Tag: God

Money, Faith, and the Fruit of the Spirit: A Christian’s Guide to Financial Wisdom

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23

As Christians, we’re called to grow closer to Jesus, allowing His life and teachings to shape every part of our lives—including how we handle money. The way we manage our finances can reflect Christ and influence those around us, especially in a world where many are struggling with financial stress.

Money is simply a tool—it helps us navigate life and conduct business—but it should never be the focus of our lives. Your worth is not determined by how much you have in the bank; it’s rooted in the truth that you were created by God, who loves you deeply. The way we handle money, however, should reflect God’s heart, shining His light in a world full of need.

In this blog, we’ll explore how the Fruit of the Spirit can guide us in our approach to money. Think of this post as an overview—a beginner’s guide or refresher on how these biblical qualities intersect with our financial lives. Over the coming weeks, I’ll dive deeper into each characteristic, offering more insights and practical tips for applying these principles in your finances. This series can serve as a personal study, a group discussion for Sunday school, or a home group study to help you grow in both your financial stewardship and your walk with Christ.

Love

When you accept Christ, God’s love fills your heart. In fact, He calls us to love Him with all that we are: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:5)

Desiring money isn’t sinful, but loving it can be. When we place too much emphasis on acquiring wealth, we risk letting it take God’s rightful place in our hearts. Jesus makes this clear in Matthew 6:24: “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

When we love money more than God, it can lead to destructive behaviors like theft, fraud, or worse. As 1 Timothy 6:10 warns: “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.”

How Love Shapes Our Financial Choices

Joy

We all want joy, but it’s different from happiness. Happiness is based on circumstances—it’s temporary, like the joy you feel when you receive good news. Joy, on the other hand, is deeper and more lasting. It comes from knowing our sins are forgiven and that we are part of God’s eternal family.

Romans 15:13 tells us, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him.” This kind of joy isn’t dependent on money or possessions.

While an unexpected windfall may bring a moment of happiness, it can’t provide the lasting joy that only comes from Christ. As Jesus reminds us in Luke 6:23–24, “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets. But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.”

Joy: Embracing Contentment Through Generosity

Peace

True peace comes from knowing we are secure in Christ. As Jesus said, “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). No amount of money can provide that kind of peace.

Even the wealthiest people often feel insecure. Studies show that even multi-millionaires regularly feel that they need even more money to feel “secure.” King Solomon understood this when he wrote in Ecclesiastes 5:10: “Whoever loves money never has enough.”

True peace comes from trusting in God, not in wealth.

Peace: Letting Go of Financial Anxiety

Patience

Patience helps us avoid rushing into poor financial decisions. It allows wealth to grow over time and teaches us to wait before making big purchases until we can afford them. Without patience, we might impulsively invest in get-rich-quick schemes or fall into debt by buying things we can’t afford.

Proverbs 13:11 teaches, “Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.” And Proverbs 22:7 reminds us, “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is a servant to the lender.” Patience and self-control in money management are key.

Patience Transforms Our Financial Journey

Kindness

Kindness means treating others as family—especially those in need. As God’s people, we’re called to show kindness by helping those less fortunate, both with our resources and our time. True kindness eases others’ burdens and points them to Christ.

Job 6:14 says, “Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.” Jesus also taught that when we serve the least among us, we are serving Him (Matthew 25:31-46).

Isaiah 58:6-7 explains that true fasting is about meeting the needs of the poor and oppressed. “Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and to bring the poor who are cast out into your house?”

The Power of Kindness

Goodness

Goodness is about using what we have to fulfill God’s purpose, especially in helping others. James 4:17 tells us, “Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.” When we fail to care for others, especially the poor, we miss an opportunity to show God’s love.

1 John 3:17-18 challenges us: “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”

Proverbs 21:13 warns that if we ignore the cries of the poor, God may not answer us in our own time of need. “Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered.”

How Practicing Goodness Can Transform Your Finances

Faithfulness

God is faithful to provide for us, and we are called to be faithful with what He has entrusted to us. This includes being faithful to give—whether through tithing or supporting others in need. Malachi 3:8-10 reminds us that failing to tithe is like robbing God, and that He will bless those who are faithful in their giving.

Jesus also promises rewards for those who use their resources wisely. In Luke 19:17, the faithful servant is told, “Well done, good servant; because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.”

