What are Your Plans?

By: Erin Pearce        

We all have plans. Whether it is what you want to be when you grow up, where you want to go to college, how many kids you want to have, where you want to live, or even what to do for dinner tonight.

The most recent plans Andy and I have been working on are for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving has turned into one of our favorite holidays, because everyone on all sides of our family get together. And it is an extreme blessing how much we all love being around each other. 

Andy just got a phone call yesterday saying he has to leave on a trip this weekend, which most likely means he will not be here for Thanksgiving. As you can imagine, we are very disappointed. This morning, we opened to Proverbs 16 which begins in verse 1 like this: “The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.” It ends in verse 33, “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.” 

Andy and I just looked at each other and smiled. How great is it that we have a God that is in control of every little thing. Now I realize that being gone for a holiday is not that big of a deal. But even in this situation, I know that the Lord is teaching us that every little plan that doesn’t go our way is still going God’s way. 

May we be encouraged that things are very much in control by a God who is good, faithful, loving, and ready to teach us to rely on Him and trust Him in any and every circumstance.

The Number is 19!

By: Johnathan Todd       


I just counted and the number is 19 – that is, 19 Bibles in my office.

It is an understatement to say that we are richly blessed with God’s Word. We have God’s Word in various English translations from the best linguistic scholars. It would not be an overstatement to say we are spoiled on God’s Word – meaning, we have moved to a point where we take such a gift for granted.

It is estimated that there are 2,000 languages without God’s Word translated.  These 2,000 languages represent approximately 340,000,000 people…people that do not have the privilege to pick up one of 19 copies of God’s Word in my native tongue and read the grandest message available from the Most High God!

Wycliffe Bible Translators and other organizations are working to focus the church on the last languages – check out this video which gives an overview of Bible translation work.

Then take a moment and thank God for 19 Bibles.

Counting and Naming Blessings

By: Jim Umlauf

I know a man going through an exceedingly hard time right now. The challenges are physical, spiritual, and emotional. Last night I heard him pray. “Thank you, Lord…” Over and over it was “Thank you,” and not much of anything else.

We tend to brush away Christian notions, especially if they’re pasted to cloying melodies. But counting your blessings, and literally naming them one by one, is not cliché at all. In fact, we’re commanded to do so in God’s word.

“…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6)

That’s not a helpful hint for better Christian living. God wants us to talk to him about everything and anything. And as we do that, we’re to drench it all in a thankful remembering for what he’s already done and promises to continue to do.

There’s a strange result too.

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)

Why does that bring peace? Because it drives us right back to the person of God. Friend, if God didn’t give up on you in your sin, and spilled his own Son’s blood for your sake, doesn’t it stand to reason that he won’t give up on you now?

Spend some time thanking him in specifics. You may be surprised by peace.

Your Private Life and the Watcher

By: Dr. Jimmy Young

I don’t know of a chapter in Scripture that is more moving to me than Daniel 4. The last verse sends chills up my spine. It, in one sense, is a very dark story. On the other hand, in no place do we find such an exalted statement about God as we find there (v. 34-35).

There are numerous lessons in this chapter, most of which are fairly obvious. I will draw your attention to only one. In verse 13 and then again in verse 23, there is the mention of a “watcher.” Did you know that there is a “watcher”? Did you realize that our choices, our behaviors, our “secret sins and misdeeds dark” are subject to the scrutiny of a “watcher”?

Did you think that what we choose to do in private is unseen? It isn’t!

I think it was Plato who said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” You may agree or disagree. But this much I know, the life of the Christian is lived before “the Watcher.” You think about that.

7 Billion!

By: Johnathan Todd

"And God blessed them. And God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth…' ” - Genesis 1:28

It is estimated that we recently reached a population of 7 billion people on earth. Now of interest is the fact that we reached 1 billion in 1804, so in the past 207 years, we have multiplied. This video attempts to identify the why behind the multiplication.