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Saturday, March 22
Hi everyone. For those of you checking in, we are oh so close to launching runningforzach.ca. Hang in there. We’ll have it up and running soon! Thanks again for coming alongside us and running for Zach. God bless, Ed Hoogerdyk
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Saturday, February 22
Website Update In just under 20 days, we’ll be launching a new website for Zach. The website is appropriately entitled: www.runningforzach.ca. Stay tuned for a new look and new updates! As mentioned last week, there may be an update or two yet on this blog, so feel free to check in. Thank you all for […]
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Saturday, February 15
Please note: Since Zach’s recovery and situation have mostly stabilized, there will be one more blog on this link next Saturday. After that there may be an update or two if necessary. We are hoping to create a website in the coming weeks, which we will link in the final blog, DV. ——— The theme […]
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Saturday, February 8
The theme for today is: The Hospital and the Church. Lord willing, Zach leaves Foothills Medical Center on Monday, February 10. From the hospital to continuing care. Bittersweet. We’ll miss Foothills. It became home. A loving and caring home. Compassionate nurses, loving care assistants, dedicated therapists, and a committed care team. We thank them all […]
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Saturday, February 1
Today’s devotional courtesy of Alistair Begg entitled ‘He Will Carry You.’ ——— The story is told of a pastor who was moving his study to his new home—and therefore had to relocate his library of hundreds of books. But he was not without help. He had brought his four-year-old son along with him to carry […]
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Saturday, January 25
Today’s devotional courtesy of Alistair Begg entitled ‘Sovereign Over Suffering.’ ——— His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.” Sometimes God has something […]
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Saturday, January 18
The theme for today is: Answers. God answers the prayers of His children. He knows the answers before we pray. He never ignores His children. He is never too busy to answer His children. He is always listening. Always gracious. Always caring. Always wise. Always perfect. Always loving. Always answering. He is the only one […]
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Saturday, January 11
The theme for today is: Joy and Sorrow. Joy and sorrow make a great couple. Opposites do attract. What a pair. Can’t have one without the other. They compliment each other. “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15). There’s “a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time […]
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Saturday, January 4, 2025
The theme for today is: Resolutions. New Year’s resolutions. Many of us make them. Read more. Eat less. Exercise more. Drink less. Read the Bible in a year. Less screen time. More family time. Pray more. Worry less. I made what I’d call a “sort of resolution” to fight against sporadic stress eating which has […]
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Saturday, December 28
The theme for today is: Years. This is the last blog of 2024. What a year. Some years are great. Worth remembering. Talk to folks who’ve had a great year and you’ll hear all kinds of responses: It’s been a banner year. This past year was stellar. It’s been a landmark year. 2024 was exceptional. […]
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Saturday, December 21
The theme for today is: Advent 3.0 What are you waiting for? Christmas? It’s Advent season and Jesus has come. It’s Advent season and Jesus will come again. Joy to the world! May this Advent lead us to spiritual reflection, recognition, recalibration, and reorientation. Reflection Advent should cause us to reflect. To reflect on the […]
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Saturday, December 14
The theme for today is: Advent 2.0. Advent. Coming. A time to look back. To look back at a manger. To look back at a stable. To look back at Mary, Joseph, shepherds, sheep, angels, a star and wise men. To look back at the coming baby Jesus. To look back at a miracle. Advent. […]
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Saturday, December 7
The theme for today is: Advent 1.0 Advent. A simple word with a simple meaning. It means ‘coming.’ We celebrate the coming of our Saviour. The Saviour born in Bethlehem. The Saviour incarnate. The Saviour of the world. Advent. A time of rejoicing. A time of celebration. But still a time of waiting. A time […]
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Saturday, November 30
The theme for today is: Fog. Now what? Zach’s discharge from Foothills looms on the horizon. We don’t know when. We don’t know where. Discharge brings you back to reality. And it makes you ask, “Now what?” It’s a challenge to find an answer to that question. Much of that answer rests on family of […]
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Saturday, November 23