The Reward of Faithfulness

Gentleness

Gentleness compels us to help others without making them feel ashamed. It’s easy to judge those in financial trouble, but the Bible calls us to restore them gently. Galatians 6:1 reminds us, “If someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently.”

As we help others, we must remember that our fortunes can change. Today, we may be the ones in a position to give, but tomorrow, we might need help ourselves (Proverbs 23:5). We should offer assistance discreetly and with humility, following the Golden Rule: “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31).

Financial Help with a Gentle Heart

Self-Control

Self-control is essential for avoiding impulse spending and debt. It also applies to giving. While it’s important to be generous, we must be careful not to give beyond what we can afford, trusting that God will meet our needs (Philippians 4:19).

Jesus warned against giving to be seen by others. “When you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” (Matthew 6:3). Self-control in giving, just like in spending, helps us maintain balance.

Proverbs 21:17 reminds us that “He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich.” We must practice self-control in all areas of life to manage our resources well.

Steward-well blog

A Personal Bible Study on Money and the Fruit of the Spirit

As you reflect on the principles of money and the Fruit of the Spirit, I encourage you to take a moment to think about how each characteristic applies to your own financial life. The Fruit of the Spirit isn’t just a list of qualities to admire—it’s a call to live out the very nature of Christ in every area of life, including how we handle our finances.

Would you like to make this a personal study?
Consider printing out this blog and keeping it in your Bible as a reminder. You can use it for daily reflection or as a study guide with family or friends. Allow the Holy Spirit to reveal areas in your financial life where you can grow in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Ask God to give you wisdom as you apply these principles, and trust that as you do, He will bless your efforts and help you reflect His character in all you do.

6 Questions to Ask to Identify Your Perfect Job

“I hate my job,” a friend told me recently. Her feelings reached beyond a typical bad day scenario. She dislikes the work that she is doing and the people at work. A study by the Pew Research Center in the spring of last year revealed that half of workers are highly satisfied with their jobs. That means that the other half are not. And 19% of workers reported being miserable in their careers.  My friend fell into that 19% of people who are miserable in their jobs.

For many people, like my friend, their work is just a paycheck to provide for themselves. She can not articulate what she would enjoy doing, complicating her situation. She is not alone. 

If you do the work God has called you to do, you will not be miserable. Of course, you will have stressful days, but generally, you should feel fulfilled by your work. If you are miserable, you can take steps to figure out what God created you to do.

God demonstrates through stories in the Bible that He has a plan for each of us. God created us with unique abilities, temperaments, interests, and talents. In Exodus 31, God instructed Moses to build the Tabernacle, and He provided the names of two specific artisans whom He had filled with the knowledge to do specific jobs. The craftsmen had different skills, and they could oversee all the specialized work together. When God set the Levites apart to be priests, He assigned different jobs to different Levite families. In the New Testament, Paul tells us that God created some people to be evangelists, some to be prophets, and some to be teachers, among other callings. 

God also created you to do specific work. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

To help my friend, I turned to “The Purpose Drive Life” by Rick Warren. He suggests several questions that a person should ask themselves to help them determine their purpose. I made a list of the questions from the book to help my friend consider other job options as she prays and seeks the Lord’s guidance.

Here are 6 questions Rick Warren suggests to help you determine your purpose:

  1. What were your favorite family experiences? Favorite memories?
  2. What were your favorite subjects in school?
  3. What jobs have you had that you enjoyed or found meaningful?
  4. What are the most memorable times you have had with God?
  5. What Christian service/ministries have you enjoyed?
  6. What have you learned from your life’s problems, challenges, hurts, and trials?

God wants you to get up excited to face each day. Your job should be more than a way to get a paycheck. It should give you joy and satisfaction knowing that you are where God intended you to be, doing the work He created you to do.

The path to finding your purpose is not an overnight journey. It would help if you took the time to answer the questions and also ask your closest friends and family to help you evaluate what you enjoy. Ultimately, it is for you to decide with God’s help. 

Now is an excellent time to begin searching for a new path. 

Letting Go and Letting God

The phrase “let go and let God” has been popular in Christian circles for many years.  It simply means give your problems, concerns, and worries to God and allow Him to take care of them for you.  It’s a catchy phrase–easy to say and easy to remember.  However, it’s very hard to put into practice.  More times than not, I find myself praying about a situation and then spending many hours or days trying to work out a solution on my own.  A beloved former pastor of mine calls that “picking the problem up again.”

