God Will Never Let You Go

"And surely I am with you always,

to the very end of the age."

Matthew 28:20

"Don't ever let me go," is a common phrase for a woman to say to a man she loves, as he holds her close in his arms, when she is uncertain of his love for her. However, as God's children, we never have to worry about saying that to God. If we do, He will respond by assuring us that nothing in all of creation will separate His love from us.

"For I am convinced

that neither death nor life,

neither angels nor demons,

neither the present nor the future,

nor any powers,

neither height nor depth,

nor anything else in all creation,

will be able to separate us

from the love of God

that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)

If we remain in love with God, there is not any person or anything in this world that can tear us apart from His loving arms holding us close to His vibrate heart. We never need to doubt His love for us, even when others may hurt us, when sickness comes to our bodies, when loved ones are taken away, when valued relationships fail, when jobs are lost, or when dreams are shattered. God loves us now and forever.

Continue to trust in God and love Him through the favourable seasons and the distressing ones, as He wraps His faithful arms around you.

What The World Might Say, God Says Differently

Costco is my favourite grocery store. With three young men to feed, it is the most economical store from which to purchase large quantities of various foods. I usually go there once a week.

Three years ago, when we first moved here, I couldn't help but notice one of the cashiers at Costco. He was a flamboyant homosexual. His medium-length hair was dyed bright pink and stuck straight up. He wore pink glasses, earrings in both ears, and a pink scarf around his neck. He also imitated the talk and actions of homosexual male hairdressers or fashion designers who are portrayed in the media.

As soon as I saw this man, I felt compassion. I wondered how many people mocked or harassed him because of his open sin, while at the same time hiding their own sins. If this man was working at the times I went to Costco, I would always go to his till and be extra friendly to him. Then I would take the meeting as a reminder to silently pray for him to know Jesus as his Lord and Saviour. There was an arrogance about him that indicated deep insecurities.

Then about a year ago, as I was doing my weekly shopping at Costco, I noticed that this man looked totally different. His hair was cut short in a typical men's hair style, he wore normal men's clothes — no earrings or pink scarf — and he had a new pair of glasses. I was baffled as to the change, but the answer soon came when I saw his black shirt with the words displayed: "I am evidence that God can change a life." I had to quickly pull out of the lineup to regain my composure, as tears welled up in my eyes. What a testimony for God!

At Costco yesterday, I once again saw this Christ-like man. He talked to me about his great concerns for the people in New Orleans. Everyone else there seemed to be unmindful to these people's plight, but he wasn't. He cared. As I sensed his compassion for others, I again had to fight back tears. There was no arrogance in this man any longer. The world might say that some people can never change, but God says differently. The Bible says that the God who made light shine out of complete darkness can do the same in people's hearts.

"For God, who said,

'Let light shine out of darkness,'

made His light shine in our hearts

to give us the light of the knowledge of

the glory of God in the face of Christ."

2 Corinthians 4:6 (NIV)

The Veil Has Been Removed And We Are Changed

Two months ago our cat Osha was close to death. Here is a picture of what he looked like after a bath:

Osha needed this bath because he was sticky and gooey from the coconut milk and raw egg mixture I was bottle-feeding him. I had no choice but to put him in the tub of horrors. Fortunately Osha was too sick to even care. As you can see from the picture above, there wasn't much left of him except for some skin and bones. I had to force-feed Osha for three weeks to keep him hydrated and nourished enough to stay alive until the mile-long string he ate finally passed through his system.

Below is a picture of Osha today. He is . . . um, well, healthy. Did I say that right?

All of us in the family still look at Osha with amazement because of his recent transformation from death to life, from skinny to, um . . . (here I go again) . . . corpulent. (I'm pretty sure I'm safe with that word. Osha won't know the meaning and it sounds dignified.)

When a person asks Jesus to come into his/her life and heart, and to change him/her into the person God wants him/her to be, the transformation is just as amazing. That person, who was once blind and living an earthly life with a death sentence, now lives a Christ-like life with a clear vision and a promise of spending eternity in Paradise.

"So all of us who have had that veil removed

can see

and reflect the glory of the Lord.

And the Lord — who is the Spirit —

makes us more and more like Him

 as we are changed into His glorious image."

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NLT)

The Christian transformation will be as obvious to others as Osha's transformation from sickness to health is to us, because salvation is a conversion, not just a word we say.

