We’ve been home from that enticing journey now almost a month. I was astounded at the beauty in the cathedrals and basilicas. So intricate. Can something like these ancient places ever be built again?

We toured Vatican City and St. Peter’s Basilica. We saw the moving statue of The Pieta by Michelangelo, completed when he was twenty-four years old. The Sistine Chapel ceiling. So many statues.

Rome is old. They call it the eternal city. Many buildings built a generation after Christ.  Much of it still stands.

I’m glad we visited Rome. We most likely won’t return. But if we do, I will once again be awed by the sights and sounds and food.

Some of the buildings and statues were built to focus on what human beings can accomplish. But many were built to glorify God. I am amazed by what man has done. I am grateful for the God who is personal and we can know him through Jesus. In the cathedrals, there are crosses with Jesus on them, telling the story of the sacrifice he made for us. God who gave his life. But I was even more heartened by the painting of Jesus when he rose from the dead outside the tomb where they laid him. He is very alive right now.

“Father God, thank you for creating men and women. With much creativity to draw and build and carve. When you created us, you said it was very, very good. Thank you most of all for the sacrifice you made so long ago. That you rose again to life and offer eternal life to us as well. Amen.”

I’ve told you about my recent journey. Message in the comments below and tell me about yours. It can be in your neighborhood, in your city, another state in our country. They are all rich in beauty and memories.

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Enjoy this rendition with Nat King Cole….

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Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, the last of life, for which the first was made. Our times are in his hand . . . Trust God: See all, nor be afraid! —Robert Browning

It was a Wednesday morning on a beautiful fall day. The sun was shining brightly. The air, warm with a touch of fall crispness to it. I was enjoying a women’s brunch in lovely surroundings and I saw on my cell phone a flash, indicating someone called and left a message there. I didn’t recognize the number, but noticed it had a “503” area code. Would that be the guy who I’d been exchanging brief emails on the couple matching site? I stepped outside the room to listen to the message and sure enough, it was that guy!

It was two days after Labor Day that September 4, 2013. Thirteen years ago.

I walked outdoors and returned his call. We made arrangements to meet at a Starbucks halfway between my town and his–about fifteen minutes from my house.

I was five minutes late as I briskly walked up to the coffee shop. I saw a man with salt and pepper colored hair, wearing jeans and a  black polo shirt. He had his back to me and I could see he was looking around for a face he hoped to recognize. “Are you Jim?” I asked. He turned around with a smile, opened up the computer on the table behind him looked at it and said,

“You must be Shirley!” He said with enthusiasm.  I must have looked like the photo I shared. We sat down and had that first cappuccino together.

It started with a cappuccino

That took us on a journey we are still on. If you know me, you know the story. How we sat at that table in the noisy coffee shop, ignoring the people around us, focusing only on each other. We told our stories and we still are telling them thirteen years later.

Not to be out-done, eight days after this first date, Jim asked me to marry him. In his hand, he displayed a little box that had a ring in it, along with a speech I’m sure, knowing him like I do now, he prepared carefully.

And today, we celebrate that date. We’ll stop whatever we’re doing, we’ll remember. We’ll drive to that same coffee shop and drink to the success of that first date.

Next year, we don’t know where we’ll be. Will we still be here, alive and well? That is unknown, but if we are, we’ll remember again and celebrate.

Jim was prepared to meet me that day, hoping I would be the woman he’d desired to meet.

I was willing to try–again–to see if this man was the one God had ordained for me to meet.

Our hopes were fulfilled that day thirteen years ago.

Every year, no matter where we are, we sip a cup of coffee together.

My husband Jim and I often say, “We’re standing on the shoulders of our previous spouses,” because our previous marriages have benefited our present marriage. Although not perfect, our marriage is as close to perfection as life can be on this planet.

We both realize that our most important relationship is with our Savior, Jesus Christ. This is the most permanent relationship you will ever have. Our vertical relationship with God outshines and deserves the most attention. It lasts through eternity.

Although we love our spouses here on earth, marital love is temporary. “For in the resurrection there is no such thing as marrying or being given in marriage” (Matthew 22:30 PHILLIPS). Marriage is a gift from God for us to enjoy here. “God gives the lonely a home” (Psalm 68:6 NCV).

I don’t know the future, but I know I can trust my Savior. He brought me through the very hard times I’ve experienced. He is with me in the joyful times too. He is with me when I celebrate birthdays or anniversaries, when I travel with my Jim, when we have new adventures, and when we make love.

