Month: April 2026

In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. Proverbs 16:9

Some of us are old enough to remember the days before seat belt laws. Even though their history began nearly two centuries ago, it has only been in the last few decades that the safety feature has become a mandatory law.

Growing up, I can’t even remember seat belts in our cars, and I know even if they were there, we didn’t use them. In retrospect, if we had used them, my sisters and I might have avoided being thrown around in the car as a result of my Mama’s driving! It’s a miracle we survived!

I can’t imagine getting on a plane and not seeing the Fasten Seat Belt sign illuminated, and the crew’s persistent reminder to “keep your seat belts fastened.” The precaution is taken because we never know when turbulence might hit, and we need to be anchored in and connected to the movement of the plane.

Turbulence is defined as violent irregular motion characterized by rapid shifts in velocity and pressure. In avaition, it is characterized by abrupt jolts causing the aircraft to rise, drop, or shake unexpectedly. We might use synonyms such as instability, disorder, unrest, or agitation to describe the effect of turbulence in life situations.

Randy and I were living in Bowdon in 1978 when a young history professor from West Georgia College in Carrollton began to visit our small church regularly. His name was Newt Gingrich, and later that year, he went on to beome the representative for the 6th district in Congress. We enjoyed following his career and always appreciated his friendship and support.

When we moved to Marietta in 1988, he renewed his friendship with Randy, and during the the 1990’s, he invited us to attend the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. as his guests.

This trip involved a flight from Atlanta to Washington, and although, I was no stranger to flying, I do not do well with turbulence. The flight was relatively uneventful until we got close to the airspace around D.C. Suddenly, the plane began to drop sharply, bounce back up, and drop again.

There were loud gasps of panic, and I’m pretty sure one of us might have screamed a time or two!! I remember grabbing that seat belt and trying to get it a little tighter!!

It was at this time when the pilot came on the intercom and in a calm voice said, “Hello, this is your captain, we are encountering some turbulence.” Well, no kidding!! This was not news to anyone.

He calmly explained our situation, and that we were going to drop below the turbulence. I had my doubts at this point, but as it turned out, he knew what he was doing. The crew managed to take us through the turbulence, land the plane safely,and get us to our destination in one piece.

The same scenario can be true in life. We never know when some unexpected turbulence will come out of nowhere to disrupt our flight pattern, and we need to be anchored in with a close relationship, or a seat belt, to our protector and our Lord. We need a skilled pilot to get us through the turbulence and land us safely.

Like many of us in life, I was unprepared for the turbulence that day. So, how do we prepare for the turbulence that will certainly come our way in life. First, it’s good to be prepared. Just like a seatbelt prepares us for a sudden accident, being prepared helps us to be ready when things change. Most of us are either going into or coming out of tough times, so prepare yourself spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically the best you can!

Next, be attentive to those around who are suffering. God says that what we give will be pressed down for us, shaken up, and then turned into a double portion of blessing for us. Helping others is one of the greatest ways to get out of our own turbulent times. It feels good. It reminds us of God’s love for us!

Finally, be faithful and listen to God’s direction. Don’t give up. Don’t give in. Keep believing that whatever turbulence is affecting your life now will end. Sometimes the greatest blessings come from our most negative circumstances.

It wasn’t really necessary for the pilot to come on the intercom that day to tell us that we were experiencing turbulence during our flight to D.C. I think we all were pretty sure of that. He could have just manuvered out of it and landed the plane, but I was really glad to hear his reassuring voice.

It was good to know that he was still in control, and he had a plan for our safety and well being. God works a lot like that pilot in our lives.

There is always a reward for enduring the turbulence. To say that this event was a once in a life time experience is an understatement! I will never forget that time, and the faces that sat with us that day at our table. Randy was in heaven because Hugh O’Brien, aka Wyatt Earp, sat there next to him. I couldn’t believe Madelyn Albright sat across from me!

When Billy Graham walked out to center stage after President and Mrs. Clinton had been seated, the turbulence of the day was forgotten and the promise of God calling us to prayer was real.

The turbulence of the journey there was worth the blessings we received that day. So it is with life. The turbulence just means “we are still flying!!”

Summing it all up friends, I’d say you’ll do your best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious – the best, not the worst, the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you have learned from me, what you have heard and seen and realized. Philippians 4:8-9 The Message

Everyone I know wants to live the best life possible. I’ve never known a single person who wants to have a bad life, but what is the secret to living the best life?

When our small group posed this question, the answers ranged anywhere from happiness and good health, to friendship, family, and of course, love. We work hard to achieve the best life, but the reality is that most of us struggle to live our best life everyday. It just doesn’t seem to happen.