I Cling To You

Last week, I saw in a Christian bookstore a beautiful print of a pencil-art picture that I wanted to give to the two girls I used to babysit in BC. Unfortunately, I needed two prints so that each could have one, but the store didn't have enough in stock. I then turned to my talented son Matthew and gave him a look that he was able decipher. He responded by saying, "Don't worry. I can draw a second one." His drawing is the one posted below. Didn't he do an amazing job?!

I chose this verse to go with the picture:

"I cling to You;

Your strong right hand holds me securely."

Psalm 63:8 (NLT)

It is when we cling to God that His strong right hand holds us securely. But we must first cling to Him, not to the things of this world or to other people.

With Good Teaching From God's Word

I have always thought that the faces of turtles look like little old men:

Yesterday, two of my sons and I nervously went to a nearby church where a friendly old man greeted us at the door. I normally wouldn't have thought much about it because most churches these days have greeters, but this man was different. When he looked at me, he looked directly into my eyes and didn't quickly draw his eyes away to look elsewhere like most greeters. I was taken aback because at that moment I no longer saw an old man. Instead I saw the eyes of Jesus. My first thought was, "Who is this man?" Part of me wanted to turn around and run out, and the other part wanted to stay and find out. I stayed and so did my skeptical sons.

Then when the worship service ended and it was time for the message, it was this old man who got up to preach. He is eighty-one years old, was a missionary in South Africa for thirty-eight years, and is the Associate Pastor of this church. His son is the Senior Pastor.

This elderly man began his sermon by saying, "I know people have come here not to hear a man preach, but to hear Jesus preach, so I will read from Scripture." Then he opened up his Bible and read his first text, John 15:1-17, followed by many, many more Scripture verses. (I can't tell you how many sermons I've heard in the last few years whose supporting references were mostly Internet and popular sources, with only one or two Scripture verses to introduce the topic.)

Yesterday's Bible message was about how important it is for Christians to remain in Christ and to bear good fruit. I will be honest and say I was a little worried about how this man was going to approach the subject. My first thought was: "Oh wow! Is he going to be one of those screaming, fire-and-brimstone preachers whom I have never personally heard but have seen imitated on television?"

Well, I can say in all honestly that there wasn't even the slightest bit of condemnation in the man's speech, only the deepest of concern. He never raised his voice or cracked jokes. He spoke seriously and calmly the message of God.

My sons and I indeed went to Church yesterday to hear Jesus preach, and that is exactly what we heard. The eighty-one-year-old servant of God, with the Spirit of Christ in him, fulfilled this verse.

"Preach the Word of God.

Be prepared,

whether the time is favourable or not.

Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage

your people with good teaching."

2 Timothy 4:2 (NLT)

Sometimes We Need To Let Dreams Go And Trust God

I have recently decided that it is best our cat Osha not be allowed in my bedroom. Therefore, I have been keeping my bedroom door closed so he can't get in. Osha, however, still tries to reach in with his paws underneath the door. I think he figures if his whole body can't get in, at least his paws can.

Sometimes God closes doors on us too, and our dreams and ambitions are halted. It may be only temporary or it may be permanent. Many times we may never understand why. Nevertheless, we must continue to trust God by letting go of the reason to know why. This can be difficult, so it may be that we become like Osha: we continue to try to reach our goal by slipping our hands under the closed door to access it, thinking we know best. However, this proves to be just a waste of our time. God's thoughts are nothing like our thoughts. He knows all things and knows us better than we know ourselves. There will be times His plans will be different than our plans. We just need to submit to His ways and trust Him.

"'My thoughts are nothing

like your thoughts,'

says the Lord.

'And My ways are far beyond

anything you could imagine.

For just as the heavens are

higher than the earth,

so My ways are

higher than your ways

and My thoughts

higher than your thoughts.'"

Isaiah 55:8-9 (NLT)

Blessings From The Deep That Lies Below

When Brian and I were driving near Rocky Mountain House, Brian stopped the car by the side of the road so I could take a picture of this drilling rig which pumps out black crude oil that lies below in the earth's deep. There are drilling rigs all over Alberta, but this one had character. It had antlers and two large eyes on each side, designed to look like a deer. Deer roam the Prairies in abundance because their predators are less prevalent and the land is rich in their food sources: grasses and wildflowers.

When God created the world, He provided us with many blessings from the heaven above and from the  earth below. And one of the blessings from the earth below is a thick, black, gooey substance that provides humans with warmth on cold winter nights and mobility at a fast pace in our large, increasing world of amazing technology.