The theme for today is: Support. A big shout out to Pastor Keith Davis and his wife Laura for organizing the ‘Running for Zach’ volleyball tournament fundraiser held in Calgary today. Keith and Laura are dedicated to the ministry that God has called them to in Bethel URC and the surrounding community. They epitomize ‘going […]
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Saturday, November 16
Today’s devotional courtesy of Paul Tripp entitled ‘Jesus Is with You.’ ——— In the quiet of the night when doubts creep in and take control, when you wonder if God is really good, his word is really true, if his love never fails. When it seems like everything has faded away, you in the darkness, […]
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Saturday, November 9
The theme for today is: Backward or forward? Zach has been running heavy the past two weeks. Running with pain. Running with fear. Running with anxiety. Running with anger. Running with agitation. Running backward it seems. Zach is running with weight he cannot carry. We pray that God will help him run lighter. We know […]
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Saturday, November 2
Today’s devotional courtesy of Alistair Begg entitled ‘Out of the Waiting Room.’ ——— The Christian life is not lived in a comfort zone. In Ruth 3 we find Ruth taking a great risk as she approached Boaz to request that he care for her as his wife. She, a single woman, went in the middle […]
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Saturday, October 26
The theme for today is: Temporary. Jesus gave his disciples a promise. He told them that they ‘will’ have trials. He would know. His life was a life of trials. The promise of trials is not one we’re running to be the first in line to claim. But claim them we must. We can take […]
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Saturday, October 19
Today’s devotional is an excerpt from ‘The Root of Beautiful Patience’ by John Piper. ——— ‘You Can Do All Things’ James, in his book in the New Testament, points us to the connection between God’s providence and our patience. “Be patient . . . brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer […]
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Saturday, October 12
The theme for today is: Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving weekend! A long weekend built around thankfulness. A time where we can reflect on countless blessings from God and express our gratitude to Him and to each other. You can read about the origin of Thanksgiving Day in Canada or the United States. Our friend Google shares some […]
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Saturday, October 5
The theme for today is: Protection. As noted in the blog, Zach has fallen out of bed a couple of times. The care team has now placed black mats on each side of his bed to protect him in case he falls again. Last week’s theme of daily bread reminded us about God’s provision. His […]
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Saturday, September 28
The theme for today is: Daily Bread. We’ve been excited to see Zach “graduate” to different levels of eating and drinking. Broth. Juice. Milk. Water. Tea. Pudding. Diced peaches. Ice cubes. Apple sauce. Food! Real food! We can take food for granted. We can take God’s daily provision for granted. Jesus knew this. That’s why […]
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Saturday, September 21
The theme for today is: Hard Work. It’s been cool to participate in some caregivers workshops and enrol in a series of caregivers courses. One thing that’s been emphasized is that for those with brain injuries, therapy is hard work. Hard work that results in fatigue. Neuro fatigue. It’s important for family members and loved […]
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Saturday, September 14
The theme for today is: Restoration Today’s devotional comes from ‘Today in the Word’ and is entitled ‘The Lord Restores.’ ——— In the final chapter of the book of Job, the Lord turned His attention to Job’s three friends. They were wrong to accuse Job of having unconfessed sin in his life. They had spoken […]
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Saturday, September 7
Since Zach’s rhythm of care is now more predictable and his health situation has stabilized in many respects, we have decided to decrease updates to once a week, starting today. ——— The theme for today is: Overwhelmed. We’re overwhelmed. Overwhelmed with our circumstances. Overwhelmed with decisions. Overwhelmed with changes. Overwhelmed with life. Overwhelmed with support. […]
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Wednesday, September 4
The following has been taken, adapted, and edited from a presentation I did in schools a few years ago. ——— The theme for today is: Consider. Psalm 41:1 says, “Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble, the Lord delivers him.” The word ‘poor’ doesn’t just refer to ‘poor.’ It […]
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Saturday, August 31
The theme for today is: The Future. God is a big picture God. Our awesome God knows how we are made and how uncertainty and the ‘need to know’ attitude can cripple us. We naturally experience fear for the future. What is going to happen to us? What’s going to happen to our children? Where […]