Living your best life consists of intentionally creating a fulfilling authentic life which aligns with personal beliefs, passions, and happiness. It involves prioritizing well being, personal growth, and being the best version of yourself rather than simply chasing material possessions or weath.

Sixteen years ago, Randy and I were fortunate to rescue a little dog named Rocco. He loved us from the moment he walked into our home, and he’s never stopped. Now Rocco has some heart issues, and arthritis (so do his parents), and he has begun to slow down.

As we contemplated a way to give him his best life for the rest of his life, we tried to think of ways to let him enjoy life, but make it easy for him. Thus, Randy now walks him as far as Rocco can, then Rocco rides the rest of the walk in his stroller. He loves it!! Everyone stops to talk to him, and he might even let them give him a rub! He’s living the best life!

Now, giving a dog his best life is a lot different from the way we would achieve ours. There are many keys to living our best life, and I have picked some of the ones that I consider most important.

First, it’s all about the attitude. One of our group members commented that if we wake up and promise to strive to be postive every day, it makes the day the best! Good relationships are the key. If we can live harmoniously within that circle, then we will find our best life.

Next, if we want the best life we don’t take revenge or retaliate when others don’t agree with you or hurt you in some way. Politicians could take a lesson from this one.

The story is told of a man who became angry with one of the airport employees who was handling his luggage. For several minutes, he belittled the employee and criticized his every move. Surprisingly, the employee didn’t seem bothered by the criticism and remained calm.

After the man moved on from the counter, a woman approached the employee with her baggage and asked, “How do you put up with such injustice?” The agent replied, “It’s easy. That guy’s going to New Delhi, but his bags are going to Chennati.” Remember, Jesus said, “Vengance is mine.’

Then, if we want to live our best life, we must control our tongue. Someone once said, “The first screw that goes loose in a person’s head is the one that controls the tongue.”

A young man was sent to Socrates to learn oratory or how to speak. On being introduced to the great philosopher, he talked so much that Socrates asked for double fees. “Why charge me double?” asked the boy. “Because,” replied the great man, “I must teach you two sciences: one, how to hold your tongue; the second, how to speak. The first one is much more difficult.”

If we want to have our best life, it’s important to control how much you speak, because I guarantee you, if you say the wrong words, you will have a bad life!

Finally, to live our best life, we need to forget what is evil and just do good. Be peacemakers. We live in a hostile world where people are constantly trying to make life miserable for us by putting us under pressure, and even causing us great suffering.

We look to the scripture above and realize we are told by God to be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kind hearted, never repay evil for evil, and hold our tongue!! With all that’s happening, what’s our incentive to strive for the best life?

Our incentive through it all is that the eyes of God are upon us and he watches us with omnipresence and hears our cry. He meets our needs. He will help us achieve our best life if we are willing to do the things He asks.

At the close of kindergaten class every afternoon as the kids waited with their back packs for dismissal, we sang a little song together to end the day on a positive note: “We’ve had a good day, we’ve had a great day; now kiss your brain.”

Make today not only a good day or a great day, but the best day!

For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty! 2 Peter 1:16

Last week, the USA successfully launched and brought safely home the Artemis II and its astronauts. The historic journey around the moon, took the four astronauts further into space than any humans in history!

Their safe return clears the way for the next stage of the Artemis program which aims to land humans on the lunar surface and eventually build a permanent base on the moon.

Upon seeing the moon from their spaceship, the astronauts described the sight as magnificent, awe inspiring, unbelievable, and a close up experience that defies black and white photos by revealing subtle colors and immense detail. I can’t imagine such majesty!

The Bible describes majesty as the incomparable greatness, splendor, and supreme authority of God. It describes His inherent glory, power, and holiness that demand reverance. The term signifies God’s transcendence over creation, and it’s embodiment in Jesus Christ. Who, but God could create a universe that is so resplendent that it defies the human’s ability to take it in?

The greatness of God is not always recognized or appreciated. We tend to take for granted the way day turns to night, the way seasons change, the moon, the stars, the beauty and majesty that He created. Only when we take time to stop and focus on this earth, can we see it’s majesty.

The appreciation of God’s majesty in His creation of mankind is also many times ignored. The story is told of a young child prodigy, Joshua Bell, who was, at the age of 39, an internationally acclaimed virtuoso. Bell had filled symphony halls where tickets sold for $100 each, but on January 12, 2017, he was just another beggar. Bell sat in the Washington DC subway station at 7:15 on that workday morning competing for the attention of busy people on their way to work.

The scene was set up as part of an experiment in context, perception,and priorities as well as an assessment of public taste. In a setting such as this, at an inconvenient time, would beauty and majesty transcend?

Joshua positioned himself against a wall beside a trash basket wearing jeans, a long sleeved t-shirt, and a baseball cap. From a small case, he removed a small violin, which was a Stadivarius worth over four million dollars. Placing the open case at his feet, he began to play. For the next 45 minutes, Bell played the music of Mozart and Schubert as people streamed by.