Sometimes there are niggles of fear that creep into my thoughts. What if Jim dies? Can I make it without his love and care?

We pray that God will grant us many years together, but we know that our lives are truly in his hands, not ours. We can trust in the God who loves us more than we love each other.

So we do just that. We trust.
And he’ll be there when he takes each of us home to him.

Father God, thank you for inventing marriage with the first couple and smiling on marriages here on earth. We benefit from each other and the strength we give each other through marriage. Help us to honor our marriages and treat them as a precious gift. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Write a prayer of thanks for the positive aspects of your marriage—past or present.

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We think of the song below “our song.”  We’ll probably dance to it sometime today.

The post It’s Thirteen–Let’s Celebrate with a Cappuccino! appeared first on Shirley Mozena Speaker and Author.

Traveling transcontinental is long and exhausting. With a scant recline on our seat, a meager pillow and thin blanket, we try to sleep. Watch a movie. Try to sleep. The attendants bring “dinner.” “Pasta or chicken?” the attendant asks. We are served a tiny tray of food with sectioned containers, a cold roll, spicy chicken in an unnamed sauce, a square of lettuce and cucumber with oil and vinegar dressing, and a brownie–plus a choice or red or white wine.  The entree, barely warm, we ate some of the food, then tried to nap once again.

As we crossed Europe, we had an astounding view of the Alps.

Somewhere over Europe–The Alps

After many hours, we touched down in Italy. They are nine hours ahead of us and it was nine AM Thursday, their time. Counting back that means it’s midnight Pacific time. We’d been traveling for thirteen hours! Relieved our baggage made it to our destination, we trundled our two bags, back pack and tote bag and our jackets to find our driver.

We walked into our hotel, with the entry next to the street, and met the hotel clerk, a well-dressed woman who spoke quite good English. I was impressed once again at how the Italians dress with such care. The male clerks dressed in suit and ties and wherever we were, the Italians took attention in what they wore.

The ceiling above our bed.

We checked into our room that was small but clean with a view of the street below, and flopped on the bed. Stretching out felt so good.

We decided to take a short nap before hitting the streets of our neighborhood. It was hot outside, but nice and cool in our room. Refreshed after a couple of hours of sleep, we changed clothes and checked out our neighborhood called Monti. A block from our hotel was a church called a Basilica. We learned that Basilicas are named by the pope and in early times, were used for a court or gatherings. There are only four in the world, all located in Rome.  We learned that a cathedral–or duomo is headed by a cardinal; basilicas are appointed by the pope. Regardless of whether they were a basilica or cathedral, they were ornate and beautiful. My photos of St. Mary Major Basilica don’t fully express what it was like, but I’ll share a few.

After we toured the Basilica, we were hungry and attempted to find a restaurant. The desk clerk said there were many good ones nearby. “Just a five minute walk,” she said. We walked the direction she told us and couldn’t find it. Walked back and asked again. Once more, we didn’t see it. We finally asked two workers, chatting at the dry cleaner shop where this particular restaurant might be and they pointed to it, but told us it was closed. We later learned most restaurants are open for lunch until two PM. They close for a few hours and open for dinner at 7 PM. Once more, Jim talked to a different clerk and he recommended a local restaurant–or trattoria–a smaller family run restaurant.  “They have good food, ” he said. At last, we found it. It had outdoor seating and indoors, too. We wanted to sit inside where it was air conditioned. It was very hot–at least 95 degrees even at 7 PM.

The food in Italy is divine. I chose pasta with marinara sauce and a meatball. I ate every bite! Jim had calamari and we ordered a side of focaccia bread, also very good.

Our hotel provided breakfast and it isn’t at all like the American hotel “breakfast” provision.  This was a full breakfast. The butter, milk and eggs tasted amazing.

That was our first day in Rome. On Sunday, before we left for our cruise ship, we attended mass in one of the chapels in the basilica.

We spent two more days  in Rome and I’ll tell you more next time. Walking through the cathedrals and basilicas was a high point of our travels. They are beyond description, really. I appreciate the hours and hours of time the artists took to honor the Christian faith. The soaring ceilings. Gold filigree. Marble statues. I believe the builders were trying to give the visitor a glimpse of the majesty of God.

Today, I read where Christ called Peter and James and John to be his disciples. He simply asked them to follow him. I’m glad we can worship in the ornate cathedrals or even a simple chapel. That God is present at the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee, or even in our own backyard.