"...because of your father's God,

who helps you,

because of the Almighty,

who blesses you

with blessings of the heavens above,

blessing of the deep that lies below..."

Genesis 49:25 (NIV)

Oil is indeed a blessing from God, for it came from Him and was created for us from the beginning to provide for our future needs. I believe that before the earth is depleted of this natural resource, the Lord will have already come. In His infinite wisdom, God knew beforehand just how much was required for us to live in blessing.

One Day All Secrets Will Be Made Known

Barlow, our Yorkie, has been gaining weight over the last few months. This had me perplexed, since I have always carefully measured out how much food he eats every day (he will eat endlessly if I let him) and I had not increased his food intake. Concernedly, Barlow was looking more and more like a little pig than a dog. To solve the problem, I gradually began feeding him lesser amounts of dog food.

Then a few days ago, I caught the culprit. Can you guess? Osha (our "angelic" Siamese cat) has been using his paw to scoop cat food out of his bowl and onto the floor, just so he can watch with fascination as the waiting piglet gobbles it up. (My mind must not have been working to its full capacity to not realize Osha had something to do with Barlow getting suddenly obese.) Osha must have known it was wrong too, because he never did this in front of me until of late when he slipped up and didn't realize I was watching.

The Bible says that there is coming a time when every sin that has been concealed will be revealed, and all that has been kept secret will be made known to all. God sees everything, so it is foolish for anyone to try to hide sin, keep secrets, or be dishonest.

Today, through the Internet, fraudulent people who try to hide their sins are being exposed sooner. The reputations of these people, many of whom were once idols to millions, are quickly brought to ruin. They are humiliated and mocked in front of the whole world, no longer known for their great achievements, but for their sins and evilness. This verse is coming to pass as hidden sins and secrets are being made known to "all".

"The time is coming when everything

that is covered up will be revealed,

and all that is secret

will be made known to all."

Luke 12:2 (NLT)

God Planted A Garden And Placed Man In It

At the Calgary Zoo, I loved walking through the Botanical Gardens. I think a garden would make a glorious home, don't you? Who needs the clutter of ornaments and all the furniture we have today in our homes. Natural beauty would be far better! After all, the Garden of Eden was the home God designed for the first man and woman He created. That's why people are drawn to gardens — they comfort and quiet our troubled souls. Gardens are a reminder to us of who God is: our loving Heavenly Father who so thoughtfully created a beautiful home for us to live in.

"Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east,

 and there He placed the man He had made."

Genesis 2:8 (NLT)

I am sure the Garden of Eden was only a fraction of how beautiful this garden was, so I wonder what our home in Heaven will be like!

With Worldly Joy, You Will Always Be Left Wanting

Osha is bored. He can't think of anything mischievous to do because He has already done everything a bad cat can do. Now Osha is trying to let me know what he thinks about his dull life.

"OK, Osha. I get the point."

Some people think that living the Christian life would be boring because they view sin as fun and pleasurable. However, worldly joy will always be lacking and fleeting. But when we walk in the ways of the Lord, His presence goes with us, and where His presence is, there is fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore.

"You make known to me the path of life;

in Your presence there is fullness of joy;

at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Psalm 16:11 (ESV)

When we walk in the path of life God has made known to us through His Word, we will discover absolute joy and eternal happiness. It is a joy incomparable to what the world offers.

We Are Free From Slavery To Sin, And Are Now Slaves To Righteous Living

Friday, the day we left for our weekend get-away to Rocky Mountain House, Brian and I took a detour to visit Calgary and their world famous zoo. It was astounding to see such a diversity of God's living creations all in one day! I don't know how anyone can walk through a zoo and not believe in Him. Below are some of my cherished pictures.

The tigers were my favourite animals, so their pictures come first.

This baby tiger was asleep when I first saw him, lying by his mother and two other siblings. Then all of a sudden he got up and walked right past me. Click went my camera.

As I was watching these magnificent creatures, one of the elephants started to play with his ball all on his own.

I couldn't even guess how much this hippopotamus weighs.

This was the first time I saw an anteater with my own eyes. I thought it to be a very strange animal. God sure is creative!

Pink flamingoes are beautiful birds, but the ones below have their heads hidden in their feathers or turned away from the camera. I guess they were camera-shy, unlike some of the other animals who seemed to pose for me.

This is a mega bat. I didn't know there were bats this large on earth.

I loved watching the penguins. They are so cute!

This animal reminds me of one of my sons when he was a baby. I won't tell you which one though, so as not to embarrass him.

