Last week, I wrote about “stuff.” Since we all handle things differently, we should look for commonalities if friendships are to last. Sometimes, that’s easier than it sounds.

I phoned a girlfriend. Not to chit-chat. To ask for advice. I was upset and knew that this friend would give me Godly counsel. After reading her a text/email exchange between “Sue” and me, I asked if my final response was (a) too harsh or (b) appropriate. (“Too harsh.”) Was I demonstrating Christ-likeness? (“No.”) Would she feel as frustrated as I did? (“Yes”—finally, a teensy bit of empathy from my friend.)

This all began when Sue, a cannot-take-no, multi-marketer acquaintance, invited me to be a part of a ZOOM call as well as a Facebook collaboration to learn about a new product that would cure several ailments. Was I available on Tuesday night? I shared that I am on a ZOOM Bible study every Tuesday evening. No problem for Sue. There was another ZOOM on Thursday evening. She would sign me up and send me the FB link.

This is what I wrote: “I don’t attend ZOOM meetings that sell something or promote something. I’ve done too many that want me to participate in something. I have been stung and just can’t bring myself to participate. I love that you are energized by these, but I am not. I have multiple requests to listen to these. I hope you understand.”

She did not. Why, to her, I had to be interested! Why would I not be? “You are even going to your Bible study on ZOOM” (which means?????). The rest of the text told me how great the product was and that I need to be informed, and she ended with this: “I am disappointed that you think that of me.”

I re-read the text several times. Just what did I think of her? I asked her that question and added that my best friends know that I don’t have luck with multi-level products. “So, we just agree to disagree,” I wrote.

Sue told me that I was missing out, that she is not a “fly by the seat of my pants kind of person,” and she knows results. She copied and pasted a meme listing the 3 C’s in life: “You must make the Choice to take the Chance if you want anything in life to Change,” signing off with this: “Think about it.” I was thinking about it, all right, but not in a loving-Jesus-sort-of- discipleship way.

I thanked Sue for thinking of me but shared that the product I bought last year from a close friend did not solve my ailments, in spite of several positive testimonials. “I know your intentions were to help” were my final words.

Well, according to Sue, obviously my friend did not sell me good merchandise. Had it been tested and approved? On she went, explaining criteria I should have used to research the product and ending with this: “But you basically called me a snake oil salesman and called zooms the devil! Bible study zooms sell something too! Eternal Salvation.”

Let’s just say I was not thinking about Eternal Salvation when I wrote my “I want to yank your tongue out” response, including that, because of Jesus, Eternal Salvation is Free, thank you very much. But something (Somebody?) prevented me from hitting “send.” That’s when I called my girlfriend who talked me down from my ledge of pride, self-pity and retaliation. Her suggestion was that I go ahead and vent…get it all out of my system…write away…and then hit the delete button.

I said a few prayers and took my friend’s advice (even though the tongue-yanking sounded more appealing). She was right. We all need friends that pull us towards God, those who don’t add to our anger but who remind us of what Scripture says about forgiveness instead of payback. Hopefully, should the need arise, I will offer the same kind of advice.

Keys to the Kingdom

About 2009, when our daughter married and moved to Texas for a couple of years, we purchased a GPS. Prior to this, we had always traveled on our family vacations with Jimmy as driver and me as navigator. You’d think traveling by GPS would result in a foolproof trip. Not. I can still hear the annoying voice of that “woman” saying, “Recalculating, recalculating. In 600 feet, make a U-turn.” I’m glad she wasn’t a real person, because I actually hated her when she said that.

In Acts Chapter 9, we find Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus. He was on his way to arrest the Lord’s followers and ultimately kill them; he’d been successful in overseeing the stoning death of Stephen. Saul was a highly-educated and zealous man who was deceived in thinking he was doing God a favor. Well, he was doing the devil a favor, so God put a stop to it.

Saul was conducting his life in the wrong way. There’s no scripture to prove this, but I believe God had previously tried to get Saul to go the right way, but he wasn’t paying attention. God loved him and needed him to make a U-turn in order to preach the Good News. So, as Saul was making his journey, a light from heaven came down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting Me?” Jesus said, “Get up and go and you’ll be told what to do.” Saul then picked himself off the ground and discovered he was blind, so his friends led him on to Damascus.

