Listening for God

January 26, 2026

Maria Habakkuk 2 , , , Leave a comment

I will take my stand at my watchpost
and station myself on the tower,
and look out to see what he will say to me . . .
Habakkuk 2:1 (ESV)

The audiologist who welcomed me into her office took her time explaining which tests she would conduct to determine hearing loss. Her graph, where she would plot my data, intrigued me. I was game for this new adventure.

Once inside her sound booth, she adjusted my earphones and handed me a small device. Each time I heard a sound, however faint, I was to press the beeper.

The beeps sounded first in one ear and then the other. I detected maybe seven different frequencies of various volumes. Awaiting each tone, I focused all my attention so I could accurately communicate my hearing. Some were so faint, in the absolute quiet of the booth, that I wasn’t sure whether I really heard anything.

I have never listened for anything with this degree of concentration. Totally certain that I would hear a tone, I waited patiently.

It was during the subsequent and different test that my heart made the connection between listening for God and being certain that He would speak.

I often return to verses about being a watchman, seeking God and listening for Him. But now I have a new picture of just how I want to be attentive to Him. For we belong to a God who does speak.

God woke me up to warn me

January 18, 2026

Maria God as helper, God speaks, God's counsel, God's wisdom, Holy Spirit, Psalm 16 , , , Leave a comment

I will bless the LORD who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. Psalm 16:7 NLT

I lay semi-awake toward dawn, musing about a trip we had just booked for May. All of a sudden, I pictured the “Wise” debit card I had ordered online. The last two times we have driven in Italy, we have struggled to pay for gas outside of cities. Our credit cards and U.S. debit cards haven’t worked, and we’ve had to rely on cash.

But someone had recommended Wise as a mode of international payment, so I had applied. The card had not yet arrived, though it should have. Truth is, I had forgotten about it.

Then I remembered, with a sinking heart, that two nights earlier I had tossed a long green envelope addressed to me. I hadn’t even opened it because it looked like junk mail. Into the kitchen garbage it went.

Yet Sunday morning, the Holy Spirit successfully broke through my half-asleep state to alert me to the possibility that I had thrown away what I needed. I earnestly started praying to recover the envelope, picturing what I had inadvertently done. As soon as the alarm went off, I sprang from bed and hurriedly fed the cats.

Sure enough, as the cats were eating their breakfast, I picked my way through the top of the white kitchen trash bag and found it! Inside was the Wise debit card, which I activated. Whew—the Lord has saved my derrière!

As I sat down to read my Bible, joyful praise poured out of my mouth. “Thank you, good Father, You really do counsel me in the night!” All day long, I overflowed with amazement and thanksgiving.

I also learned a lesson—don’t judge a piece of mail by its envelope!

Feed on Him – the book A collection of 365 daily devotions to make God’s Word yours. Available on Amazon in paper or kindle.

Boasting can be ugly

January 16, 2026

Maria 2 Corinthians 10, Glorifying God, Hope, Psalm 34 , , 1 Comment

“My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.” — Psalm 34:2 ESV

One hundred percent, I want David’s proclamation to be true about me. I’m even memorizing this entire Psalm, writing a verse a day on an index card and practicing in quiet moments.

But yesterday, I was living out this truth instead:

“Maria makes her boast about how productive she is; let those around her hear and be impressed!”

By nightfall, the Lord had totally humbled me. The first time was late in the afternoon. I boasted to a friend who had texted to find out how our granddaughter was doing after her surgery. I hadn’t had time to check on Chloe until late in the afternoon because I had been so busy! Yet, in all my self-imposed busyness, I took the time to text this friend a list of everything that had kept me occupied.

Immediately, the Holy Spirit convicted me. I quickly sent another message to Ali and apologized. You would think that would have been enough for me to keep my mouth shut about myself.

Nope. Later on, we headed out to church after an early supper—Mike to choir practice and I, to join the weekly prayer meeting. After 30 minutes of focused prayer, while still lingering at our table, one gal asked me what the rest of my week looked like. I rattled off all the very productive activities I had ahead of me. The urge to impress took over as I regaled her and the others with the rich and productive, retirement life I choose to lead. 

Later, lying in bed with no distractions, I cringed when the Lord brought to remembrance the two times I could have boasted in the Lord instead of myself. That would have helped others to trust more in our good God. Instead, I wasted opportunities to bring honor to Him. 