Yesterday I read a great blog post by Pastor Tim Burton entitled “Get Rid of Self-Imposed Limitations.”  (http://readfreshmanna.blogspot.com/    January 7, 2013)  Pastor Tim addressed this very issue and his struggles with “letting go and letting God.”  In this post, Pastor Tim described a situation in which a friend confided to him before the Sunday morning church service that he had been laid off from his job and asked Tim to pray for him to find a new job.  Pastor Tim agreed to pray for his friend and provided him with the name of a contact who might be able to assist him.

Pastor Tim had been supportive and offered his friend useful information.  His sole responsibility at this point was to pray for his friend.  However, as he tried to worship, his mind kept trying to come up with solutions to assist his friend.  I could relate to Pastor Tim’s experience.  Too often, I ask God to handle a problem and then begin working out the ways God could best accomplish the task.

Pastor Tim reported that he had come up with three possible solutions when he felt God reprimand him with these words, “You are trying to solve what belongs to me. Can you see how limited your thinking is? Stop your limited thinking and turn this over to me! There are no limitations for me and you could not figure out how I will be directing his life.”  

To his credit, Pastor Tim immediately stopped interfering and stepped back to allow God to work.   This simple story illustrated to me that when I spend time trying to solve a problem that only God can solve, there are two unintended consequences: (1) I waste my time and (2) I put limits on God.

Isaiah 55:8 says, “’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord.”  This tells me that God has plans for me, or my friends, that I could never fathom.  If I will get out of the way and allow God to enact His plans, the results will be far better than any I could come up with on my own.

I believe that this illustration will help me to truly be faithful in letting go of the problems I bring to God and allowing God handle them in the way that He knows will be best for me and will bring Him glory.

Do you find yourself asking God to help you and then not allowing Him to work?  If so, I hope that Pastor Tim’s inspired words will bless you and help you to let go and let God.

My Take on Proselytizing

I grew up in a Christian home and have attended church regularly all my life, yet I was not familiar with the term ‘proselytizing’ until I was in my thirties and then I only heard it used on rare occasions.  In recent years I have heard the term used more and more frequently, often as a criticism.  The term is bandied about so negatively that I found it hard to believe it was an action I could be guilty of committing, so I looked up its meaning.  Webster defines proselytize as ‘the attempt to convert’.

Christians are instructed by Christ to ‘go and make disciples of all nations’ (Matthew 28:19), which certainly results in an attempt to convert those who don’t know Jesus Christ as their Savior to Christianity.  We don’t use the term ‘proselytizing’, however.  Rather we ‘share the gospel’ and ‘evangelize.’  In Christian circles, these are viewed as positive actions.  We are attempting to lead people into a relationship with Jesus Christ, because we are convinced that salvation through Jesus Christ is the only access to eternal life.

Of course, many people have a different and negative opinion of evangelism. The Atheist Revolution recently published an article entitle ‘The Condescending Nature of Proselytizing.’  The unidentified author discusses his disdain for those of any religion who proselytize.  He quotes Rick Levy who finds this practice “rude and condescending because of its implication that the adherent’s beliefs are superior to those of other people’s and thus they need to be saved from the error of their ways.”

Interesting.  I make no apologies for Christians believing that salvation comes only through Jesus Christ.  Christ himself said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:60)  In Acts 4:12, Peter preached “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”  There are no alternative beliefs for anyone who truly is a disciple of Christ.

What I object to is the assertion that sharing our faith makes Christians condescending.  We are not trying to present ourselves as superior, but rather as sinners saved by grace who want to give others the opportunity to share in this wonderful gift.  We desire that everyone would experience the peace and joy that comes from knowing Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Recently quotes from an interview given by Penn Jillette in 2008 have been making the rounds on the Internet.  Jillette, of Penn and Teller fame, is a very vocal atheist, yet he states “I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize…How much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize?”  When I saw the video of this interview, it reminded me of the Seinfeld episode in which Elaine discovers that her boyfriend Putty is a Christian.  She gets upset that he would let her go to hell rather than try to convert her.

