The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him. — Proverbs 23:24
Kirk's dad was so proud of him and his love of the Lord.
And he was also proud of our daughter and her growing faith.
When God's wisdom enters a child at any age, there is reason to rejoice.
You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. — Nehemiah 9:17
He showed compassion to our country and its founders.
Here's a photo of the Jefferson memorial.
A vivid reminder of God's compassion to our united states.
God is forgiving and gracious.
He is slow to get angry, even when I provoke Him.
And He is abounding in love.
Thank you, God.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word. — Ephesians 5:25-26
I'm so blessed to have such a loving and caring husband.It's easy for me to relate to Christ's love for the church because of Kirk.
Just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, Kirk is willing to give up things each day for me.
Jesus did that for us to make the church holy.
He cleanses us by washing us clean through His Word.
And we are thankful for His sacrificial love!
Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before him—his name is the Lord. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. — Psalm 68:4-5
Rejoice in His name.
Sing praise to his name.
Extol him.
God is a father to the fatherless.
A defender of widows.
He is in His holy dwelling.
And He loves us all.
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. — Ephesians 6:4
What a gorgeous day we had on the water.
Celebrating our favorite dad and husband.
Completely giving of himself for others.
He is thoughtful and loving.
A true father of the Lord.
Growing closer to Jesus each day.
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. — 2 Corinthians 7:10
This type of sadness pushes us to turn around and start moving toward God.
We don't have any lingering regrets when we confess our sin to God.
In fact, this confession leads to salvation.
Just one part of God's great plan for us, His people.
Worldly sorrow brings death, because it goes with unrepentance and selfishness.
Putting our worldly selves before God.
Turning away from Him rather than toward Jesus.
Help me, Lord, to turn toward You today.
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; — Psalm 103:13
And He shows His compassion to us.
Just as our earthly fathers showed compassion to us, his children.
We love and fear the Lord.
And are therefore the beneficiaries of His compassion and love.
Beautiful flowers from our financial planner.
Created by our loving Father, God.
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, — Philippians 3:20
Even though we are still in it.
Our citizenship is in heaven.
And we eagerly await Jesus our Lord and Savior.
Who reigns in heaven.
If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! — Luke 11:13
He showers blessings on us from above.
Even though we are undeserving.
And during times when we ignore Him completely.
He gives us the Holy Spirit.
And He answers our prayers when we ask Him.
We are blessed!
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. — Psalm 19:1-23
And the skies proclaim His handiwork.
Day after day the heavens pour forth speech.
They resound with the voice of our Creator.
Night after night they reveal the knowledge of the Lord.
And proclaim His glory.
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. — Colossians 3:15
I don't always want to put up with everyone.
Some people just seem unlovable.
But then I realize that God puts up with me.
And I'm often not very lovable.
And God sent His only Son to die for me, before I'd ever turned toward Him.
God went ahead and forgave me before I even asked.
Knowing that, I realize that through God's love, I can show love to others.
And even forgive those who've wronged me.
After all, God paid a much. higher sacrifice for me.
Thank you, Lord!
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. — Matthew 7:13-14
It leads to life eternal.
But not everyone finds it.
The road to destruction is broad.
And the gate to sin is wide.
But the gate to eternal life is narrow.
And we are blessed to have found it.
In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? — Psalm 56:4
He is omipotent and the Creator of all things.
I trust in Him.
Therefore, I am not afraid.
No matter what mortals can do, God is all-powerful.
He takes good care of me.
Last week, we had a photographer come to our company to take photos of our executives.
They had time left, so everyone on my team got headshots taken, too.
They did a great job making us look good.
So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. — Ephesians 3:17-19
My coworker is getting ready to move.
So we met for coffee with her baby.
Kya is now 12 pounds at 5 1/2 months.
She was smiling up a storm before and after this photo!
Her mom is raising her to become a woman of God.
Being rooted and established in love, together with all the Lord's holy people.
To know Christ's love that surpasses knowledge.
That she may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. — 1 Chronicles 29:11
He is glory and majesty.
The Lord is complete splendor.
Everything in heaven and earth is His.
His is the kingdom and He is Lord over it all.
God is exalted as head over everything.
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. — 1 Thessalonians 5:11
How often do I argue and disagree instead of encourage others.
And we often talk over each other instead of actively listenting.
Help us, Lord, to encourage one another.
Guide us to build each other up.
Just as the apostles did.
Just as Jesus did.
And as you command us to do.
So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. — Hebrews 9:28
By his stripes we are healed.
He will appear again in glory.
This time He won't be coming to bear our sin - He already did that on the cross.
So when he comes again, He will bring salvation to those of us who are waiting for Him.
Jesus, our Lord.
The Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. — 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
We will hear the trumpet call of God.
The dead in Christ will rise first.
After that, we who are still alive will be caught up with them.
Together we will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
We will hear the voice of the archangel.
And we will be with the Lord forever.
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” — Revelation 21:2-4
No more death or mourning.
No more crying or pain.
The old order of things will have passed away.
And God's Holy city will be the new Jerusalem.
God's dwelling place will be among the people.
God will be with us and will be our God.
He will wipe every tear from our. eyes.
What a wonderful, loving Father!
But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. — Jeremiah 17:7-8
Their confidence is in the Lord.
They are like a tree planted by the water.
It sends out its roots by the stream.
Because it is connected to its source, it doesn't worry about what to do when the heat comes.
It drinks freely of the water so its leaves are always green.
It doesn't worry when a year of drought comes along.
And it continues to bear fruit.
d