I sure wouldn't want to meet a grizzly in the woods without a cage of protection. They are huge.

Even though all these zoo animals are very well cared for, they are not free. This is what it is like for so many people in our world today, including many professing Christians. They are well cared for too: they have houses to live in, cars to drive, beds to sleep in, clothes to wear, and food to eat. But they are not free. They are still entangled in, ensnared by, and hooked to their own sins.

God's grace offers forgiveness for our sins. God's grace and forgiveness are freely offered to all of us. But once we accept this gift from God, our responsibilities don't stop there, though for many they do. As Christians, we are not called to be free to sin. We are called to be free not to sin. Yes, we are called to live a life of obedience and sacrifice to Jesus Christ. Once we give our hearts and lives fully to Him, His Holy Spirit comes to live inside us and it is His power in us that sets us free to live a life pleasing to our Heavenly Father.

If we do fall into sin, we shouldn't lay there on the ground, weak and helpless, unable to get up, waiting for Satan to throw us back into prison. The power of God inside us gives us the strength to get back up and continue our Christian growth in Him. But we must first have a desire to obey, and not just be free. If we don't have this desire for obedience to God, then we have not given all of our hearts to Him. We want the free gift, but not the servanthood.

"Now you are free from your slavery to sin,

and you have become slaves to righteous living."

Romans 6:18 (NLT)

Beware of the modern false teaching in today's churches that preaches only freedom and grace, but not obedience and sacrifice. This erroneous teaching leaves people in prison with a false sense of freedom which will result in dire consequences.

God Honours Marriage

To celebrate our thirtieth wedding anniversary, Brian and I stayed two nights at a beautiful bed-and-breakfast retreat privately located on 150 acres in Rocky Mountain House.

The property bordered on Prairie Creek where trout could be seen cruising in its crystal clear waters.

As well, there were deer nibbling on the leaves and buds of trees nearby.

The weather was perfect. The sky was a brilliant turquoise blue and the temperature was warm with the sweet gentleness of a cool breeze.

Our get-away was quiet and serene. Only the chorus of the birds and the bubbling flow of the creek's water could be heard.

The food was delicious at the quaint but elegant restaurant, which was located right next to the lodging. There we received a special gift from God that He had preordained to honour our wedding anniversary: when Brian and I sat down to have our first dinner meal at the restaurant, and as we quietly sipped the quenching water from our glasses and innerly thanked God for all His blessings, to our shocked but wonderful surprise, our wedding song, "You Light Up My Life", began to play. Indeed, God honours marriage for only He knew why we were there and what song was sung at our wedding.

"Let marriage be held in honour among all."

Hebrew 13:4 (ESV)

Just Stand Still And Watch

The Bible tells us that we need not be afraid of anything, whether it be of lies spoken against us or of the sinful actions of others. We just need to stand still and watch the Lord work on our behalf to rescue us from evil.

"Don't be afraid.

Just stand still

and watch the Lord

rescue you today."

Exodus 14:11 (NLT)

Do Nothing Out Of Selfish Ambition Or Vain Conceit

Our cat Osha loves to lay right in the middle of the floor, and he will not budge even if we threaten to step on him. This is because he knows we won't follow through. I'm certain Osha does this on purpose just to bug us.

"I'm not moving from this position; you can walk around me."

The Bible says we are not to do anything out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility we are to consider others better than ourselves.

"Do nothing

out of selfish ambition

or vain conceit,

 but in humility

consider others better

than yourselves."

Philippians 2:3 (NIV)

It's just too bad Osha can't read the Bible. We, on the other hand, thankfully can!

He Who Conceals His Sins Does Not Prosper

"You misunderstood me, that's all."

Some people have a very hard time admitting they are wrong. Instead, they justify their actions (no matter how wrong they really are) and come up with all kinds of excuses. However, it's when we confess and renounce our sins that we find mercy and peace of heart. If we continue to justify our sins, then peace will never come, and neither will reconciliation.

"He who conceals his sins

does not prosper,

but whoever confesses and renounces them

finds mercy."

Proverbs 28:11 (NIV)

For Every Careless Word

Mosquitos are very tiny, but they can do a lot of harm. In addition to leaving red bite marks, they can spread dreadful diseases among humans and livestock. Even worse, my son Matthew is allergic to mosquitoes, especially if he has a lot of bites on him at one time. His joints will become painful and swell up like balloons, sometimes so much so that he will not be able to bend his joints. Matthew has always reacted adversely to mosquito bites ever since he was a baby. To him these tiny insects are monsters.