When God told Ananias to go to Saul and lay hands on him so he could see again, Ananias reminded the Lord of what an awful person Saul was and the terrible things he had done. But God could already see Saul as Paul and said he was His chosen instrument to take the gospel message to everyone who would listen. Long story short, Saul made a U-turn, had a name change, and a lifestyle change.

Have you had a Saul/Paul experience? Saul was on his way to Damascus, and Jesus got a hold of him and he turned around. You’re on your way to hell unless Jesus has gotten a hold of you and you’ve made a U-turn. You cannot take an alternate route to get to heaven. Jesus said”…I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me“ (John 14:6 NLT).

Jesus doesn’t want anyone to go to hell, but that’s a choice we make for ourselves by rejecting Him. Jesus will do everything He can to get your attention. He had to knock Saul down and blind him, but Paul would tell you he‘s grateful he made the decision to make a U-turn. The Cathedrals recorded a song several years ago entitled, “He Made a Change.” The last line of the refrain could have been sung by the Apostle Paul: “If He can make a change in me, He can make a change in you!”

The Key: Pick yourself up, take Jesus by the hand, and make a U-turn. Now.

Your story is not my story. (And yes, I sense you celebrating.) Like the picture shows, “We all go through the same stuff differently.” Soooo true!

Example: One friend stresses when her fingernail polish chips. I am thrilled when I exit the manicurist and make it home without red streaks dotting my steering wheel. A mere chip for me is a reason to rejoice. Still, nail polish or not, I enjoy hanging with my gal-pal because she is ultra-patriotic, loves to laugh, is transparent and doesn’t hold a grudge.

Another friend, while visiting her daughter’s orphanage in Haiti, was held at gunpoint, taken to an abandoned area and calmly prayed her way out of danger. Calmly? CALMLY? Not in my top 100 reactions. And even though one of us, I admit, is more excitable than the other, we appreciate girl-gabs where we share our faith and love for Jesus as she demonstrates how to have peace in the storms of life.

I have friends who are chronically late, who are perfectionists, who are hypochondriacs, who are emotionally insecure, who are inconsiderate drivers, who can’t admit their mistakes and who never invite me to their houses, but they all overlook my issues that surely drive them crazy (although, for the life of me, I can’t imagine what they are).

So, let me repeat: We go through stuff differently. We all have unique wirings/ personality quirks, and for those matters we must give others the right to be different. Paul wrote to the Romans, suggesting how the Jews and the Gentiles should handle their differences. His advice is as relevant today as it was 2000 years ago. In Ch. 14, he writes to encourage Jesus’ followers to live in unity, respecting the different backgrounds with which they came to know Jesus. They weren’t to argue over what foods they were to eat or the necessity of circumcision. Disagreements were to be avoided…unless there were eternal consequences.

We all can learn from Paul and from each other, even if all we learn is to keep our opinions to ourselves. Recently, someone shared that when her baby died, a friend told her she should get a dog. Two years had gone by, and it was “time” she moved on. Perhaps that would have been good counsel for the insensitive friend (although I doubt it), but clearly, the friend did not give the bereaved mother the latitude to go through her tragic “stuff” differently.

Let’s be clear. Accepting others “stuff” does not mean that we avoid conversations about eternal issues. (“If you want to go to Hell, that’s your business.”) “Millie” is a Mazatlán friend with whom it has been difficult to find commonalities. She hates (truly, hates) President Trump, does not believe in God and is married to an egotist who treats her unkindly. Still, we hang out, discuss philanthropic opportunities and play a semblance of tennis. From her, I’ve learned that quiet generosity is the best kind, and from me, she recognizes the importance of my faith.

So, what are we to do with others’ stuff, the stuff that can drive us bonko? We should major on the majors and not on the minors. Friendships are taxing when we do otherwise. We must accept that God created each of us with our own DNA and not as clones. By accepting others individuality, we have a much better chance of drawing others to Him… not to mention, making and keeping friends.

Scene #1: Protestors looted stores, torched the American flag, threw frozen water bottles at police, and destroyed their own communities.

Scene #2: Protestors created hand-made signs, lined the toll booths, gave drivers the thumbs up and waved them through.