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Thursday, August 29
Sorry for the late blog post – my sister Melannie and I have been moving into our place in Calgary and it’s been so crazy that I forgot yesterday was Wednesday! -Megan ——— Today’s devotional courtesy of Alistair Begg: God is sovereign, and therefore we can make bold choices. As any nurturing figure would do, […]
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Saturday, August 24
The theme for today is: Good. ‘Good’ is a dead word. Doesn’t mean much in speaking. Doesn’t mean much in writing. ‘Good’ is a stale, overused, meaningless, generic adjective. It fails to convey. It fails to describe. Not so with God. God is good. Sounds underwhelming doesn’t it? Why describe God with a dead word? […]
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Wednesday, August 21
The theme for today is: Determination. It’s great, if not fun, to accompany Zach to his therapy sessions. Although some sessions are challenging and Zach is still inconsistent at times, he puts in the effort. He’s got the “game face” on. He’s showing a lot of determination. Determination is not something we can muster up […]
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Saturday, August 17
The theme for today is: laughter. So far so good at the Foothills Medical Center. Praise God! New surroundings. New faces. New doctors. New nurses. New therapists. Lots of action. Lots of joy. Lots of laughter. Zach is smiling. Zach is laughing. During our trials, it is easy to lose a glad heart. But there […]
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Wednesday, August 14
A couple of milestones to praise God for this week. August 11 marked one year of engagement for Zach and Megan. And God willing, Megan celebrates her birthday tomorrow. God continues to carry Megan and Zach. So, the theme for today is: Carry. Running for Zach. Our theme passage of Hebrews 12:1-3 reminds us to […]
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Saturday, August 10
The theme for today is: Working. John Piper said, “God is always doing 10,000 things in your life, and you may be aware of three of them.” God is working. God is always working. He works considerately, continually, and confidently. Considerately. God is considerate with us. He knows our limitations. He knows our strengths. He […]
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Wednesday, August 7
The theme for today is: You Can Have Peace Amid Suffering Today’s inspiration comes from ‘Breath as Prayer’ by Jennifer Tucker. Breathe Deep and Know Suffering is part of life, but we can have courage and peace to walk through that suffering as we trust in the One who has already given us ultimate victory. […]
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Saturday, August 3
The theme for today is: always, anything and everything 2.0. On Wednesday we took care of ‘always.’ Today it’s time for ‘anything’ and ‘everything.’ Or rather about going from ‘anything’ TO ‘everything.’ There’s a tension between the ‘anything’ and the ‘everything’ in Philippians 4:4-7. We can’t be anxious about anything. But rather pray about everything. […]
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Wednesday, July 31
The theme for today and Saturday is: always, anything, and everything. Philippians. Often termed as the letter of joy. Penned by Paul in prison. Joy in jail. Who woulda thunk? Tomorrow (August 1) marks our (Ed and Alice) 26th wedding anniversary. The 25th was memorable as we enjoyed a lakeside dinner with Zach and Megan […]
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Saturday, July 27
Ecclesiastes. Life lessons from the Teacher. The Teacher was a ponderer. The Teacher was a searcher. The Teacher was a discoverer. The Teacher knew all about life. The Teacher knew all about good times and bad times. Good times come from God’s hand. Bad times come from God’s hand. Prosperity and adversity. Given by a […]
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Wednesday, July 24
The theme for today is: Birthdays. No words can express how special yesterday was. July 23 was Zach’s 24th birthday! Happy Birthday Zach! Keep running strong! Run with perseverance the race God has marked out for you. Fix your eyes on Jesus! You are a wonder of God. You are a miracle of God. You’ve […]
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Saturday, July 20
The theme for today is: Works in Progress. We are works in progress. God’s works in progress. This comes with frustration. This comes with joy. Frustration with Progress Are we there yet? When Zach used to ask us that, we’d answer “soon” or “five minutes.” And then we hoped he wouldn’t ask that again. In […]
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Wednesday, July 17
The theme for today is: We need each other. I need someone and someone needs me. You need someone and someone needs you. No man (or woman) is an island. Consider a chain. No one can say that he or she is an entire chain. Chains have links. Each person is a link in a […]
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Saturday, July 13