While pondering what drives me to want to brag on myself, I think the sin behind this boasting is that I’m impressed with myself! From my heart, my mouth blurts out vanities.

As I read in a book recently, the only solution might be duct tape! And to stop thinking that anyone cares about the nitty gritty of my days. People are hungry, rather, for solid hope, the kind that only comes from the Lord.

As the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD.” 2 Corinthians 10:17

Feed on Him, the book, a year’s collection of daily Bible reflections, is available on Amazon in print or kindle.

What does ‘Love one another’ look like?

January 12, 2026

Maria 1 Corinthians 13, 1 John 4, Abiding, Love , Leave a comment

If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him. 1 Corinthians 13:7 The Living Bible

For Roy’s Sunday school class today we read the entire book of Paul’s first Epistle to the Corinthian church. To make reading easier, I chose the Living Bible, which is a paraphrase.

When I started in on Paul’s teaching about love, I had to stop in my tracks. The particular segment, “. . . you will always expect the best of him . . .” seemed like too high a standard for me! 

All through the month of December, I had challenged myself to memorize about 10 or so verses from 1 John 4.  (Verse 16 is my favorite!). Writing to encourage the church, the aging apostle had painstakingly emphasized how important brotherly love is since God is love. If I want evidence that I am truly connected to Jesus, the measure is how I love those in my church. But what does THAT mean concretely?  How do I show love?

To be honest, I can’t say I always expect the best from the one whom I love most in this world, let alone others. Sometimes I imagine that Mike might let something trigger him as it has in the past, whether aggressive drivers or the threat of tornadoes. I try to remind myself that the past does not predict the future, certainly not with God who is always working in us.

Yet, if that is how I think about my husband, and that’s evidence of the quality or essence of my love, then it would appear that I don’t abide in Jesus.

I would despair were it not for the FACT that God empowers me to TRY to love my husband and others this way–expecting the best from them. And when I fail, I can rest in Jesus’ forgiveness and righteousness credited to me. 

And what about the other elements having to do with my loyalty, belief, and ready defense of brothers and sisters? Unless presented with factual evidence to the contrary, I conclude that we are to take fellow Christians at face value and defend their honor, unless the Lord guides us differently.

Feed on Him, the book, is now available on Amazon in print or Kindle

Fighting back against harmful thoughts

December 29, 2025

Maria Philippians 4, Proverbs 18, Proverbs 23, Proverbs 4, Spiritual Warfare, Truth , , , , , Leave a comment

For as he thinks within himself, so he is. Proverbs 23:7 NASB
Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 4:23. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true… Philippians 4:8 NLT

As I reflect back over the year 2025, I give thanks for the defensive spiritual weapons the Lord has given me to fight back against the foul spirits directed by Satan. The essence of these biblical truths and commands above, together with some cultural adages, have served me well.

You do know we are engaged in a cosmic war, right? As those who have been transferred out of Satan’s kingdom of darkness and into God’s bright kingdom of light and righteousness, we are constantly under attack.

Last week, on Christmas Eve day, I battled jealousy on and off until mid-afternoon. Current photos our daughter-in-law posted of her four children delighting in some curated fun with “the other grandparents” triggered me to conclude that they are “the better grandparents.” It also didn’t help that we were not around family, although we had recently spent most of Thanksgiving week with all six of our grandkids.

So, how did I fight back?

All I can say is that I kept at it. I didn’t stop battling. I alternated between confessing my sinful thoughts and thanking God for these other loving grandparents who live closer and can lavish attention and gifts on them more frequently than we can.

What helped most was uttering out loud to Maria, “The story I’m telling myself is…,” as well as reminding myself of the many times we, too, have planned fun experiences, building strong bonds and creating. Finally, Satan let up, and my heart (thoughts) returned to a state of peace.

In 2025, “the story I’m telling myself” has served as my go-to shield. I wield this defensive weapon whenever I find myself succumbing to harmful thinking. At times when Mike articulates a negative script about his circumstances, I will remind him to choose a different possible story. Yes, we are able, through God’s Spirit, to select what we know to be true and not draw damaging conclusions from our imaginations.

On Thursday, I was just feeling sorry for myself, and Satan toyed with me.