Guess which scenario represented Mexico? Definitely not the first one.

A few years ago, my husband and I were driving from Las Vegas to Mazatlán, Mexico. Nearing our sixth toll booth, we noticed several adults waving signs protesting the gas price-hike in Mexico. Most Hispanics were concerned that because America was pulling businesses out of their country, they would suffer economically. They felt slighted and fearful.

Yet, no one appeared angry. No one blocked our path. No one chose to teach us Gringos a lesson by smashing our car or hanging us from the overpass. Quite the opposite. We were given the thumbs-up and waved through without paying a toll.

Last year, as Dave and I crossed the mountains in Mexico, we were stopped before our first toll booth by dozens of protestors, many resting in tarp shacks while their amigos blocked the road. Three smiling men approached Dave’s side of our truck and told him to pay them 50 pesos instead of the 31 pesos in tolls. I asked “¿Por qué?” (“Why?”) and was told “because that’s what we are doing.” Apparently, these men and women—along with their police escorts– had taken over the toll booth. We paid the money; the protestors removed the barrel from the front of our truck and we were waved on. Not for one second were we anxious.

Peaceful. Unified. Safe. Very unlike today’s American demonstrations… which makes me wonder, why is it that so many of America’s protests are becoming more barbaric than our less-advanced neighbors, they who have so much less than we? What happened to a code of morality where objectors show a modicum of self-restraint like they do in Mexico? When did a civilized society turn into brutes that rant, rave, curse, steal and burn Bibles (which, as we know, contains the answers to our problems) as a gesture of disagreement?

Christians must take action. We need to offer hope. That’s what happened at the “Riots to Revival” event in Portland, Oregon, Saturday night. CBS News reported that between 4,000 and 7,000 worshippers united for a night of “praise, worship, and to hear Bethel Music’s Sean Feucht speak” at Waterfront Park in an effort to heal America’s brokenness.

“White, Black, Hispanic – we came and released our song of hope over this city,” Feucht said. “People gave their life to Jesus. Hundreds of people. We baptized people in the river behind us. There was so much joy that took over the streets of that city last night.”

For those of us with less musical ability, here’s another idea. Let’s follow Franklin Graham’s Instagram call for specific prayers: for PEACE because “the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:20); for PERSPECTIVE, because “the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17); for PATIENCE, because of God’s “kindness and forbearance and patience” toward us all (Romans 2:4); and for the OUTPOURING of God’s wisdom and direction for our leaders and officials who are dealing with this crisis. Ask God to change hearts and heal this divide in our nation.

Graham’s way is much more in line with the Mexican way. I think that God likes that way best.

Keys to the Kingdom

Have you ever said something during a conversation and the individual gawked at you like you were a nut hanging from a tree? No matter where we grew up, we all use colloquial talk, and those of us in the same region understand each other perfectly! For example, someone could say: “He‘s got a heart the size of a wash tub; he’d give you the shirt off his back. But, bless his heart, he’s a brick shy of a full load.“ Or, “Give her an inch and she’ll take a mile.”

I’ve been blessed with family and friends who don’t fit into the “give an inch and take a mile” category. The God-kind of love doesn’t function like that; real love looks for ways to give, not take. But there’s someone out there who’s completely hateful, selfish, and destructive; and that’s the devil. If you give Satan an inch, he’ll grab it and turn it into a nightmare trip. That’s why the Bible tells us, “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you” (James 4:7,8 NLT). Don’t forget the first and last part of this scripture, as they are important keys to resisting the enemy who hates you as much as God loves you.

Don’t be asleep at the wheel! “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith” (1 Peter 5:8,9 NLT). Don’t give Satan a ride around the block!

A good song inspires me as much as a good sermon is a revelation of truth. There’s a story song about the devil being a hitchhiker. Some of the lyrics are: “Don’t let the devil ride. If you let him ride, he’ll want to drive. Don’t, please don’t, let him drive your car. If you let him drive your car, he’ll surely go too far. Don’t let him drive! Don‘t do it, don‘t do it, don‘t do it.”

