Behind the Counter
It was another day in paradise...drugs all over my counter and lots of work still to be done. (Don't be alarmed, nothing illegal is going on here...I'm a pharmacist) Between the front counter, drive thru window, flu shots and prescriptions.. The day was nonstop. I apologized to the customer standing at the counter. "Hi! Sorry you had to wait." "Wow, you guys work so hard," she commented. Apparently, this customer had been watching as she waited. Instead of focusing on herself and her time, she took a step back, and observed what was happening behind the counter. She saw something
God SEES You
Do you remember how amazing it felt when you landed a dream job? For me, it was an answered prayer! I was ecstatic to add this to my resume. However, that feeling was short lived. As I embraced my position, I attempted to make positive changes. To my surprise, I was seen as a young girl with ideals. It was made clear that I had no place to propose changes to something that functioned, though it lacked integrity. Sadly, I was met with rejection and humiliation. In fact, I went home crying every day. I felt like a failure. I was
Deeply Moved
When I was in fifth grade, my parents picked me up early from school because we had received some bad news. My grandmother passed away in India, so we would be traveling there for her funeral. Once there, I remember standing with my cousins under an outdoor tent with waves of heat hitting our face, listening to somber songs. I can still hear the rhythm of the slow songs in my ears and the hundreds of people who came to pay their respects. It was a sad time. I also recall my father's face as he stood near his mother,
He Is Here
Have you ever felt like you had taken something for granted and didn’t realize its impact until much later? In some instances, until it was too late? That’s how I felt a few weeks ago when I was reading the passage in Luke 4:16-29. After Jesus had been tempted in the wilderness, He began his ministry by speaking in synagogues in Galilee and was glorified throughout Israel. You would think He would’ve been received with the same hospitality in His own hometown, Nazareth but things were very different. As was His custom from childhood, he went to the Synagogue on
This Is My Story
"A man with an experience of God is never at the mercy of a man with an argument." This was quoted by Leonard Ravenhill, an author and evangelist from the 20th century. But it could have been said by a young man over 2000 years ago. This particular young man had an experience with God like few did at that point. He had been blind since birth, until Jesus came along and healed him. Instead of celebrating a miracle, the Pharisees were fixated on the fact that it was the Sabbath. Because that was all they could see, they accused
Can’t Earn This
Do you remember the days when you were in school and your class was promised the reward of a pizza party for terrific behavior? (What I wouldn't do for a slice of NY pizza!) Maybe you were the lucky teenager whose parents said they would buy the latest video game if you earned great grades. Perhaps you were given hope for a promotion based on how you successful you are with your present project. Do something. Earn something. It's a great incentive to work hard, isn't it? The only problem with that is when we apply such to our relationship
I Have My Doubts
Do you ever feel disconnected from God because you can’t tell Him how you really feel? I know that for most of my life I felt that it would be disrespectful to admit to God my doubts about Him, and even how unfair life felt at times. But recently I read the story of Nathaniel in the Bible who seemed to have doubts as well. The scripture says that when Philip, one of Jesus’ disciples, told his friend Nathaniel to come and see Jesus of Nazareth, the one that Moses and the prophets wrote about, Nathaniel’s reaction was “Can
Telling Jesus to Leave
Would you ever tell Jesus "no"? In our reading last week, we read the story of Jesus healing the demon possessed man. There are references through out the gospels of Jesus healing others who were demon possessed, but this man was so crazy that he earned 13 verses to tell his story (Luke 8: 26-39). He had a whole legion of demons in him. He lived in a cemetery, didn't wear clothes and broke every type of restraint that they used in an attempt to subdue him. Cra-zy. Jesus drives the demons out and into some nearby pigs who then jump into a
Different than I Imagined
We all have dreams. Dreams for ourselves and, if you are a parent, dreams for our children. From the moment my children were born, my wheels started turning. Who will they hang out with? What colleges will they attend? What about their careers? What kind of girl will they marry? Every now and then, God gives us a glimpse of His plans for them...just a little impression to help us guide them. In Luke chapter 1, Zachariah is given more than a little impression. He is given a prophetic message from the angel Gabriel. Zachariah was in the middle of
Empty Vessel
The feeding of the 5000 is a story we are all familiar with. But the story before that story is what caught my attention this time. Jesus had just sent the disciples out and they were busy doing things in His name. Mark 6:30 The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 And he said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while." I can't even imagine how exhausted they were: physically - they had been traveling from town to town, spiritually - they had been