Mosquitoes are like carelessly spoken words. Just as a mosquito can do so much harm, so can a careless word. And one day we will all have to give account for every careless word we have spoken.

"But I tell you that men will have to give account
 on the day of judgment

for every careless word they have spoken."

Matthew 12:36

It is vital that we choose our words carefully when we speak to others. Moreover, if we are thoughtless and have offended others, we need to apologize immediately.

It Is The Devil Who Flees In Fear Of Us Who Call On Jesus

Matthew was walking in the kitchen yesterday when our cat Osha, sleeping quietly on a chair, sprung up and swatted his sleeve as he walked past. Osha caught Matthew off guard; his claws snagged fabric and pricked flesh!

Osha has never tried anything like this with me or my son Tim because we take authority over Osha. But with my other two sons, it's a different story. They put up with the impishness of the cat, so Osha takes full advantage of it and torments them. Osha instinctually knows what he can get away with and what he can't with each person in the household.

Satan is the same way. If we take authority over him in the Name of Jesus, he flees. Satan knows what he can get away with and what he can't. He isn't going to waste his time immobilized, being forced to sit on the sidelines watching those whom he can't attack. However, if we let down our guard by drawing away from the things of God and allowing ourselves to be drawn to the things of this world, Satan will ambush us and try to capture us. (Poor Osha, I can't believe I am using him as an example of the devil.)

The Bible says that if we submit ourselves to God and resist the devil, the devil will flee from us. It isn't the other way around. Christians are not pictured in the Bible as fearfully fleeing from the devil, with him chasing at our heels.

"Submit yourselves, then, to God.

Resist the devil,

and he will flee from you."

James 4:7 (NIV)

At the powerful Name of Jesus every knee will bow. Therefore, we can take command over Satan at any time and intercept his tactics of harm. We can walk past him, but his claws won't be able to snag and hold us captive.

"At the Name of Jesus

every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth

and under the earth."

Philippians 2:10 (NIV)

When My Glory Passes By

When My glory passes by,

I will put you in a cleft in the rock

and cover you with My hand

 until I have passed by."

Exodus 33:22 (NIV)

God's glory is the radiant beauty of all He is. God is so perfect, so holy, and so wonderful that our earthly eyes cannot behold nor our earthly minds comprehend the fullness of it.

When Moses asked to see God's glory, God told Moses that no person could look upon His face without dying — breath would be taken away and the heart would stop beating. So when God's glory passed by Moses, God hid Moses in the cleft of the rock and covered Him with His hand. However, God lifted His hand and allowed Moses to see His back.

Throughout Scripture, God's glory is, at certain times, partially revealed: for example, in the tabernacle of God; in a cloud before His people as He guided them to freedom; in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus; and through God's gift to us, His Holy Spirit.

If God's glory were manifest in our churches today, I wonder how different things would be? And how many lives would change? I think our perceptions of church would come to ruin. Schedules, agendas and titles would fly out the door. Instead, we would all fall on our faces in reverent worship. Our selves would die as we devour God's presence. We would leave with an unbearable desire to evangelize and live a life that is fully pleasing to Him.

Feeling Unsafe? Go To God: He Will Cover You With His Wings

I took a picture of my cat Osha hiding under my living room chair where he feels safe and protected from strange company in the house.

When we feel unsafe, we need to do the same by hiding under the wings of our Heavenly Father. If we go to God's Word, His faithful promises will become our armour and protection.

"He will cover you with His feathers.

He will shelter you with His wings.

His faithful promises are your armour and protection."

Isaiah 91:4 (NLT)

Modern Windmills

This is a picture of a modern windmill. Nowadays, they are called wind turbines, and they are being increasingly employed to generate electricity in Alberta. Here is a picture of a group of wind turbines off in the distance near Drumheller.

Wind turbines are only effective when there is wind. However, nobody can predict precisely the path of the wind, the time it will blow, or the strength it will have. It is the same with God. Nobody can truly understand His movements. The Christian life is based on faith in an holy, infinite, almighty, all-knowing, and all-present God who loves us all dearly and desires for all of us to live with Him one day in paradise.

"As you do not know the path of the wind,

or how the body is formed in a mother's womb,

so you cannot understand the work of God,

the Maker of all things."

