By Sheila Barnett My eyesight has faded, but my memory remains crystal clear. I can vividly recall the incredible events of those days in perfect detail. I remember the sights, the sounds, the scents, and those strange dreams that occasionally invaded my sleep. Even so, it’s the memory of those three unexpected gifts that I […]
TUNNEL VISION
By Sheila Barnett “But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.” Micah 7:7 (ESV) Have you heard of “simultanagonosia”? It is the inability to perceive more than one object at a time. A person with simultanagnosia can identify individual […]
Trust Your Compass
By Sheila Barnett “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” (Proverbs 3:5-6, NLT) Once again, the loud blare from my boat’s horn pierced through the stillness of the air around me […]
Finding Contentment
By Sheila Barnett Philippians 4:13 (LB) “For I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power.” One of the most amazing accounts of survival and overcoming adversity from World War II is the true story of Louis Zamperini (1917-2014). Louis served as a bombardier […]
Martha’s Miracle
By Sheila Barnett It was a week ago when my world exploded, but it feels like yesterday. I constantly re-play the events in my mind, so I thought sharing my story might help. My name is Martha, and I live in a town called Bethany with my sister, Mary, and my brother, Lazarus. Until last […]
God With Us
By Sheila Barnett During His ministry on earth, Jesus often used analogies to illustrate His teachings. In Matthew 24:8, Jesus described certain tragic events as “birth pains”. Earlier in this passage of Scripture (Mathew 24:3-8 NIV), the disciples asked Jesus, “What will be the sign of Your coming and the end of the age?” (v.3) Jesus […]
A Place to Hide
By Sheila Barnett “You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word.” Psalm 119:114 (ESV) Finding a good place to hide is part of the fun while playing a spirited game of “Hide-n-Seek”. In more drastic circumstances, finding a safe place to hide can be crucial to survival. Using her home […]
Be Still and . . . Follow
By Sheila Barnett Moses told the people, “Do not be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” (Exodus 14:13-14, NLT) Moses showed great faith in God when he commanded the Israelites […]
Martha’s Lesson
By Sheila Barnett You’ve probably heard my story, but it’s not a very flattering one for me. I always feel portrayed as “the bad example” in the event, and I’d like a chance to explain my side. My name is Martha, and I live with my sister Mary and my brother Lazarus in a town […]
Good Soil
By Sheila Barnett Growing up on a farm in Iowa taught me a few things about soil. I learned that soil is actually a living system, providing the necessary nutrients for plant growth. I also learned that soil has to be carefully and correctly prepared prior to planting any seeds in order for a crop […]
Traditions of Hope
By Sheila Barnett “But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise You more and more.” (Psalms 71:14, NIV) Traditionally, most people greet a new year with high hopes and expectations. We set goals, anticipate new possibilities, and find hope for a better future. Many cultures around the globe ring in the […]
A Shepherd’s Christmas
By Sheila Barnett Nobody pays much attention to me. But I like it that way. I’m far more comfortable talking to sheep than talking to people. As a shepherd, most of my time is spent with sheep and other shepherds like myself. We are seen as the outcasts of our society: the lowest in the community with the worst […]
Praying and Guarding
By Sheila Barnett “But we prayed to our God and posted a guard night and day to meet this threat.” (Nehemiah 4:9, NIV) In the book of Nehemiah, chapter 4, we read about the opposition that this man and the other Israelites faced as they rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem. During this time, the Jews […]
The Eyes Have It!
By Sheila Barnett Born in 622 BC, Ezekiel was a priest called by God to be a prophet. He received a vision from the Lord, recorded in the first chapter of the Old Testament book of Ezekiel. In these verses, Ezekiel describes the living creatures, also known as the cherubim. (See also Ezekiel 10:15 & […]
Casting Cares
By Sheila Barnett “Cast all your care upon Him because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 When I was a child, an afternoon of fishing at the pond with Grandpa was always a welcome treat. Thankfully, Grandpa was willing to touch the icky worms and bait the hook for me, but then I happily […]
Feeling Thankful?
By Sheila Barnett Psalm 107:1 “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” Thanksgiving Day, 2020, promises to be quite unique for many people. Usually a time of gathering with family and friends, this year finds individuals in quarantine and families canceling travel plans. The difficult question for this Thanksgiving […]
Jesus Calms the Storm
By Sheila Barnett It was a day I’ll never forget. We had about 2 hours of daylight left that evening when Jesus said, “Let’s get into the boat and row over to the other side of the lake.” We were at the Sea of Galilee, and the trip of 8 miles would take us around […]
The Red Sea Road
by Sheila Barnett Exodus 14:21-22 (NIV) “Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground with a wall of water […]
Amazing Rescues!
By Sheila Barnett Galatians 1:3-5 (NIV) “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen” During the summer of 2018, the […]