Scripture teaches us that God has endowed ALL believers with the gift of sound, or logical, thinking (2 Timothy 1:7), and He expects us to use this gift—to practice it.

As the verses above show, we are commanded to keep guard over our thought lives (our hearts). I’m sure you’ve heard Proverbs 18:21 multiple times, reminding us that life and death are in the power of tongue. What we think and say to ourselves DOES matter.

My only goal for 2026 is to work on my heart. I am praying that daily, with intentionality, I will weed the garden of my heart. I’m counting on God’s Word and some curated self-talk to keep my armor in shape.

By the way, I haven’t forgotten one other self-talk help in my arsenal—the title of the book What If It’s Wonderful? by Nicole Zasowski. I use these four words whenever I catch myself, out of fear, futurizing “the worst possible scenario.”

How do you fight back with God’s help?

Can you be in the will of God and still suffer?

December 20, 2025

Maria 1 Corinthians 4, Answers to Prayer, Decision-making, God's will, Prayer, Psalm 23, suffering , , , , , Leave a comment

Even now we go hungry and thirsty, and we don’t have enough clothes to keep warm. We are often beaten and have no home.
1 Corinthians 4:11 (NLT)

When we decided to move from southeastern Virginia to the mountains of western North Carolina, we prayed all year long. I had read a book by Kevin DeYoung entitled Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God’s Will. His approach helped shape our prayers.

We would speak each night out loud to our Shepherd in prayer, sometimes even physically raising up open hands to symbolize that we trusted Him to open or shut doors. For us, that posture meant that we were willing for Him to redirect us. 

God responded by selling our house in Virginia, locating a mountain cabin on ten acres, and providing me with a French teaching job in Asheville. All in five months and coinciding with Mike’s retirement from federal service. 

With such a green light, we packed up in June 2013, loaded our two cats, and convoyed down to our new life in the mountains. Our plan – Mike would work from home as a subcontractor while I commuted to my school to teach French. 

Naively, we assumed that being in God’s will would preclude major hardships.

Recently I was reminded of that “adventure” and our assumptions while reading the novel Return to Me by Lynn Austin.

Austin takes biblical facts from the first six chapters of Ezra and provides backstory, bringing to life the struggle of the first group of returnees from Babylon. They journey back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. I’ve almost finished the book, which spans almost 23 years. I’m seeing how our God takes the long view. He is in no hurry to have His good plans and purposes accomplished.

Clearly, these families journeyed under the will of God, since Cyrus, king of Persia, issued a proclamation fulfilling the prophecy of Jeremiah. The Persian ruler even goes so far as to supply the returnees with the gold and silver utensils and cups stolen from the Jewish temple.

But almost as soon as the returnees begin their work, they meet with resistance and violence. Life becomes stressful and terribly hard. Eventually, they are forced to stop their labor.

The reality is that, just like Paul and the early Christians, living according to His plans does not preclude suffering.

Our own personal ordeals since then have changed my perspective. Life is challenging in a world broken by sin and influenced by Satan. But God’s response is His promised presence:

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4 (ESV)

So, what happened to us in North Carolina? We left after almost six years to move to Huntsville, Alabama. The different adversities and hardships were worth it, though. I came to know Jesus at a deeper level. Our trust in Him grew. And we are both very content living here.

I pray each day that I trust my Savior, who daily leads me in paths of ease?
No—in paths of righteousness for His purposes.

Our bodies hear our words

December 10, 2025

Maria 2 Timothy 2, God's Word, Mark 11, Spiritual Warfare, Worry , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.”
—Mark 11:22–23 NLT

After watching an episode in one of my YouTube video subscriptions, the top sidebar video that appeared next seemed random and not at all connected with the content I had just finished. Out of curiosity, I allowed this ‘random’ content to follow.  A pastor whom I had never listened to before was making the case for announcing God’s Word out loud. His point was that our body hears what we say, impacting not only our physical body but also our emotions—for good or for ill.

Citing Jesus’ teaching to SPEAK to the mountains in faith, the pastor counseled against talking ABOUT them. That’s when his message hit home.

I’ve described my issues, worries, and obstacles to others (and to myself) for years! Why? Probably out of a desire for some pity or empathy. At this point you should respond, “Maria, so, how has THAT worked for you?”

Rarely has bemoaning circumstances solved anything. Talking about issues often serves to keep us focused on them.