Most hardly noticed. In fact, only 27 people out of thousands who walked past stopped to throw in money. At the end of the day, Bell had a total of $32.17 in his violin case.

One man who was riding the escalator turned to see from which direction the music was coming. Of 40 people interviewed that day, John Picarello was the only one who recognized that “whoever is playing that violin is a superb violinist.” He knew Joshua Bell and his work, but he didn’t recognize him or his great musical ability.

Majesty or greatness is not always recognized. Even when the divine majesty of Jesus was shining through him the world did not see it or undersand it.

There is one beautiful composition written byTom Fettke and Linda Johnson entited The Majesty and Glory of His Name. Our choir can sing it so beautifully, and the words and music give me chills each time I hear it.

When I gaze into the night sky and see the work of your fingers; The moon and stars suspended in space. What is man that You are mindful of him? You have given man a crown of glory and honor, and have made him a little lower than the angels. You have put him in charge of all creation; the birds of the air, the fish of the sea.

Oh Lord our God, the majesty and glory of your name, transcends the earth and fills the heavens. Oh Lord our God, little chilldren praise you perfectly, and so would we, and so would we.

The majesty of God is all around us. All we need do is acknowledge it and allow it to transcend all the less important things in our lives.

He replied, “Peter, I tell you, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.” Luke 22:34 The Message

I don’t know many of us who actually enjoy the sound of an alarm clock early in the morning. The wake up devices come in all kinds of different designs with different sounds. We can choose to wake up to sounds like an annoying beep, the radio, the sound of rain, the pounding surf, or even crickets chirping. In our small town, sometimes the rooster who lived down the street would wake the neighborhood with a loud cock a doodle doo!!

Years ago, when we traveled and stayed in a hotel, we would get a wake call from the front desk alerting us that it was time to get up and get going! Although most of us now set our wake up call to whatever program is on our phone, the purpose is still the same.

We have just recently passed through the Easter season in which themes of darkness and light, death and resurrection, despair and hope, fear and faith, and grief and joy have all been set before us. The season is a wake up call of sorts for many of us, as it forces us to take a look at our lives and re-evaluate all that God does and has done for us. We listen again to His story.

Peter also experienced a wake up call the night of the crucifixion. Jesus had told Peter that he would deny him three times before the rooster crowed, and he did. The Bible says that afterwards, Peter went out and wept bitterly. He had a wake up call.

Like Peter, we all have repeated failures. We promise not to give into temptaion, but we do. We promise not to judge, but we do. We promise not to forget the story of redemption and grace that we experience on Easter, but we do. We all need a wake up call in this life.

Theo of Golden, a wonderful book written by Allen Levi, gives the perfect scenario of a wake up call for two travelers on the road to Emmaus, and their experience with the risen Lord.

Jesus had been executed and news of his death had been widely circulated. The scene occurs on a road named Emmaus. Two strangers are walking together, we don’t know if they were friends, but their minds are full of thoughts and questions. The kind of thoughts and questions we all have whenever death or unexplained circumstances comes our way.

Those two were soon joined by a third. We don’t know if they welcomed him, but we do know that he joined them along the way. When he joined them, he asked what they were discussing. And so, they told him about the execution and death. The third man hijacked the conversation and told them a story -one they thought they knew already. He told them a story that we all think we know. One we think we have all figured out. The wonderful story that has, for many of us, lost any element of wonder.

The text says that Jesus opened the scriptures and told them about the everlasting God, about a world made good and beautiful, but now horribly ruined. He told them that story, and it reawakened wonder in those two travelers. They listened attentively and were so captivated, that when they reached their destination, they asked him to remain with them longer. Which he did.

At some point, those strangers realized that the mysterious walking partner was no ordinary man. He could tell them the story because He wrote the story. He was the story. We are told that their eyes were opened. They had a wake up call.

We all walk roads of different descriptions in life – the long and winding road, the road to ruin, easy street, the road less traveled, and along the way there are questions. There is news. There are concerns and fears. There are uncertainties that furrow our brows, trouble our souls, and break our hearts. That terrifies many of us, but God in his sublime goodness has always sent others, mysterious others, to walk with us to help us see clearly.

God does the same for us when bad news comes our way, when our heart is broken, or when sadness overwhelms us. He sends others to hold our hand, to walk with us, and pray for us.

After the worst night of his life, the sun came up for Peter. By God’s grace, he received a wake up call and ended up winning multitudes to Christ and building the church. Peter is proof that God will forgive, restore, and redirect our lives as well. All we need to do is listen for the wake up call to keep Easter alive in our hearts and lives all year long.