One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. ² He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. ³ Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there. ⁴ When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” ⁵ “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” ⁶ And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! ⁷ A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. ⁸ When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.” ⁹ For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. ¹⁰ His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed. Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” ¹¹ And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus (Luke 5:1-10 NLT).

Just as Jesus called the disciples so long ago–not far from Rome, really–he calls us, too.

Thanks for letting me reminisce my trip with you! Next time, I may share about the amazing Sistine Chapel and the Vatican.

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Enjoy the last weekend of summer!

The post Off to Europe! appeared first on Shirley Mozena Speaker and Author.

Today, I’ll focus on one of the days of our trip. We sailed on the Aegean Sea to the largest island in an archipelago string of islands–numbering more than a thousand–produced after a giant volcanic eruption where the the center of the mountain collapsed into a caldera with islands surrounding it, Santorini. To get on the island of Santorini, is a steep trail you can take by donkey, or your own feet–or like us, a tram up, up, up the steep hillside.

For some fun, enjoy a little flavor of Greece–but please come back to read the rest of my story of Santorini…

We booked (or rather our faithful travel agent, Kristy  did) a tour with a young Greek islander named Nikolas. He drove us to different points on the island and willingly took many photos of us at this beautiful place. As we drove, he told us about his island. He grew up there, plans to have his own tour service, marry, and have children here. He spoke excellent English and with the other couple from Florida, we learned more about his homeland.

Nikolas–or Nik–told us most of the residents don’t lock their homes or cars.

The homes are painted white. During a cholera epidemic in the 1930s, they painted the homes with lime as a sanitation measure–and the white lime/paint has continued to this day. The white paint keeps the hot temperatures inside the homes cooler by about ten percent.

The domes of the churches are painted blue. Some of them are private churches, others for all to attend and worship. The people are Christian and are of the Greek Orthodox Church.

We really enjoyed our visit to the island. Nik was friendly and outgoing and took us to the major points on the island. Of course, we stopped at a shop for gelato–Nik had coffee–he said he couldn’t eat sugar all of the time. It was delicious. He dropped us off to walk through the narrow streets and shop in the many stores along the narrow path. He’d navigate the narrow streets further along and  pick us up to continue on our way. He brought us each a baklava that was chocolate covered–I would have preferred no chocolate–it was sweet enough without it. Below are some of the sights on the island.

Our last stop was at the black sand beach where we tucked our toes into the sea. There were families enjoying the evening as the sun began to set.

It was a good day and we returned via a boat tender for a short ride to deeper waters where the ship waited for us.

This morning, finally recovering from jet lag, I read from a devotional about the promise of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the lives of those who trust in Christ:

…Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:18-20 NLT).

I want to give thanks to God for the enormous gift He gives to those who trust in Christ. It’s a promise that is given to those who believe:

And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago (Ephesians 1:13 NLT).

I’m so grateful for yes, the opportunities I’ve had to travel and explore other countries and cultures. To see their buildings, homes, and taste their foods. But the greatest gift I’ve been given–and you can have as well, is the gift of eternal life and the presence of the Holy Spirit when we believe.

Thanks for letting me share a bit of my trip. I’ll tell more next time…

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDYjn-YdnD4[/embed

See you next week! Will it be Rome? Ephesus? We shall see!

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I wasn’t one of them.

I was a hardworking student. I studied diligently, completed my assignments, and genuinely wanted to learn. But whenever an important exam came along, something happened inside me.

I still remember sitting in the testing room for my teacher certification exam. The room was cold, yet my hands were clammy. My heart raced as I stared at the questions in front of me. It wasn’t because I hadn’t prepared. It was because my anxiety had convinced me I was going to fail.

And I did.

I had to take the exam a second time.

Between tests, my brother tutored me. He helped strengthen the areas where I was weak, but he also helped me realize something I couldn’t see for myself.

I wasn’t incapable.

I had test anxiety.

Those are two very different things.

I had the ability to become a teacher. I simply had to learn how to get through the test standing between me and the calling God had placed on my life.

Recently, I’ve watched several people I love wrestle with high-stakes exams. They study faithfully, yet one disappointing score leaves them wondering if they’ll ever reach their goals.

As I listened to their fears, I recognized something familiar.

The test wasn’t the greatest obstacle.

The voice inside their heads was.

“Maybe I’m not smart enough.”

“Maybe I’ll never pass.”

“Maybe this isn’t what God has for me.”