Thanks be to God, I recently put in place a way to change my meditating (or muttering as the Hebrews calls it). These days my daily verse to recite and ponder comes from 2 Timothy 1:7: For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. NKJV

I’ve reworded and personalized this declaration this way: Maria, God has not given you a spirit of fear and anxiety, but HIS Spirit of strength and energy, of love and assurance, and of clear, Bible-based thinking.

This verse supports Jesus’ exhortation in Mark to TALK to mountains—those we ourselves face and those in the lives of others.

So, today, instead of lamenting my mountains, I’m choosing to address them directly. I’m declaring out loud: “Be gone, mountain of sleeplessness. Be gone, stress and anxiety. You can count on God.”

I’m applying this principle to friends, family, and the world as well. “Be gone, cancer! Be gone, fear of children going off the rails! Be gone, evil traffickers of women and children! Be gone, corrupt and destructive leadership that holds their people captive! Be gone, Satan, and you foul fellow spirits!”

When my words emerge from Bible-based sound thinking, they hold power. After all, God SPOKE the world into creation, and we have been made in His image. Our words matter. And our bodies are listening.

God did infinitely more than I imagined.

November 30, 2025

Maria Fear, Psalm 40, Spiritual Warfare, Temptation, Trusting God , , , , , , 1 Comment


What if It’s Wonderful? — title of a book by Nicole Zasowski

I read Nicole’s account of listening to God rather than her fears probably four years ago. Her title has become one of my “tools” for battling the temptation to picture negative outcomes. Nicole, a believer in Christ, suffered multiple miscarriages before delivering a healthy baby. She learned to keep trusting the goodness of God despite her past.

“What if it’s wonderful?” turned out to be key this Thanksgiving week. Our family of 12 gathered at our oldest son’s house in Tampa. Mike and I drove down to join our six grandchildren, our two sons, and their wives.

Prior to this journey south, I had indulged in some fearful imagining based on previous experiences with family. On several occasions as grandparents, we had not met the expectations of our sons and their wives in our interactions with the kids.

To top it off, Mike and I had been home not even two weeks from our last trip, and Mike was slowly recovering from a cold. He was feeling the pressure to complete audio work and assist the choir with a strong voice before we departed. We were both stressing.

That is when God started to work His wonders.

By Sunday morning, He had restored Mike’s voice. The choir at Westminster Pres assisted all of us in praising God with song. Later that afternoon, Mike completed some audio work, and we departed with a thankful heart the next morning.

Starting on day one, I made two constant requests of the Lord: one, that our four grandchildren driving down from Virginia would remain healthy so they could enjoy being with their Florida cousins; and number two, that Mike and I would simply enter into all the activities, relax, and enjoy each moment.

I kept hoping and praying, “What if it’s wonderful?” I also asked two friends to lift us up to the Lord each day.

Family holidays are prime time for spiritual attack and for sin to separate us. During our four days with everyone, I sometimes interpreted facial expressions, imagining that someone was not pleased with me. I know—I can be an insecure mother-in-law! As an only child of older parents, I did not grow up with extended family. I never enjoyed the delight of hanging out, basking in the love of grandparents, cousins, uncles, and aunts.

Guess what? The Lord did provide for a marvelous visit. I bet you’re not surprised. After all, this is God who sets us in families and gives us friends. Why wouldn’t He do something more than we could ask or imagine?

All 12 of us remained healthy.

The sun shone, and we spent a lot of time outside. All six kids benefited from fresh air and playful exertion.

Graham and Shay offered their Airbnb to us and our other son and his family. We all had plenty of space.

Laughter reigned as all 12 of us played multiple group games each day.

A sourdough disaster turned into a learning experience for me, thanks to my daughter-in-law Anne. I had brought some sourdough starter and my Dutch oven to make bread with Vera.

We all connected in one-on-one conversations and gained fresh insights about how others think and what energizes them.

Finally, as a small “kiss” from the Father to Mike, my husband shared cigars and conversation last night out by the Hampton Inn firepit with another guest. This was a first.

Our takeaway? Our minds, when predicting the future, can only draw on past experiences. But God is infinite. My motto remains: What if today is wonderful!

You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.
 Psalm 40:5 ESV

What DOES last forever? What can I let go of?

