L. Kathleen Cline

  Today I found out that a lady I know has died. She was so very young. It takes my breath away; how fragile we are. That one minute you are here and the next second you are not. My mother had an unexpected death, which is an odd statement since there are no immortals on this earth. Anyway, at her funeral, it brought my family great joy that the pastor took the opportunity to witness about Jesus. As Christ-followers is that not our sole purpose is to tell others about the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, to honor my friend, I want to bring joy to her memory by proclaiming her Jesus. 1 Corinthians 15:55-58 reminds us, “O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” My prayer...

To make myself laugh, I looked up the different words for crazy in the Thesaurus. How do you sum up this year? How about the word absurd? Today we tried a zoom orientation meeting. The internet in rural areas can make a virtual meeting get odd really fast. Every Friday, my prayer group meets via video, so I am getting used to two people trying to talk at the same time. It is kind of like that weird dance you do with someone that is trying to pass. Till finally, someone stands still and refuses to move. But there is no etiquette when you can't get an online connection. So today, while the speaker is trying to give a devotion on 1 Corinthians 16:13, "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong," no one can hear her. You could see it on everyone's face. That look of “I can’t read your lips. What?” When this happens, you don't know to laugh, cry, curse, or just quit. Anxiety for many is happening because there is absolutely nothing you can do f...

  “For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard” Hebrews 4:2. Quoting verses will not change your life. Managing, directing, governing, and regulating your life with God’s word will not only improve your life but the world around you. Take the journey with God and discover you’re more.

  During 2020 it has been a struggle for many to keep your feelings in check. Maybe you have found yourself swinging emotionally from one extreme to another. Because many have become exhausted, they have begun to shut down. It is almost like that thought, if I don't make eye contact, they will leave me alone. So, to keep from being overwhelmed, many have stopped participating in life. Seriously, there are running memes out there with the joke, "Who called two hurricanes at the same time for 2020?" There is a better way to cope than withdrawing. "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" Matthew 11:29-30. I know there is a tendency to focus on the rest for your soul phrase, but I would like to recommend you focus on the word "learn." Jesus is inviting you to gain knowledge from Him. When you go to God and ask Him how to do something, He ...

  I once had a young eighteen-year-old girl that told me she had been drinking every day of her life since she was twelve. Very early on in her life, her grandmother often proclaimed that she was going to hell for having a child out of wedlock. Salvation is not, or will it ever be about what you do but instead about what Jesus did. The only unforgivable sin is not accepting Jesus as your Savior, and that happens when you draw your last breath. (Matt. 12:30-32) If you have been verbally beaten down by a religious person, please go and ask God directly about how He feels about you. God created every person with a purpose in mind. (Jer. 29:11) You are so loved by God that He allowed His only Son to pay the cost for your sins. (1 Peter2:24) God’s word says Jesus went with joy set before Him; He endured the cross for us. (Heb. 12:2) If you are tired of trying to escape life, please, please, give God a try. Yes, some hateful people use religion to take control of other’s lives. I see the...

  Last Friday, during prayer, one of my friends quoted Proverbs 25:11. “Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken in right circumstances.” Immediately I had to look up the address and write the verse in my prayer journal. When my friend prayed these words, she was speaking them over the Church, so we would be bold in talking about our faith. I can say from experience that some of the most meaningful words have been words that challenged a choice I was making or an action I was implementing. At the time, I did not appreciate the confrontation, but once I was able to push past my wounded feelings, I recognized the benefit of listening. I will give you an example that makes me laugh my face off now. When I first started teaching, after the class, a lady walked up to me and said, “Don’t worry. Beth Moore was bad when she started too.” Although I think the comment was uncalled for, I will admit that was the beginning of the journey for God to teach me how to tell a stor...

  The water company called the other day to tell us that we had a leak somewhere in our home. It took hours for us to narrow down that the upstairs toilet was the culprit. Since we had to replace the commode, it was the perfect time to lay a new floor. This past Saturday was national relaxation day, which I informed my husband. Who then jokingly said, “Putting in a new floor and toilet is relaxing.” Yep, sometimes you just have to go with it, because it is necessary. I knew when we would remove the old toilet, that we would have to repaint. I absolutely had no desire to paint the whole bathroom. To solve that problem, I suggested adding wainscoting behind the toilet to cover up any marks. We had just enough left over from another project to make a feature wall. My husband wanted it painted blue. Instead of going to buy blue paint, I decided to mix colors and make my own. The problem was that I did not read the cans and just started mixing. I created the most beautiful blue color bu...