The truth is, most of us aren’t facing certification exams today. But we all face tests.

Maybe yours is a struggling marriage, financial uncertainty, a health challenge, or a dream that isn’t unfolding the way you hoped.

Mine feels a little different these days.

I’ve poured my heart into my podcast and homeschool coaching business. When growth feels painfully slow, I can hear that same little girl voice whisper,

“You’re not good enough.”

“Nobody wants to hear what you have to say.”

The test has changed.

The voice hasn’t.

But God has been gently reminding me that not every thought deserves to be believed. Scripture tells us to “take every thought captive” (2 Corinthians 10:5). I’ve come to realize that’s because some thoughts are rooted in fear, while others are rooted in truth.

So now, when fear begins to speak, I’m learning to answer it with God’s Word.

Fear says, “You’ll never make it.”

God says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

Fear says, “You’re not enough.”

God says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Fear says, “This setback defines you.”

God says, “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it.” (Philippians 1:6)

I’m still learning this lesson.

Some days I believe the little girl voice longer than I should.

But I’m becoming quicker at recognizing whose voice it is—and whose voice it isn’t.

Maybe you’re facing a test today.

It may not come with multiple-choice questions or a passing score.

Whatever stands between you and the next step God is calling you to take, remember this:

The voice of fear doesn’t get the final word.

God does.

***********

I’m Erika Sagert, and I’m delighted to be a guest contributor on Shirley’s blog. Thanks so much for having me!

Erika Sagert believes some of life’s best lessons are learned in ordinary moments—whether pulling weeds in the garden, leading a team through challenges, or encouraging another homeschool parent. She is the co-founder and Executive Director of Hope Learning Center and the host of The Intentional Homeschooler Podcast. Erika enjoys sharing practical encouragement rooted in faith and helping others move from feeling overwhelmed to living with greater purpose. She lives in Battle Ground, Washington with her husband and loves gardening, projects around the house, hiking, and spending time with her four grown children.

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It didn’t take long.

That’s the thing about weeds. They don’t ask permission. Left unattended, they quickly crowd out the very things you were trying to cultivate.

My garden was filled with lambs quarter and prickly Canadian thistle. The weeds had grown so thick that it was difficult to even see the vegetables I had carefully planted just weeks before.

As I stood looking at the mess, I felt completely overwhelmed.

I let the garden go.

I’ve ruined what I started.

I’ll never get this cleaned up.

To my embarrassment, I even found myself in tears.

Then I realized something.

I had to start somewhere.

I made a plan. I waited until the cooler part of the day, turned on some good music, and—this still makes me laugh—I even looked online for ideas on tackling an overgrown garden. I know how to pull weeds! But seeing gardens that had been completely restored gave me hope. If they could do it, maybe I could too.

So I started.

One weed at a time.

Before long, I could see progress. I even took pictures along the way because each cleared row reminded me that I was making headway.

What surprised me most wasn’t just how many weeds I removed. It was discovering that the vegetables I’d been afraid I’d lost were still there. They hadn’t been destroyed. They had simply been hidden beneath the weeds.

The garden–all cleaned up

As I worked, I couldn’t help but think about life.

Sometimes grief grows so thick we can’t see hope anymore. At times, the suffocating pressure of financial strain or a soul-crushing relationship makes us wonder if things will ever change. Sometimes parenting leaves us feeling like we’ve failed.

Overwhelm has a way of convincing us that what is hidden is gone.

But often, that isn’t true at all.

God’s work hasn’t disappeared. Hope hasn’t vanished. Like the vegetables in my garden, it has simply been hidden beneath the weeds.

Psalm 121 begins, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.”

God rarely asks us to finish the whole journey in one day. He simply asks us to trust Him with the next step. As Galatians 6:9 reminds us, “Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

Perhaps today you’re standing in front of an overgrown “garden” of your own.

Don’t spend all your energy staring at the weeds. Lift your eyes to the One who gives you strength. Ask Him for wisdom. Make a plan. Then pull the first weed.

You may be surprised how quickly hope begins to replace overwhelm once you pull the first weed and discover what is hiding beneath.

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Thanks to Erika Sagert for contributing to my blog this week while I’m away. Erika also happens to be my daughter!

I’m Erika Sagert, and I’m delighted to be a guest contributor on Shirley’s blog. Thanks so much for having me!