The theme for today is: Running, Rest and Recovery. I had a great chat with the doctor this morning while Zach was still sleeping. The doctor said it will be good for Zach to “rest and recover” on weekends as he’ll be getting more activity by the day during the week as he progresses. Runners […]
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Wednesday, July 10
The theme for today is: Tears. Psalm 56. A psalm about tears. A psalm about a teardrop counter. A psalm about a teardrop collector. Zach’s doctors and health care team are pleased with Zach’s progress and where things are trending. But Zach has been quite emotional at times. The lips quiver. Sometimes the tears trickle. […]
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Saturday, July 6
The devotional for today is written by Alistair Begg: No Good Apart From God What do you treasure in this life? We all have something that brings us great delight or somewhere that just seems restful and right. Sometimes, though, we catch a glimpse of life without those earthly pleasures. Maybe it’s illness or even […]
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Thursday, July 4
The theme for today is: Encouragement Psalm 10:14-18. A psalm about encouragement. This short passage from Psalm 10 is a gem. God is a great encourager. He sees trouble. He considers, he takes note of, he takes His time with, our trouble and grief. He deals with us compassionately. He hears prayers. He listens to […]
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Tuesday, July 2
The theme for today is: The voice of the Lord. Calgary has had some spectacular thunderstorms recently. Zach and I loved thunderstorms. The thunder claps. The thunder rolls. The pouring rain. The lightning flashes. Supernatural fireworks with a front row seat! David loved thunderstorms too. He wrote a psalm about it. Psalm 29. A psalm […]
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Sunday, June 30
Today’s devotional is entitled ‘My Times Are in Your Hand’ by Alistair Begg. ——— Most of us are a mixture of emotions and experiences. The good, the bad, and the ugly wash over us regularly. The key issue is what we do with these feelings and experiences. How does being a believer shape the way […]
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Friday, June 28
Today’s devotional from ‘The Heart of the Matter’ by Edward T. Welch. ——— Suffering does not oppose love; it is the result of it. One of the grand purposes of human existence is to look more and more like Jesus. This is God’s plan for us. It is one of the greatest gifts he could […]
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Wednesday, June 26
Today’s devotional from ‘Wisdom for the Way’ by Charles Swindoll. God is the Potter. We are the clay. He’s the Shepherd. We are the sheep. He’s the Master. We are the servant. No matter how educated we are, no matter how much power and influence we think we may have, no matter how long we […]
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Monday, June 24
The following blog contains some excerpts of a presentation I created that was used at a variety of political events and also high school graduations. God IS with you. Wherever you go. University. College. Work. Travel. The roads. The trails. The cities. The towns. In all your comings and goings (Psalm 121), God is with […]
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Sunday, June 23
Medical Update Today, Zach’s breathing continued to be laboured. They took a blood gas sample this afternoon, which measures how well Zach’s air exchange is happening. The blood gas test showed that Zach’s carbon dioxide levels were quite high, meaning that he’s not breathing out enough. He was also acting quite sleepy by this point […]
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Saturday, June 22
Today’s devotional comes from Every Day a Miracle by Matthew Stephen Brown. ——— Knowing Jesus as the Healer Who Can Do Miracles Through You When we read about Jesus in the Bible, He can seem so different from the Jesus we experience today. What have we yet to discover about Jesus that His early followers […]
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Thursday, June 20
The theme for today is: Connectedness. Zach loved building Lego. Lego was fun. Lego was challenging. Lego was entertaining. Lego was educational. Lego taught Zach about structure. Lego taught Zach about support. Lego taught Zach about connectedness. He learned how to build Lego by connecting the pieces in all kinds of ways building all kinds […]
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Tuesday, June 18
The theme for today is: Talking. Zach is trying to talk. He is able to copy saying a few words here and there. Talking. It’s a gift. The gift of the gab. God gave us voices. Voices to talk. Voices to communicate. The past twelve weeks or so have taught us how easy it is […]
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Sunday, June 16
The theme for today is: Father’s Day. Fathers. Sons. Zach was hit and miss remembering Father’s Day. That’s OK. If/when he would remember, he’d give me a big hug and say, “I love you paps!” or “I love you pappy!” That was enough for me. You see, for him, every day was Father’s Day. He […]
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Friday, June 14
