Month: October 2025

These are the regulations concerning contamination by mildew in woolen or linen clothing, woven or knitted material, or any leather article, for pronouncing them clean or unclean. Leviticus 13:59

When asked what her favorite book is, my youngest daughter replies, “Leviticus.” What!?….. No, Leviticus is not her favorite book, it’s the irony that she enjoys, even more so when someone gets her clever humor.

As for me, I approach this book of the Bible like the student who stated, “Only 5 out of 4 people ever use fractions when they grow up so why do I have to know math?” Why Leviticus in modern day Christianity? Here’s why, Leviticus is the spoken, God breathed Word. It reveals God as our Father and we as His beloved children, His covenant community. God is intensely concerned with the health and welfare of the chosen, setting them apart through salvation and Holiness. (Lev. 11:45 and 19:18) This concern looks different for the historical children of Israel, but the basic fact remains, moment to moment God cares that your life marches forward with healthy, ethical and productive precision.

When you wake up knowing you have more to do than hours, energy and money allow, you find mold in your storage building and your anxiety further impedes your progress, ask God to give you wisdom and guidance. TaDa!! You find the gracious, generous and unchanging God of ancient law. This God who gave directions for dealing with mildew IS willing and able to help you with the minor (and major) details of life. He is the One True God and He loves YOU!

Feeling Invincible,

Gretchen

Rejoice always. I Thessalonians 5:16 NIV

The NLT says, “Always be joyful.” A very small phrase coming from a man who was driven from this town and received word that great persecution and even death had come to the believers he had left behind. Doubt, fear, and questioning arose regarding the return of the Messiah. 

The antithesis of despair is to rejoice, not when your team wins or when you have the world by the tail on a downhill swing. Happiness is a reaction, joy is a choice. 

Years ago my daughters sang a children’s Christmas musical that sang the line, ‘You have to joice and rejoice to get it right.’ What great truth. 

Re-Re-Rejoicing!

Gretchen

For we live by faith, not by sight. II Corinthians 5:7

For such a brief verse every translation is slightly different, and yet the same. The many variations give clarity. The New Living Translation says, “For we live by believing and not by seeing.” Truth! For what we see is not encouraging, but what our faith confidently affirms is a perfect hope that will someday be our eternal reality.

Paul suffered a great deal after his transforming encounter with Jesus. This doesn’t seem fair, except he never got over the glimpse of Radiant Holiness, a hope wrapped in great love. For the rest of his life Paul’s mind was on the Kingdom brought by Jesus’s death and resurrection, and he wanted everyone to hear of this hope beyond our sight’s miserable or mediocre expectations.

Our faith should be our guide, our motivation and certainly our testimony. And know this, your faith may be the lifeline to someone’s struggling vision of what can be over what is. Faith over fear is not just a catch phrase, it must be our way of life.

Love,

Gretchen

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

The Gospel Message was met with great enthusiasm by mostly Gentiles in the region of Galatia. Soon after Paul’s departure Jewish teachers came along insisting that Gentiles could not be Christian without first become Jewish Proselytes and keeping Jewish laws and traditions. The Galatian Christians willingly accepted this but when Paul heard of the movement he wrote His letter to them explaining that the Jewish National Life had nothing to do with Salvation. In other words, Christianity cannot be trademarked! It is not an offshoot of Judaism, it is eternal life made possible through faith in Christ’s final sacrifice. 

On the night before Jesus died He spoke of the True Vine and the fruit it would produce. The above list is that fruit and what does fruit do? It feeds and the seeds fall and perpetuate continued growth and feeding. But, my favorite part of this verse is not the lovely attributes I remind myself of every time I have to take a deep breath and count to ten, it is the “Against such things there is no law.” 

Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, are a package deal and the gifts just keep on giving. If we could give this world anything, Jesus it would be, but Jesus said, give this! 

Making Fruit Salad,

Gretchen

And now these three remain, faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. I Corinthians 13:13 

Taken from The Love Chapter, a well known passage of scripture, this verse is the sum of all that really matters, the only thing that lasts when the dust settles and time has done as much damage as it can.

It is always difficult when ideologies or attributes are ordered  for importance, because all three of these, faith, hope and love, are vital, and not given greater or lesser worthiness. Here’s why Paul states this, not as instruction, but as fact. There will be a day when our faith shall become sight and our hope is reality in a world of nothing but love for God and for one another.