Erika Sagert believes some of life’s best lessons are learned in ordinary moments—whether pulling weeds in the garden, leading a team through challenges, or encouraging another homeschool parent. She is the co-founder and Executive Director of Hope Learning Center and the host of The Intentional Homeschooler Podcast. Erika enjoys sharing practical encouragement rooted in faith and helping others move from feeling overwhelmed to living with greater purpose. She lives in Battle Ground, Washington with her husband and loves gardening, projects around the house, hiking, and spending time with her four grown children.

The post Hidden Beneath the Weeds appeared first on Shirley Mozena Speaker and Author.

All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother (Abraham Lincoln).

Abraham Lincoln lost his mother at age nine. One year later, his father Thomas Lincoln, remarried Sarah Bush Johnston. It was a marriage of convenience–both Sarah and Thomas needed a mate. Thomas needed help in raising his young family, Sarah had debt and Thomas paid her debts and with her three children, they raised a family together.

Sarah Bush Johnston Lincoln

I learned a lot about Sarah, Lincoln’s stepmother in a little known book, Mothers of Famous Men, published by Lamplighter Press. When she entered the rough cabin that was to be her new home, she declared that all the children would be treated equally. Her new home was a challenge. Dirt floors, little furniture. Abraham and his cousin slept in the attic on corn husks for their bed. What was important about Sarah and Abraham’s relationship was her keen observance of Abraham’s  intelligence and yearning for learning. She encouraged him to read. It is told he brought a book with him when he worked in the field and would read when the horses rested during the day. She encouraged him to read by the fireside at night–much to his father’s chagrin–Thomas Lincoln thought it was a waste of time. Although she was most likely illiterate, she encouraged Abraham to read and provided a few books from her own household: the Bible, Aesops Fables, The Pilgrim’s Progress, and Lessons in Elocution, and later Robinson Crusoe and possibly The Arabian Nights.

It is said that Abraham and Sarah never exchanged a cross word and after her husband Thomas died, Abraham provided for her needs until he died. Mr. Lincoln called Sarah “Mother” throughout his life and she mourned him publicly after his assassination.

Why do I write about a stepmother who lived more than one-hundred fifty years ago? It might be to encourage those of you who are step mothers to either young children or adult children who you did not give birth to, but are given the task and honor of being a step mother to another person.We often have examples of step parents who are wicked and cruel to their step children, but I like it that Sarah Lincoln declared when introduced to her new children that all would be equally treated with no partiality. What a gift she gave so many people by the treatment of her step son, Abe.

This morning I read about our adoption into the family of God when we place our trust in Jesus Christ. We are adopted and treated as family! I love it that we are God’s children:

Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:15)

Abba is the intimate term that means “daddy” which is ours to have when we believe and place our trust in Jesus.

If you are a stepmother of young children, you might consider how Mrs. Lincoln treated her step children–with love and compassion and equality.

I find myself so grateful now that I am an orphan, for both of my parents are gone, that I have a Heavenly Father–a Daddy–who loves me!  I am not alone, but a child of God. I can’t ask for anything more.

If you are on my website, go to the tab “podcasts” and listen to the podcast  interview “Getting Remarried,” with my husband, Jim–especially if you are considering remarriage. It will help you gain more understanding about a blended family.

Enjoy the last day of July!

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Here’s the Lord’s Prayer in music. Enjoy.

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Fifty-five years ago this past week, on July 20, 1969, three astronauts ventured into space and the first landing on the moon took place, Apollo 11. The mission was watched live by an estimated 500–650 million people worldwide and remains one of the most significant achievements in human exploration. Neil Armstrong was the first to leave the lunar module and said this: “That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.” Later, speaking before Congress he said: “To those of you who have advocated looking high we owe our sincere gratitude, for you have granted us the opportunity to see some of the grandest views of the Creator.”

Before exiting the lunar module, Buzz Aldrin read John 15:5  “I am the vine, and you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me (John 15:5 GNT), and then took communion.

Apollo 12 Astronauts Charles “Pete” Conrad and Alan Bean walked on the moon for 31 hours. Alan Bean became an artist and in one of his paintings, he portrayed an astronaut kneeling in prayer on the moon. It is copyrighted so I can’t display it, but you can view it here: “We Came in Peace for All Mankind.”

There was a movie about Apollo 13  and if you haven’t seen it, I suggest you do. The movie tells of  the harrowing experience where an oxygen tank exploded, irreparably damaging the craft.  In sub-zero temperature, the crew pieced together an oxygen filter, jump-charged the command module batteries, and manually steered the ship to land in the ocean near a raging hurricane. During the harrowing time, President Nixon called the nation to pray.

