June 19, 2026 – Pathways
Power – Isaiah 40:31, emphasis added – “But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired.” Joyce encourages, “When success does not come easily, when we fine ourselves frustrated and weary in our efforts, we need to wait for the Lord. Waiting for the Lord simply means spending time with Him, being in His presence, meditating on His Word, worshipping Him, and keeping Him at the center of our lives…. He gives you everything you need to live in victory over any circumstance. Stay close to Him and receive the strength you need every day.”
JA – “I GUIDE YOU IN THE WAY OF WISDOM and lead you along straight paths. Wisdom can be defined as ‘the ability to make good decisions based on knowledge and experience.’ So it’s important to learn what is true and apply that knowledge to your life – especially your decisions…. The way of wisdom found in the written Word guides you very effectively.” See Proverbs 4:11 and John 14:6.
Days – “Who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again” (Rom. xi.35). Simpson offers, “The Christian women of the world have it in their power, by a very little sacrifice, to add millions to the treasury of the Lord. Beloved, sisters, have you found the joy of sacrifice for Jesus? Have you given up something that you might give it to Him? Are you giving your substance to Jesus? He will take it, and He will give you a thousandfold more. I should rather be connected with a work founded on great sacrifice than on enormous endowments…. This is why the Master teaches us to give, because giving means loving, and love is but another name for life.”
JC – “I am the firm foundation on which you can dance and sing and celebrate My Presence. This is My high and holy calling for you; receive it as a precious gift. Glorifying and enjoying Me is a higher priority than maintaining a tidy, structured life. Give up your striving to keep everything under control – an impossible task and a waste of precious energy.” What a comfort to hear. I’ve been working in our basement and garage lately making good headway in decluttering what has become quite an embarrassing example of indecision mostly based on sentimentality. God reminded me about listening to books that keep me distracted and focused longer than I have been in the past when trying to tackle the piles. The message He has offered in this devotion will help me not whisper negative comments about myself to myself next time I walk through the areas and wonder how I let them get so out of control.
Streams – Isaiah 28:28 – “Grain must be ground to make bread.” Cowman looks to J. R. Miller to explain this verse, “Many of us cannot be used as food for the world’s hunger, because we have yet to be broken in Christ’s hands…. being a blessing of His often requires sorrow on our part. Yet even sorrow is not too high a price to pay for the privilege of touching other lives with Christ’s blessings. The things that are most precious to us today have come to us through tears and pain.” Cowman offers, “Difficulties challenge our energy and our perseverance but bring the strongest qualities of the soul to life. it is the weights on the old grandfather clock that keep it running. And many a sailor has faced a strong head wind yet used it to make it to port. God has chosen opposition as a catalyst to our faith and holy service.” Could my battle with clutter and indecision be a catalyst that propels me to be more useful elsewhere and perhaps more understanding of other peoples’ weaknesses?
Utmost is entitled “The Service of Passionate Devotion” and starts with John 21:17 – “Lovest thou Me? …Feed My sheep.” Chambers points out that, “Jesus did not say – Make converts to your way of thinking, but look after My sheep, see that they get nourished in the knowledge of me. We count as service what we do in the way of Christian work; Jesus Christ calls service what we are to Him, not what we do for Him.” We shouldn’t have to be reminded of that, but quite often we do because we tend to assume that how we serve is proof of our worth. We are enough because we are His.
Prevail #170 – Isaiah 43:19 – “For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” Larson understands the weariness we feel at times, “When the way is long and the battle rages on, we tend to identify more with our circumstances than we do with our heir status…. We may stop dreaming [I tend to do that about my writing ideas], forget to look for the new. We may feel stuck and thus despair over the sameness of it all. Here’s where we must make the distinction between surrendering to our circumstances and surrendering to God in our circumstances. One camps in the valley with no hope for change. The other declares, ‘This place does not define me. God will make a way where there is no way….”
After breakfast this morning, Don suggested that we go wander the neighborhood vintage mall. I told him I’d been about to suggest the same thing, but didn’t want to dictate what to do on his day off. What a gift to be paired with such a compatible mate. On one of the aisles Don picked up a book with a rather risque title that made us laugh. Vacuuming in the Nude and other ways to get attention, by Peggy Rowe. As I read the back cover, I learned what Don already knew about the book (from hearing Mike Rowe talk about it sometime in the past and what an inspiration it will likely be to me). She wrote, “This book is the story of a sixty-year writing journey: the joy, the detours, the heartbreak of rejection, and the amazing scenery along the way. These chapters will not teach you how to write or how to get published. But they could inspire you along your journey – whatever your passions or dreams may be.”
I immediately thought of my Aunt Libba who, like Peggy, spent a lifetime writing. It made me sad that I can’t give her a copy of this book as inspiration for us seeing her book (like Peggy’s, full of stories and essays) to completion. She died in April, two months shy of her 98th birthday, while I was in Italy. I’m beginning to believe that our shopping trip was a Divine appointment leading me to this book and to finish what she and I started. And, it should be easier than working on my own creations because these are her ponderings and realizations that are already written (so I can put off facing expectations, and judgment, about my lifetime of writing).
JL – “Valiant Jesus, You are the Champion who perfects my faith. You’ve been teaching me that the more problem-filled my life becomes, the more important it is for me to keep my eyes on You. [Indeed this is true for me.] …Whenever I’m feeling weighted down or disheartened, please remind me to turn to You…. Help me to rest in Your embrace, enjoying the nurturing protection of Your Presence…. I’m comforted by knowing You are still in control…. In Your invincible Name, Amen.” See Hebrews 12:1-2, Romans 8:38-39, Psalm 2:4, and Psalm 32:10.