Proselytizing, from a Christian’s point of view, is the attempt to share the most precious, valuable gift ever given to man–the gift of eternal life.  Christianity is so wonderful that not sharing this good news is not an option.

If you don’t know Jesus as your Savior, I urge you to examine your heart.  Do you have true peace?  Do you know your sins are forgiven?  Are you confident that you will spend eternity in Heaven?  If not, you might want to open your heart and your mind the next time a Christian wants to share the gospel with you.  You have nothing to lose and eternity to gain.

Lessons Learned from a Former POW

This week I had the opportunity to hear former POW Paul Galanti speak about his experiences during nearly 7 years of confinement in North Vietnam’s Hanoi Hilton.  It’s hard to imagine a tougher situation to find one’s self in, yet Commander Galanti began by saying that there were positive aspects of his confinement.  Although he mentioned some of the extreme hardships, he focused his remarks on those positive experiences. 

The men who were confined together, some for as long as 9 years, formed bonds that are strong nearly 40 years after their release.  They keep in touch and hold periodic reunions.  No one complains if the service isn’t perfect at the reunions–they know what hardship is and it is not having a meal that is less than perfect.

Although Commander Galanti did not reference God or faith in his remarks, it was evident that the men were sustained by faith.  They had faith that they would survive the ordeal.  They had faith that the government and their loved ones were doing all they could do affect their release.  They also had faith in the human will to overcome the darkest of situations.

The most fascinating  part was when he described how strong his memory was during the days of solitary confinement.  All the lessons from his college courses came back to him in minute details.  Later, when he was reunited with a larger group of men, the college-educated among them taught what they had learned to the others.  Upon release, former prisoners were awarded up to 120 credit hours for materials taught to them by their fellow captives.

So, what lessons can we learn from Commander Galanti and his imprisonment.

1)  The mind needs periods of silence. Commander Galanti was able to recall his college lessons clearly only because he was in solitary confinement and spending long periods in silence.   The Bible teaches us  to ” Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)  We need periods of silence and solitude to reflect on God’s Word and to hear his voice.

2) We can survive whatever life throws our way.  Commander Galanti and the other men in the Hanoi Hilton faced hardships that most of us cannot even fathom.  Yet, they not only survived but they rose above their circumstances.  God promises that He will be with us in all circumstances and “He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.”  (1 Corinthians 10:13)  There must have been many times when the prisoners were tempted to give up, but they remained strong and determined to survive their terrible circumstance.

3) Being connected with others is important.  For the prisoners of war, communication with each other was their life blood, despite the extreme punishment they endured if caught.  Through their clandestine communications they got to know one other and encouraged each other in the darkest times. The Bible teaches Christians that they should “not give up meeting together” but should “encourage one another.”  (Hebrews 10:25)  We need the support and encouragement of our Christian brothers and sisters.

4) It is important to be optimistic and have hope.  The prisoners were confident that their confinement would end one day.  They were sure that the end was in sight and would come within six months or a year.  They continued to be optimistic as the months  stretched to years.  They looked forward to the day they would be released and returned to their families.  God wants us to have hope, too.  He has promised good to us, even though we may be going through a dark period.  Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God has “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” 

5) Good can come out of terrible circumstances.  The men who were held captive in the Hanoi Hilton could have become bitter and angry about their circumstances.  But they didn’t.  They chose to redeem their time to help one another and to better themselves.  Several of the former prisoners, including Senator John McCain, have served in prominent positions in our government.  The Bible teaches us that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” (Romans 8:28)

We often face difficult circumstances, but most of us will never face the hardships that compare to those of the American servicemen imprisoned in Vietnam.  We should strive to follow their example of rising above our circumstances to look for the good in life and be all that God has intended us to be.

It was an honor and a privilege to hear Commander Gilanti speak.  I was uplifted by his message of optimism.  Nearly 40 years after his release, he continues to spread his message and improve the lives of others through his work.  He serves as an inspiration to all of us.

What hardships are you facing today?  Will you strive to rise above your circumstances and face the world with hope and optimism, striving to be the man or woman God created you to be?  Will you allow God to give you hope for a better future?