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Signers of the Declaration of Independence

What happened to them? Here are some facts you might not know:

• Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died.
• Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.
• Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.
• Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated. But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.
• Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.
• Thomas McKean was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.
• Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.
• At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.
• Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.
• John Hart was driven from his wife’s bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart.

The Revolutionary War was hard fought and those who lived in those times were heroes.

I love reading history and about those lives in the past. Our Bible has a “Heroes of Faith” chapter in Hebrews 11. They list Abel as giving a better sacrifice. Enoch, who didn’t face death, but “God took him away.” He was commended as one who pleased God. There was Noah, Abraham, Sarah–who at age 90 gave birth to Isaac. There are many more mentioned in that chapter. What stands out to me is their faith.

Moses in front of the Children of Israel

They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth (Hebrews 11:13 NIV). 

What did the signers of the Declaration of Independence have in common with these heroes of the faith? Most of the signers were clearly members of Christian churches--twenty-nine of the signers attended seminary. They didn’t see what our country would be–only a vision of what would come. Freedom. Liberty. They had security in their lives before signing the Declaration, but they valued liberty more.

Remembering what those who’ve gone before us and what they have done is so important. Those heroes died before they saw what we are living today.

More can be said about the heroes listed book of Hebrews in the New Testament. I didn’t include Isaac and Jacob and Joseph and Moses and Rahab and Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah and David and Samuel and the prophets…the world was not worthy of them (11:38).

May we be worthy of the liberty given to us by the unsung heroes and those we can easily name.

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I’ll close with this song–please take the time to watch and listen–I think you will enjoy it:

Check out the free books here: https://kingdomcollaborationnetwork.com

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Henry Knox

I was interested in knowing more about him because of what he did in the winter of 1775. What about this man whose name is familiar to most of us because of locations named after him? There’s Knoxville, Tennessee, nine counties in the US, a historic site in Windsor, New York; as well, there’s Fort Knox in Kentucky and Fort Knox in Maine.

At twelve years old, Henry Knox had to quit school after his father died suddenly to help support his family. He was an apprentice to a bookbinder. At twenty one, he opened his own bookstore and married Lucy Flucker in 1774. Her parents were British loyalists and when she married, her parents disowned her. In 1776, they sailed out of  Boston with other British soldiers and loyalists and Lucy never saw them again.

Knox became famous in 1775 when in the middle of winter in New York, he led the expedition to transfer sixty tons of captured British cannon from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston. What did that mean? In the middle of winter, Knox dragged 42 sleds loaded with the cannons across snow and frozen waters. The 3 month endeavor over 300 miles from Ft. Ticonderoga to Boston was called by historian Victor Brooks “one of the most stupendous feats of logistics.” The placement of these cannons on Dorchester Heights in Boston forced the British to evacuate Boston and flee to Halifax, Canada. Knox was only twenty five years old at the time. 

There’s so much more I can write about this man who died suddenly at age 56, but I am humbled when I think about the many patriots who gave so much for the freedom we enjoy today.

He married Lucy Flucker, the daughter of Boston Loyalists, in 1774.  Ten of their 13 children died before they were grown.  They were formidable and conspicuous not only for their generous sizes—they both weighed over 250 pounds—but also for their gregarious personalities and love of the good life. DAR

A lot of people say they didn’t enjoy studying history in school. I must have had good teachers, for I loved learning and hearing about what happened in my own country and throughout the world.

In the morning, before I write, I always read passages in the Bible, another history book–but special because it is from God.

The Bible I use when reading early in the day, is special to me. Given for my birthday in 1982, it has pages that list marriages, births, deaths, family records, and church records. The pages of this book are thicker than most Bibles made today and have a nice solid feel to them. What is precious to me are the underlinings in different verses. There are splotches of what were tears and sometimes coffee stains. Here’s some of what I read today:

So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10 NIV)…

I read this when I feared for my husband’s life in 2005.

³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39 NIV)…

I read this while recovering after delivering my stillborn daughter, Carrie.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

² He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

³ He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

⁵ Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever (Psalm 23 KJV)…

My mother had each of her five children memorize this chapter at age four. It has countless times soothed my sleepless nights, given me strength and courage in times of trouble. 

Finally, this:

The Lord bless you
and keep you (Numbers 6:24 NIV)…

My dad often closed Sunday morning worship service with this verse. What a charge to us!

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