Ecclesiastes 11:5 (NIV)

Be Brave: Fear Only God, Not People

When my son Tim approached a ground squirrel in Drumheller to take a picture, the ground squirrel let out an ear-piercing screech to warn its family members of an approaching predator. It didn't run back into its hole for protection as I expected, but instead bravely risked its life by exposing itself to the perceived predator, all for the safety of others. I was impressed by the gallantry of this little creature!

The Bible says that we too, as children of the King, can be brave in this world against people who want to hurt/kill us, knowing they can never touch our soul. Our soul belongs to God and when we die we will live for eternity with Him in Heaven.

"Don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body;

they cannot touch your soul.

Fear only God,

who can destroy both soul and body in hell."

Matthew 10:28 (NLT)

The Wastelands Will Rejoice

When my family and I went hiking last weekend in the badlands of Drumheller, it was like we were transported through time and landed on the moon. I even half-expected to see aliens or something. Most of Alberta consists of flat fertile farm lands, but in the centre of the province, there is this desolate piece of land consisting of dry, rolling hills whose only vegetation is sage brush and cactus.

The bare, eroded walls of the hills exposed different colours of sedimentary rock layers. It is quite spectacular to see!

When I view these pictures, I think of how our world is, in general, very much like this — a wasteland that is dry and infertile, and does not allow God's Word to take root and grow, thus preventing our land from flourishing with the truths of God and His goodness. However, there is coming a time when Jesus will rule this earth in His sovereignty and holiness. Then the wilderness and desert will become places of rejoicing, and the wasteland will blossom with beautiful spring flowers.

"Even the wilderness and desert

will be glad in those days.

The wasteland will rejoice

and blossom with spring crocuses."

Isaiah 35:1 (NLT)

Pastors Are To Be Shepherds, Not Lords

In Scripture, pastors are likened to shepherds who nurture, care, and protect their sheep. A true pastor is a willing and eager servant called by God, not a self-seeking lord called by a board of elders chosen for his carisma, physical attractiveness, and talent. A true pastor is an example to his flock in the way he treats others and in how he lives.

What is in a pastor's heart is much more important than what he reveals outwardly: the impressiveness of his appearance and the showiness of his pulpit speeches. A pastor should never have a desire for personal power or control over people. He should have only the desire for God and His Word to control his life and the lives of God's people.

"Be shepherds of God's flock

 that is under your care,

watching over them —

not because you must,

but because you are willing,

as God wants you to be;

not pursuing dishonest gain,

but eager to serve;

not lording it over those entrusted to you,

but being examples to the flock."

1 Peter 5:2-3 (NIV)

Come Out Of The Hole

Many modern churches have become transformed into major corporations, where the pastors no longer consider themselves as servants in His Kingdom, but instead as bosses with each boss ruling over their own little kingdom in a very strict chain of command. The authority is not in the Word of God, but in the authority of these bosses. This type of church establishment sets people up for spiritual abuse, which leaves them feeling confused, lost, hurt, and in bondage. But when we go to God's Word, the confusion is dissipated because His truths sets us free.

Don't be timid. Come out of the hole and stand firm in the truths of God's Word.

"Have I not commanded you? 

Be strong and courageous. 

Do not be frightened, 

and do not be dismayed, 

for the Lord your God is with you 

wherever you go."

Joshua 1:9 (ESV)

Remain Faithful To One Another In Marriage

"Give honour to marriage,

and remain faithful to one another in marriage."

Hebrew 13:4 (NLT)

Today is my Thirtieth Wedding Anniversary! Thirty-one years ago, my heart was wounded, my pain great, my trust destroyed, and my self-esteem trampled. Then, only a few days later, I met Brian for the first time. I was fearful, mistrusting, and angry, with no desire to start another relationship. However, Brian was persistent, even when I turned to him on our second date and made it very clear to him that I planned on waiting until I was married. If he didn't like it, then he could leave. (And I didn't say it in a sweet tone of voice either, and I was glad he didn't ask why because I wasn't ready yet to tell him.) I'm glad to say he didn't leave. He actually told me later it was at that moment he knew I was the one he wanted to marry.

I am proud to say that, while we were courting, my husband never touched me in an inappropriate way. He was my first and I was his first on our wedding day.

Thirty years later, though we are apart most of the time, we've both been continually faithful and committed to each other. Even to this day, my husband will turn his head away when he sees a woman provocatively dressed and will not watch anything that is above PG. If he doesn't think I notice, I do.

Yesterday, we spent the day hiking in Drumheller with our three youngest sons. (Daniel, our oldest son, was already there with his friends camping.) Here are a few pictures of Brian and I enjoying our times together.