The theme for today is: Home. Hey, it’s good to be back home againSometimes this old farm feels like a long lost friendYes, and hey, it’s good to be back home again Those lyrics are from a song called Back Home Again by John Denver. John Denver was a great singer. But I believe Zach […]
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Wednesday, June 12
Yesterday Zach was successfully transfered from HSC Winnipeg to Calgary. Megan accompanied Zach on the entire journey, as did a registered nurse and respiratory therapist. He was first brought by a stretcher service to the Winnipeg airport, and then moved onto a Sunwest Beechcraft Super King Air 350 (twin-turboprop) med-evac flight. Finally, a stretcher service […]
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Tuesday, June 11
Prayer request Yesterday, we learned that Zach’s long-awaited transfer will happen today, the Lord willing! If all goes well, the transport team will fly in from Calgary early this afternoon after which Zach will leave Winnipeg HSC ICU (11 weeks after he arrived there) and be transported to a hospital in Calgary. The plan is […]
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Sunday, June 9
Medical Update: Today, Zach had another setback. He was very restless and agitated, and when they tried to reposition him this afternoon, his left chest tube came out. They had to sedate Zach and put him back on the ventilator with some blood pressure support in order to stabilize him. The doctor said that re-inserting […]
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Saturday, June 8
Today’s devotional comes from Alistair Begg’s “A Call to Thanksgiving.” Gracious Gratitude Almost everyone appreciates a good gift. Family, freedom, leisure, a warm bed, and a refreshing drink all make for a grateful heart, and we’re all naturally able to express at least some measure of gratitude for them. “Thank you” is a phrase we […]
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Thursday, June 6
Dopey me. I see I’ve slipped from choosing a theme for the day. So, the theme for today is: Benefits. Psalm 103. A psalm with no requests. A psalm full of praise. A psalm about the greatest ‘benefits package’ you could ever want. A psalm where David blesses the Lord. Psalm 103:1-5. Benefits. David sings […]
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Tuesday, June 4
Psalm 138. The ‘I will’ psalm. Read this psalm. Read it slowly. Sing it while you’re at it. Let it sink in. And you will get up and say, “I will!” I will praise. I will pray. I will proclaim. I will persevere. I will pursue. I will! I will praise (vs 1-2). I will […]
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Sunday, June 2
Today’s devotional comes from Alistair Begg’s A Call to Thanksgiving. ——— Joyful Worship The book of Psalms has been described as a medicine chest for our souls. In it we can find laments for the downtrodden, cries to God in trying times, and offerings of praise and thanksgiving. Whatever ails you, you will find balm […]
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Friday, May 31
Psalm 131. A short psalm. The one you read at dinner time when the kids have to rush off to sports or other extra curricular activities. Just pick a psalm. Make it a short one. Charles Spurgeon called this psalm “one of the shortest Psalms to read, but one of the longest to learn.” Psalm […]
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Wednesday, May 29
Suffering is a reality. But suffering remains a mystery. Suffering is confusing. You look to God in all things and yet you feel defeated and dragged down. The more you ask for something the farther it seems out of reach. You know God’s plan is perfect and yet you get disappointed. You know God gives […]
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Tuesday, May 28
Medical Update: The CT scan yesterday showed that Zach’s pneumothorax caused almost a complete collapse of his left lung. The collection of air was putting pressure on his heart and shifting it over, which caused his excessively high heart rate yesterday. They inserted a chest tube last night that is now draining well, allowing his […]
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Monday, May 27
We’ve selected another Alistair Begg devotional for today. God’s Unchanging Word Life can feel overwhelming. Every day brings new challenges even as old ones continue without resolution. It’s easy to allow our faith to trip on the stumbling block of our own lack of understanding of our circumstances—to take the baton of faith, as it […]
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Saturday, May 25
Psalm 23. A psalm about value. A psalm about the gospel. Psalm 23. A psalm of David. David recognizes two things. The Lord is his shepherd. He is his sheep. God’s prized possession. God’s personal possession. So, he’s confident he’ll lack nothing. David wandered to many places. Many dangerous, dry, deserted, and dark places. Yet, […]
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Thursday, May 23
Prayer Request: Zach is going down for his surgery to remove both his feet this afternoon. Please pray that God will guide the hands of the surgeons and medical team so that all will go well. Please pray for peace for Zach and also for us. Evening Update: The theme for today is: Shepherd. Psalm […]