The Corinthian community was wealthy, diverse and cosmopolitan, a hub of trade, but also immoral. These early believers struggled with issues of every sort you can imagine, trying to find their way forward with many voices vying to be the loudest. Paul silences this. Faith that gives hope must persevere and rest in the Love, the origin of Grace and Mercy through Jesus, Lord and Savior.

Love,

Gretchen

If you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:3-5

Nothing is more frustrating than knowing someone could help you but they choose not to. Please keep in mind, this is the character of man, not God.

God NEVER withholds Himself from us. When we ask for the things that bring glory to Him, He gives in great and overflowing abundance. We must pursue God’s character as fervently as some men pursue silver. Seek the face of God and strive to mirror It (His Face) in our entire being.

Through the Looking Glass,

Gretchen

10/25/25 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. I Thessalonians 5:11

The church at Thessalonica was established on Paul’s second missionary trip, but as a result of Paul’s controversial message, it was dangerous for him to remain and so he retreated to Athens, but he didn’t go quietly. He built churches and received converts all along the way. Still, his heart was with a new congregation that didn’t have the advantage of spiritual growth and development before facing the turbulence of opposition, temptation and persecution.

Paul was emphatic that all must wait patiently, but urgently, for the Lord’s coming. I wish I could say, ‘You’ve got this!” But the honest truth is, IT IS HARD!!!!! No one wants to awaken to a fight for survival, but without confidence in God’s power to sustain and maintain we will become discouraged, exhausted and vulnerable to false theologies and practices.

The church, the Body of Christ, must be a heroic source of ceaseless encouragement. This is a mark of faithfulness to one’s own victories and love for other believers as they are sent to light the dark world.

Go! Team! Go!!!!

Gretchen

 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10

This is a song, written for the musical portion of Temple worship. It is a great psalm of confidence and needs little commentary. However, I can’t resist. 

There is nothing more comforting than God’s presence and this passage expresses this with simple Bible Logic. There is nothing God cannot do. Though the whole earth crumbles, God is with His people, there is no need for fear. God’s Mercy, Grace and provision are abundant and constant. 

To be still is not a command to stop activity, but to be at peace when the world is not. God is Great and Glorious. The universe tells of this and it should be our solace in every circumstance.

Love,

Gretchen

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Jeremiah lived and was called to be prophet in a very volatile time in Jerusalem, Judah and its neighboring kingdoms and his writings bear witness to the most devastating events in Old Testament history. The Babylonian invasion of Judah, the capture of Jerusalem, the destruction of Solomon’s Temple and the exile of many Judeans into Babylon are a few examples of their circumstances. 

Jeremiah preaches nonresistance to the expanding Babylonian empire which contradicts earlier Israelite prophets. He shows that Israel is not invincible. Rather than a Zionist ideology, Jeremiah turns to the Exodus from Egypt and slavery to freedom and God’s covenant with Moses at Mr. Sinai and he calls the people back to obedience to the covenant. 

This prophetic ministry speaks to us today, but it must remain in context. Yes, God is faithful to His covenant, but we must engage in a faithfulness that manifests in trusting obedience to God’s will and way. Why? Because only God knows His plans and they are good. It isn’t about geopolitical power or boundaries, it’s about hope in God and confidence it is always for good.

Love,

Gretchen

Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them. Hosea 14:9

The path of least resistance leads to crooked rivers and crooked men. – Henry David Thoreau.

I am a school teacher. I say a million times a day, “Make a good choice.” This is not a new concept. The entire book of Hosea is God saying make good choices or horrible consequences will rain down. Sometimes it’s tough to hear, but it is a very serious reality.

God is my creator and the lover of my soul, Jesus is my savior and has paid my redemption. I walk daily in the reality of my second chance……..and my third and fourth…….millionth. Through Christ’s blood we always have another chance. But there are two myths many people have bought into.

Myth 1. Human life gives you second chances.
Truth-IT DOES NOT! Time marches on, broken truth leaves fissures, moments/opportunities come and go quickly never to return, hurt people don’t hang around. Odds are you won’t get a second chance.

Myth 2. People are born with dispositions toward wisdom or rebellion. It’s just fate.
Truth-There’s a great deal of theology to be hashed out here but in simple terms, God Loves His Creation and that is YOU! He has gone to every extreme to redeem you and bring you to eternal life. It’s a choice NOT fate.

Wisdom is a choice. It is a good choice. God always honors your request for it.
Rebellion is a choice. It is easy, lazy and bad. Guaranteed, you won’t like the outcome.

Praying for you all because I love you too!!

Gretchen