November 24, 2025

Maria Daniel 10, Eternity, God's Peace, God's Word, Isaiah 40 , , , Leave a comment

“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” — Isaiah 40:8 NIV

My book had been out for ten days when I discovered a terrible blunder. Wanting to clean up the mess of files I had on my Mac, I deleted—and then “emptied trash” of—what I had painstakingly uploaded, edited, and laid out in a software program called Vellum. As they say—and as I keep learning painfully—you don’t know what you don’t know.

I now readily acknowledge my lack of basic understanding in operating a computer. I assumed that the Vellum software would “save” these files, but they don’t provide a server to back up one’s work.

Why would I want these files since the book is already out? Simply to correct typos I’m finding as I read through the devotions myself.

After about 36 hours of pit-dwelling and trying everything I could to recreate the files from old documents, I gave up. What helped me climb up and out and into the light of eternal reality was when Mike uttered, “The juice is not worth the squeeze!” If I wanted to format and edit 448 pages all over again, it would take time I could be using to write the next book!

All mistakes and failures provide rich lessons if one is willing to accept and apply them. Mike has given me a tutorial in best computing practices, and I now know I won’t make some of the same mistakes again.

But most importantly, the Lord has shifted my eyes up and onto Him. My writing—this book about God—will not last forever, but HE will. And so will His Word. Every human being will also endure through time, either with God or away from Him.

Acknowledging the Eternal centers me. So, what I have been doing this last week is soaking myself in the Father’s lasting love for me.  One of the verses I’ve been basking in comes from Daniel 10:19. My rewrite goes like this: O woman, greatly loved, fear not. Peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.

God’s love and His Word never end. Focusing on them gives life. Tech problems drain us!

How we talk to ourselves matters

November 15, 2025

Maria Belief, Fear, God's faithfulness, Prayer, Psalm 107, Psalm 126, Unbelief , , , , , Leave a comment

“The Lord has done great things for me, and I am glad.”
 Ps. 126:3 — my paraphrase

So many of my friends are journeying through difficult times. Some face cancer scares, others lament and then pray with hope for prodigals, and a few have lost jobs.

Last week, I celebrated the Lord’s goodness to me as He led me into the light, having birthed a book, Feed on Him: 365 Daily Devotions to Make God’s Word Yours with His help. One practical anchor that kept me from allowing myself to be overcome by difficulties was the phrase, “The story I’m telling myself is . . . .”

We all move through our days with an invisible but steady inner monologue. For far too long, mine has been more negative than positive—even as a follower of Jesus. Though, you wouldn’t notice that about me, for I project “cheery and animated” when I interact with others.

But I have decided to try to change my thought patterns. Since the beginning of November—two weeks now—I have invested time most mornings in writing down personalized versions of Scripture to remind me just how much God loves me. The idea is that if I “marinate”—as Scotty Smith writes—in His eternal agape love for me, that can rewire my heart and my body. Yes, I’m brainwashing myself with God’s truth.

Anyone can turn Scripture into a personal confession, praying it back to the Lord. Today I have in mind the grown daughter of a sweet friend of mine. This young mom and other family members are waiting for the results of a biopsy, knowing that a positive result would be serious.

Using Psalm 126:3 as a prompt to announce God’s goodness, I’ve customized some of Psalm 107, announcing God’s Word as having already happened. I had written it for myself after the book project. Stressing over it had caused my body to exhibit some very distracting physical side effects.

Vs. 1 I give thanks to You, O Lord, for You are good; Your steadfast love for me lasts forever.
Vs. 2 I, redeemed by Your love, do say so, for You have redeemed me from many past troubles.
Vs. 5–6 When my soul was fainting from fear within me and I cried out to You, Lord, You delivered me from my distress.
Vs. 7 And You led me by a straight way.
Vs. 8 I thank You for Your unfailing love for me.
Vs. 14 You brought me out of the darkness of my own despair. You burst my bonds.
Vs. 15 I do thank You for Your steadfast love that never changes.
Vs. 19 When I cried to You in my trouble, You delivered me from my distress.
Vs. 20 You sent out Your Word and healed me.

We’re not blind to circumstances, but our God is more powerful than any created detail. As the prophet proclaimed:

“Heal me, LORD, and I will be healed.”
 Jeremiah 17:14 NIV

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