Sin always takes you farther than you want to go, keeps you longer than you want to stay, and costs you more than you can possibly pay. In the Garden of Eden, Eve didn’t see any harm in having a friendly conversation with the worst enemy in the world. We all know that went south in a few short minutes.

Believers are to, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11 NKJV). How often do you put on your clothes? That’s how often you’re to put on the armor of God. The devil is capable of luring careless Christians into sin. Following Christ requires decision and effort, and using the equipment God has provided for you. “Wiles” can be defined as clever schemes used by Satan to trap you through temptation, threat, intimidation, and deception through trickery. But you are not powerless, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him [Jesus Christ] who loved us“ (Romans 8:37 NKJV).

The Key: Don’t let the devil ride in your car — just put the pedal to the metal.

Last week, I wrote about the satisfaction that comes from edifying others with the words we speak/letters we write/texts we send. On the morning I finalized that column, I had asked God to let me be a blessing to someone.

Little did I expect Him to use a medical professional, phoning me to update my personal information. Following questions about my insurance, she forewarned me that she would ask three questions that I did not have to answer, should I found them uncomfortable; nevertheless, she was obligated to ask. All dealt with my sexuality: what sex I am; if I was born that sex; if I prefer to be referred to as that sex.

I answered each question and then told her that I did not envy her having to ask those questions. She said,” You have no idea” which—for some reason—I found funny. She began giggling and said that I was the first person to make her laugh after answering those sensitive questions. I was a “breath of fresh air” because most people lecture her about how God made man and woman, shaming her for bringing up such “nonsense.” She spoke about their angered outbursts and “if everyone knew how difficult it is” to ask those questions—questions she was mandated to ask–perhaps they would be kinder.

I asked, “So Christians are the hardest on you?” Affirmative.

“Well, I’m a Christian, and I have some advice,” I responded. “The next time they bark at you, ask them what one identifying characteristic marks a Christian. Remind them, if they don’t know, that the answer is ‘love,’ and question if they are demonstrating love in the way they are talking to you. That oughta do it.” We both got tickled, and then she reminded me that, should she follow my advice, she would be looking for a new job. I told her that I wouldn’t last 30 seconds in her position. And we laughed some more.

At the end of our conversation, she stated that I had made her day. I shared that I had asked God in my morning prayer time to let me be a blessing to someone, and I was glad that she was the beneficiary. She shared that she was too.

Christians, we need to pick our battles. This young gal, frustrated that she was given such a task, knew that it was less messy for someone on the phone to take the abuse than a receptionist or nurse. By giving this information ahead of time, she explained, once in the doctor’s office, the patient would be referred to with the correct pronoun, so as to avoid public embarrassment. Sadly, the attempt to respect someone’s dignity caused this caller’s dignity to be demeaned.

I doubt that my caller felt closer to Jesus after the outbursts of her Bible-thumping patients. When something clearly isn’t someone’s fault, why should he/she be the recipient of a “Christian” tongue-lashing? She has no choice in how she responds; her job is to treat her attackers kindly.

I think you and I both know which one exudes the more Christlike character.

Keys to the Kingdom

When our children were young, I’d have fun playing hide-and-seek with them in the house. Every time Mariam or Aaron was “it,” they could never find me. I always hid in the bathtub behind the shower curtain; they never thought to look for me there. The kids were in the same room, just a few inches from me, but they never found me because their “seeking” was superficial. They eventually got old enough that we stopped playing this game, and that’s when I told them my secret hiding place.

Do you ever get the feeling God is hiding from you? If you do, it’s probably because you’re focusing on the cares and frustrations of life instead of looking for God in your daily routine. I assure you that God’s not hiding. The Bible tells us that, “I will find the Lord when I seek Him with all my heart and with all my soul” (Deuteronomy 4:29 NKJV).

Feelings are fickle — you can’t trust them. You or someone you know may have said, “Nobody loves or cares about me. I just feel rejected and worthless.” That’s an example of feelings. You may feel that way, but it’s a lie from the devil. Reject the feeling and accept the truth. God loves you as much as He loves Jesus. Is that a new concept to you? It might be new to you, but it’s as old as Jesus’ prayer for believers in the Garden of Gethsemane: “…I am in them and You are in Me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that You sent Me and that You love them as much as You love Me” (John 17:23 NLT).