Blessings Through Tears

Laura Story’s song Blessings is the song which I most identify with at this time.  Our family, like most families I know, has endured some very difficult situations in the past few years, but in the midst of the difficult times we have felt God’s presence every step of the way.   His strong arms have carried us through unemployment, bereavement, and uncertainty.  We have absolute assurity that our God is in control of our lives and our future.  Athough we would never pray for God to bring difficult circumstances our way, we recognize that He uses those circumstances to reveal to us our need for Him and to help us grow in our faith.  Life on Earth will be challenging some days–many days–but as the song says, “This is not our home.” 

 

Blessings

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

‘Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we’d have faith to believe

‘Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It’s not our home

‘Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise

 

 

‘My One Word’Experiment for 2011—Closing Thoughts

Last year I heard about the “My One Word” challenge on my local Christian radio station. The idea is that instead of creating a list of resolutions, which are generally broken and long-forgotten by the time February 1st rolls around, we should choose a word to focus on for the year.  The originators of this idea refer to it as an ‘experiment.’  Their web site states that choosing one word “provides clarity by taking all of your big plans for life change and narrowing them down into a single thing. One word focuses on your character and creates a vision for your future.”  For more information on the My One Word experiment, you may go to their web site:  http://myoneword.org/.

For 2011, I chose “Delight” to be my word.  The scripture I focused on was “Delight yourself also in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart.”  Psalm 37:4 (NKJV).  The last three years have been challenging, and at times draining, as we faced the loss of my husband’s job and resulting long-term unemployment and the declining health of his parents.  The pressures of life had weighed heavily on me in 2009 and 2010.  I was determined to not let them steal my joy. 

I did none of the suggested exercises.  My total commitment to the exercise was to write two blogs about my word.  Yet, whenever I found myself getting bogged down by cares of the world, ‘Delight’ would pop into my mind.  Just thinking the word gave me a better perspective.  It is almost impossible to say or think the word ‘Delight’ without feeling a bit ‘delightful.’

As the year drew to a close, I once again read Psalm 37 during my devotions.  This time it was the 23rd verse that caught my attention.  It says, “The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord. He DELIGHTS in every detail of their lives.”   What a joy it brought to my heart to be reminded that God delights in me and in everything that concerns me. 

I can come to God with all the details of my life and He delights in guiding me to making the best decisions and the right choices.  God will direct Steve and me as we continue to search for a new home (see January 17th post).  He will guide me to be the best employee I can be and Steve as he continues to seek direction regarding earning a living.  God cares about our marriage, our health, and our relationships.  He is delighted when I bring these things to Him and He delights in helping me.  And those thoughts fill me with ‘Delight’.

I am still praying and pondering ‘My Word’ for 2012.  I plan to make a decision this week.

Will you participate in the ‘My One Word’challenge this year?  What ‘one word’ will you focus on in 2012?

Follow Up Visit to the Burn Center

Three weeks ago, our oldest child awakened us with a 4 a.m. phone call to tell us he was in our local emergency room and was about to be transported to the burn center at Medical College of Virginia in Richmond.  That was a scary phone call and one no parent wants to receive.  Fortunately, his burn was relatively minor and he is healing just fine.

Last week he made his follow visit to the burn center.  As he and his father sat in the waiting room, they were surrounded by patients who had been severely burned.  My son later told me that he felt a bit foolish even being there when his burn was so minor. 

In the waiting room were two men who had been engulfed in flames after a wood chipper they were welding blew up.  The other two men with them were also severely burned and one of them did not survive the ordeal.  After extinguishing the flames, one of the men had to place a 911 call.  When help arrived, the men had to be transported 2 miles on foot to reach the helicopter that would take them to the burn center.  The accident occurred last May and the men are still in considerable pain.  They have had numerous surgeries and face more in the future.

Among the other patients was a child whose face had been burned.  As a parent, it is horrifying to think about a child being severely burned and perhaps disfigured for life.  This experience has made us very grateful that our son’s injury was so minor in comparison.  It also reminds us that horrific accidents happen everyday. We never know when we  or our loved ones will be involved in an accident that can alter their lives. 

Our prayers go out to those who deal daily with the after effects of a severe accident.  And we are grateful to God that He daily watches over and protects our loved ones.  If such a tragedy should befall us, we are confident that God will be faithful to walk through the difficult times with us.

4 a.m. Phone Call

My heart always skips a beat when the phone rings at 4 a.m.  No one calls at 4 a.m. with good news.  Fortunately, most such middle-of-the-night phone calls turn out to be wrong numbers.  Unfortunately, the call we received at 4 a.m. Wednesday morning was not a wrong number.  It was our oldest son.

