CR at University Carillon

Leave your worries and fears in God’s loving and capable hands. A New Year Devotional: “See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.” Exodus 23:20 (NIV) I sometimes think New Years Day comes at the wrong time of year. I’m usually facing a bunch of tasks left over from the old year, like taking down the Christmas tree and putting away all the decorations, writing thank-you notes and dealing with decisions about what to do with the stack of Christmas cards. Throw them away? Save the ones with pictures? Check the addresses? Then there’s the thought of trying to catch up with all the work I put off during the holidays. I’m behind before the New Year even starts. “Who can think about new beginnings or inspirational goals in the midst of old concerns?” I asked my lawyer-husband Lynn as he came in the door after a quick trip to the office to complete a couple of year-end responsibilities. “Let me show you a gift I ...

“By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus.” Romans 5:1 (MSG) You’re not reading this by accident. No, God knew before you were born that you would be here at this moment. He planned to get your attention for just a few seconds so he could say this to you: “I’ve seen every hurt in your life, and I’ve never stopped loving you. You matter to me. I love you more than you will ever know. I made you to love you, and I’ve been waiting for you to love me back.”  God is saying, “I want the rest of your life to be the best of your life. I’m with you, and I’m for you. I want to save you from your past. I want to save you for the purpose for which I made you. And I want to save you by my grace. If you’ll let me do that, I will give you peace with me, peace in your life, and peace with other people. But you have to open the door and receive th...

The word “Recovery” brings to most minds people in recovery programs for things like alcohol or drug abuse, eating disorders, anger management, sexual addiction, those sorts of things. Yet the truth is that we’re all in recovery. We’ve all been hurt and disappointed, we’ve all experienced the disillusionment of unmet expectations, we all have fears and insecurities, we’ve all felt unloved and rejected in some way. And therefore, we all have unhealthy relationships with something or someone we depend on to soothe the pain—to make us feel strong, secure, safe, important, loved, in control. We’re all attached to something we think we need to be happy and content. Your addiction may not be alcohol, but it may be getting approval. It may not be getting high, but it may be getting respect. It may not be sex, but it may be getting attention for the way you look or for your professional achievements. It may not be food, but it may be financial stability. It may not be nicotin...

When I see the sun come up each day, I am reminded that it is the end of a time of darkness and a new day is here. I’m grateful that Jesus breaks through the darkness of this world, through the darkness of history, and through the darkness of our lives. And similar to the sunrise, He brings a new beginning and LIGHT every day. Consider taking some time today to give Him thanks for the light that continues to meet you in your darkness. GOD IS GOOD! “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”  ‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬    

In his autobiographical work Surprised by Joy, C.S. Lewis tells of his years spent as an atheist. “I had always wanted, above all things, not to be ‘interfered with.’ I had wanted (mad wish) ‘to call my soul my own.’” But God interfered, as Lewis relates: “You must picture me alone in that room…night after night, feeling the steady, unrelenting approach of Him whom I so earnestly desired not to meet.” Francis Thompson also tried to run, as he tells in his poem “The Hound of Heaven,” beginning with these famous lines: I fled Him, down the nights and down the days; I fled Him, down the arches of the years; I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways Of my own mind; and in the mist of tears I hid from Him, and under running laughter. Thompson fled, but God, hounding him from heaven, gave “long pursuit”—with “strong Feet that followed, followed after,” and with “a Voice above their beat.” God’s love has a mugging nature to it. Thankfully. And this means that we can never ...