God isn’t hiding, He’s right out in the open all the time. Believers who seek Him will find Him. Evidently, this is a daily process and not just something we do once. Jesus said He would not abandon us as orphans, He (Holy Spirit) will come to us. We need to make sure we’re not acting like unbelievers who aren’t even looking for Him and don’t recognize Him when they do see Him.

There’s great reward for seeking God. “And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and He will give you everything you need” (Luke 12:29-31 NLT).

Stuart Hamblen composed a song in 1959 and the lyrics of the refrain are: “How big is God, how big and wide His vast domain; To try and tell, these lips can only start. He‘s big enough to rule His mighty universe; Yet small enough to live within my heart.” On a dark night, we can look up and see the stars and find God. Why? Because the scripture tells us that God has given all the countless stars names (Isaiah 40:26). You can find God every time you comb your hair. Why? Because God has numbered the hairs on your head (Luke 12:7).

The Key: Seek [look for, search, pursue, find] God everyday as if your life depended on it…because it does.

As scientists are scampering to find a vaccine for Covid-19, I can only imagine the gratification of discovering its cure. Or cancer’s. Or A.L.S’s. Or any of the other, horrific disease that plagues us. And yes, I do spend far too much time imagining unattainable accomplishments…

Like bringing the Democrats and Republicans together as a team, where name-calling and lies cease to exist.

Like ending world hunger or domestic abuse or genocide or corruption.

Like solving a Cold Case file and bringing a criminal to justice or using DNA to release an imprisoned inmate.

Or, more selfishly, like being a winning jockey in the Kentucky Derby or the #1 driver in the Indianapolis 500 or capturing the gold after tumbling across the mat in the Olympics.

My imaginations will never become a reality, of course, because I’m not smart enough, not courageous enough, not young enough and not talented enough. But that’s okay, because I have been blessed with another gift: I love to celebrate the success of those who have been given gifts by God to do what I can only imagine, knowing that others can complement my weaknesses without threatening who I am.

My gift is edification. I get excited for others’ successes and don’t feel slighted when others have what I don’t. I enjoy telling a pastor that he has delivered a thought-provoking sermon, or a waitress that she has done an exceptional job tending to my table, or a trash collector that he’s dependable and pleasant and his boss is lucky to have him. I love praising talents or kindness that others exhibit, knowing that everyone has something that can be praised. EVERYONE!

Long ago, I realized that envying what someone else has or what they do diminishes what God wants to do in me. Regrettably, I have a couple of friends whose vocabularies lack compliments. I remember showing both of them a spectacular home, only to have one comment, “Boy! You’d be nuts to want to clean that thing,” while the other said nothing.

I don’t understand it. My uncomplimentary friends love to receive compliments, so why do they find it so hard to celebrate others’ blessings? Psychologists would call them insecure, but they who need validation themselves fail to realize that true satisfaction comes from building up others.

In 1 John, the apostle, writing to newbie Christians, shares his excitement about walking with Jesus. He is eager to pass on to his readers the difference Christ will make in their lives, but I love what he wrote in Verse 4: Our motive for writing is simply this: We want you to enjoy this too. Your joy will double our joy. (MSG) In other words, seeing you as the beneficiary of something special makes us double-happy.

And that’s good news. Encouraging or praising or edifying someone is itself a blessing. I may not be able to cure a disease or end corruption or win a horse race, but I sure can make someone double-happy with a simple, sincere compliment. This morning I prayed for such an opportunity.

Stay tuned next week when I share how God answered my prayer.

Keys to the Kingdom

By Carolyn Tucker

Recently, I was at Sutherlands standing in the checkout line, along with other people, when the clerk got on the intercom and announced, “I’ve got a customer who wants to buy a Bad Boy.“ The lady behind me asked, “You can buy those?” Even though she was wearing a mask, I could detect a twinkle in her eyes and a big grin. Her response made us laugh; in times like these it’s good to join our hearts in laughter!

Later, I started thinking about what money could buy. No doubt about it, money buys a lot of things. We need a home, a vehicle, food, clothing, etc. But there are many crucial things we need that money absolutely cannot buy. We can’t buy love, peace of mind, health, grace, contentment, joy, fulfillment, hope, or salvation in Christ Jesus. These vital sources of life can’t be bought, but thank God they are free!