He begins the conversation with “Don’t freak out, but I’m in the emergency room.”  Not a good start.  But it can’t be too bad, can it, since he is able to make the phone call himself?

“I burned my hand on hot grease.”  We breathe a sigh of relief.  A burnt hand isn’t that bad.

“They’re transferring me to the burn unit at MCV.”  Our hearts skip a beat.  There is no way to put a positive spin on being transferred to a burn unit 50 miles away.

We hang up the phone and try to process the information we have just received.  We begin imagining the worst possibilities.   We shed a few tears, hold each other, and pray for our son.

We’ve never been to the university hospital in Richmond, so we call our local emergency room for directions.  We are told that our son is still there and will be for another half hour, so we dress and rush over to see him.  He seems fine except for the large bandage covering his right hand.  “It’s not that bad,” he tells us; however, his nurse disagrees. “It’s pretty bad,” she whispers.

Soon after he arrives at MCV, the burn specialist declares that it really isn’t bad for a grease burn.  He had been prepared to perform skin grafts but realizes that grafts will not be necessary.  Praise God!  However, it is 6 hours before they release him and only after he agrees to having a home health care nurse come to the house to perform wound care for the next couple of days.

The end prognosis is that he should heal fine, if the wound does not become infected.  He is home-bound for the next 2 weeks to minimize the possibility of infection.  We have been assured he will retain full mobility of his hand. We are unsure  whether the hand will be scarred. 

We are grateful to the doctors and nurses who treated our son, and we are thankful that he had the good sense to seek medical attention.  Most of all, we thank God that He protected our son from permanent injury. 

This 4 a.m. was a reminder that we never know what each day (or night) will bring.  Even though our children are grown, they are still our children and we worry about them.  And that will never change.

Reflecting on the Blessings of 2011

As the year draws to a close, I want to take some time to reflect on the way our lives changes in 2011 and to thank God for the blessings He bestowed on my family during 2011.

1)     In November my husband was rehired by the employer who had laid him off 2 years and 10 months earlier.  We are grateful that Steve is once again employed and that God sustained us financially during the extended period of unemployment.

2)     In May all three of our sons received a college degree—one earned a Master’s degree, one completed his Bachelor’s degree, and the other received an Associate’s degree.  We are very proud of them for their hard work and perseverance in achieving their goals.

3)     My husband and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary with a two-week trip to Alaska.  I am thankful for my wonderful husband and the love we have shared for more than 3 decades.

4)     Our precious grandson turned 1 in July.  It is a joy to watch him grow and learn new skills every day.  He has a wonderful nature and is a delight.

5)     Mother’s Day brought the news that we would have another grandchild.  We were delighted to welcome a baby girl to our family yesterday. It was a special blessing as it has been 118 years since a girl was born into my husband’s family.

6)     All of my sons are employed in jobs.  As an added bonus, they all enjoy their jobs and are doing well at them.

7)     I love my job but I didn’t love the commute.  Althoug only 16 miles, it frequently took me an hour or more to get home.  Two weeks ago our office relocated into town and much closer to home.  The new location is more convenient to shopping and home, plus I have awesome views of our city.

8)     My second novel was published in the fall.  The first novel did not sell many copies, but my publisher believed in the second one enough to redesign the cover of the first novel.  So far, the second one is not selling at all.  However, I have faith that God will bless my writing and that my novels will touch and enrich lives.

9)     We moved my mother-in-law to live in our community.  She is in a nursing home where she gets the round-the-clock care she needs and where she can regularly be visited by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

10) We were able to sell a piece of property that we had been trying to get rid of for the past two years.  We were then able to help our son and daughter-in-law to purchase their first home.

2011 was not all emotional highs and good times; there were some disappointments and sad times as well.  A much beloved aunt passed away with no notice, we endured many months of job searching and wondering if my husband would ever be employed again, and we dealt with my mother-in-law’s declining health.  But through it all, we could see God’s hand of blessing.  He has seen of through many challenging times and we know that He will be with us in whatever situations arise in our lives in 2012.

In what ways did God bless you and your family in 2011?  Please take a moment to reflect and share the ways God blessed you.

May your 2012 be filled with God’s blessings and the love of family and friends.