread over the enemy. He has given us spiritual gifts and the Holy Spirit. God opens doors that allow us opportunities to serve His people. Nonetheless, Jesus says we should not celebrate this power we have, nor rejoice over the success. In Luke 10, Jesus notes that successful … Continue reading Rightly Related Rejoicing
The Dog Bath
Giving Max a bath can be quite the ordeal. Since he’s a larger dog, it’s not so easy to get him into the bath tub. Plus he is not fond of getting a bath and I am not fond of cleaning all of the hair out of the tub when he finally decides to comply … Continue reading The Dog Bath
Every Opportunity
You can tell people about Jesus till you are blue in the face, but your greatest testimony shared with others is your example. Paul wrote to those in Colossae to “Live wisely among those who are not believers... to let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt” (NLT, NIV). I have four … Continue reading Every Opportunity
Fear Freeze
I was walking Max the other morning. He is quite the rabbit chaser. The second he notices a rabbit, he wants to go hunt it down. However this morning was different. The rabbit stood still. The rabbit never had to run for cover. There was a big dog in the yard ahead that caught Max’s … Continue reading Fear Freeze
Within the Trash
This morning I passed by a dumpster filled with items from a house that is currently undergoing renovations. Out of the corner of my eye, I was able to spot a large box of books lying on top of the other discarded items. The books looked brand new and many of them were titles that … Continue reading Within the Trash
Excuses
This morning it was drizzling but I still faithfully took my dog for a walk. As we continued up the street, I noticed that there was a newspaper that was poking through the plastic covering that the delivery person used for protection. In a quick moment, I passed by thinking that the newspaper would get … Continue reading Excuses
Tania Gutekunst 