In John 10:10 NKJV, Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” An abundant life only comes through our Redeemer and Savior. You can’t buy it, but it’s free, and there’s no limit! It can be disappointing to go to a store that’s running a sale and discover they’re sold out; but that never happens with God. “Whosoever will” may come and find all of life’s resources readily available for the asking and receiving.

In John 14:6 NLT, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.” Jesus is the key for what you need. His way, His truth, and the life you need to experience is found only in Him.

I have a piano sitting in my living room where I have taught students to play for over 25 years. There are 52 white keys and 36 black keys. If the pianist doesn’t play the correct keys together, the musical piece will be “out of tune” or have “sour notes.“ That’s exactly the way our lives are when we try to live it without Jesus. He is the key to abundant living. Life can be harsh in tough times, but life with Jesus is not hopeless.

In 1834, Edward Mote penned the lyrics to a hymn we still sing (because it’s still true): “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness… On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.” As long as you’ve got King Jesus, you’ve got a song in the key of hope. If you don’t have Jesus, read the New Testament book of John and you’ll find Him. He is the key to unlocking the door to receiving all the vital sources of life that your heart is longing for.

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul wrote: “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13 NLT).

The Key: You can’t buy the truly vital things in life. However, they’re free to you when you receive Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

When cellphones first came out, I vowed never to own such a contraption. For one, they were the size of a toaster and had antennas that could double as plungers, and two, I couldn’t imagine spending my time away from a phone on a phone. Besides, that’s what gas stations were for.

Times changed, I gave in, and now my cellphone is a constant companion. Even watering the yard, I am not absent this multi-tasking device. Yesterday, however, when Dave and I were headed to Kansas City and I realized that I had left it at home, there was a sense of relief, probably because I knew I could live without it.

Or could I?

Well, let’s just say it was hard. The list of calls I planned to make while my husband drove, the graduation and birthday gifts I would order on line, and the texts that needed answering all would have to wait.

Dave and I decided to eat sushi from our favorite restaurant in Overland Park. Recently sold, its name and menu had changed. I would call ahead to see what kind of service it offered, in light of the Covid-19 regulations. No problem, except the new name and our choice of favorite rolls were in the notes of my phone. Plan B, a hamburger place, would have to do.

Costco was next, but that was a problem. My extensive grocery list was in my notes, as were the lists of two of my girlfriends who needed us to pick up a few items. Pictures on my cell phone showed a shrimp dish our neighbor recommended, and surely, I just knew, my friends were texting, adding other items as the afternoon progressed. (They were.)

Dave dropped me off at Costco’s front door and left to put gas in our car. The plan was for him to return, have his glasses checked in the optical department and meet me when he was finished. Since I had to cover each aisle three times, knowing I had forgotten something, surely I would run into him somewhere. I didn’t. Was he outside, waiting in the car? Or were we just missing each other, he in the generator aisle and me searching for ripe avocados? Perhaps I should hang in the tool section. No, bad idea. He would be looking for me in produce. And we all know what happens the more we look. Items that were not on my list now became irresistible. This was turning into an expensive expedition.

And to think, a simple cellphone would have resolved all of this.

Ultimately, I caught up with Dave in the optical department, after, he said, he had searched high and low for me on every aisle. From then on, I clung to him like Saran Wrap.

Let’s face it. Cell phones can be life-lines. After all, they double as flashlights, tape measures, music collections, step-counters, shopping centers, communication systems, photo albums, game-players, Amber alerts, weather-watchers, research guides, and calorie-counters (to name a few). All of those come in mighty handy when the need arises, so yes, I was frustrated without my gadget.

The next morning, as I was reading my Bible, I began to wonder if I would be equally as devastated if I lost the ability to connect with Jesus. Could I go a day without his spiritual truths that comfort me and bring me peace? Would I be vulnerable without my God-connection that reminds me of what I need and warns me of dangers ahead? Is it really the “food” I require to survive and the navigation I need to keep my priorities straight? When I had managed to go days without opening my Bible, did I fret over that as much as I did my few hours without my cell phone?

Let’s just say, I’m not proud of that answer.