Who Knows?

Posted on October 13, 2026 by Shirlee Abbott


Brains overloaded with alcohol and drugs are unreliable. Judgment is skewed, memories muddled. The recollection of who did what, when and how may not tell the true story. Who knows what really happened?

 

God knows.

Psalm 139:3-4 (NIV)
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.

 

Good morning, Lord. My mind can play tricks on me — tweaking my memory so I don’t look so bad, or assigning me blame when it’s not my fault. You are all-seeing and all-knowing. Even at my best, my recollection is one-sided. Teach me to look to You for wisdom as I listen to other sides of the story. When needed, grant me the grace to say, “I’m not sure.”

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Wild Partying and Scripture

Posted on October 12, 2026 by Shirlee Abbott


Recent news stories focused on wild partying, drunkenness and casual sex — not the usual topics for my posts here. But I felt the nudge to see what the Bible has to say on the subject.

 

Romans 13:13 (NLT)
… we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy.

Other passages deliver the same message: just don’t.

 


Good morning, Lord. Sometimes Your Word simply says, “Don’t.” Teach me to accept this — no bending the rules, no excuses, no compromising with the ways of the world. At the same time, remind me that all have sinned, including me (Romans 3:23). Enable me to look at others with eyes of grace, in Jesus’ name.

 

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The Voice of Peace

Posted on October 9, 2026 by Shirlee Abbott


Hearing the gentle nudge of the Spirit can be tricky. It gets better with practice.

Romans 8:6 (ESV)
… to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

Sometimes it’s easier for me to hear God’s no than His yes. 

The Holy Spirit’s no feels like two sandpaper blocks rubbing together in my chest. A friend calls it God’s thumb in her back — she can’t get comfortable till she deals with it.

On the other hand, God’s yes feels like a breath of fresh air. It’s peace in my soul.

 


Good morning, Lord. I long for peace in my soul, and I know this peace is tied to my obedience. Tune my heart to hear Your voice and grant me the willpower to follow Your instructions — even when I don’t understand the how and why. Teach me to trust and obey.

 

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The Audible Voice

Posted on October 8, 2026 by Shirlee Abbott

 

Ezekiel 43:2 (NIV)
I saw the glory of the God of Israel …
His voice was like the roar of rushing waters.

 

Ezekiel recognized the Lord’s voice when he heard it.

Only once have I heard the audible voice of God. While this is neither the time nor place for the whole story, I’ll share this much: I was in my car and I looked at the other drivers, certain they must have heard it too. But no, they all continued on their ways unmoved. The voice that filled my space spoke to me alone, one life-changing sentence.

 


Good morning, Lord. I’m grateful for Your voice of guidance, correction and love — be it loud as rushing waters or gentle as a whisper, words on the page or a nudge in my soul. Pour Your wisdom into my heart and set my feet on the path of righteousness, in Jesus’ name.

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The Voice in the Vision

Posted on October 7, 2026 by Shirlee Abbott


God spoke to Ezekiel and other prophets in visions.

Ezekiel 1:1, 4 (NIV)
… the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God … I looked, and I saw …


Read the whole first chapter of Ezekiel for his astounding vision from God.

Sometimes God speaks to me in images (nothing as dramatic as Ezekiel’s vision): the location of my lost keys or a lesson for my Sunday School class. I know these visions come from God because they’re like movies filmed from His point of view. Pictures from my imagination would be at my eye level.

Look and see.

 


Good morning, Lord. You speak in a multitude of ways: in words, in dreams and visions, in my thoughts and memories, through the wisdom of others. Help me recognize Your voice amidst the noise of my culture and my own imaginings. Open my eyes and ears, in Jesus’ name, amen.

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The Voice on the Page

Posted on October 6, 2026 by Shirlee Abbott

 

“Thus says the Lord.”

Repeated many times in Scripture, this is God’s voice at our fingertips, written in the Bible.

 

Isaiah 55:11 (NIV)
So is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Note to self: God’s voice accomplishes His purpose, not mine — I have to align my purpose with His.

 


Good morning, Lord. I am thankful for Scripture, for Your voice in the pages of my Bible. Teach me to study Your Word and take it to heart, to remember and obey its wisdom and truth. Give me eyes to see, ears to hear and the willpower to follow Your directions.

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The Voice Telling Me Where to Turn

Posted on October 5, 2026 by Shirlee Abbott


Saturday, I drove through unfamiliar territory to a meeting far from home. I was grateful for the GPS voice guiding my way. Without her, I wouldn’t have arrived in the right place at the right time.

I often wish God’s instructions were equally clear.

Isaiah 30:26 (NIV)
 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

But no. God’s directions usually require more effort on my part. I have to ask, listen and sometimes wait. But I still trust He will get me to the right place at the right time.

 

Good morning, Lord. I’m thankful for the technology that knows where I’m going and tells me how to get there. But I’m even more thankful for Your Holy Spirit, keeping me on the right path and opening the right doors. Shine Your light on my steps and fill my mind with the wisdom of Your Word. Keep me on the straight and narrow, in Jesus’ name.

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The Great Storyteller

Posted on October 2, 2026 by Shirlee Abbott

 

Good stories are easy to remember. And Jesus was an expert storyteller: the Lost Sheep, the Prodigal Son, the Farmer Sowing Seed and so many more.

 

Matthew 13:34-35 (NLT)
Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables. This fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet:

“I will speak to you in parables.
I will explain things hidden
since the creation of the world.” [Psalm 78:2]

God tells His story better than anyone.

 

 

Good morning, Lord. Thank You for making my story part of Your story. You reveal Yourself in every chapter of my life. Make me a reflection of Your goodness and love today and every day.

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The Only Story

Posted on October 1, 2026 by Shirlee Abbott


“I love to tell the story
of unseen things above,
of Jesus and His glory,
of Jesus and His love.”
Kate Hankey, 1866

Without God, there is no story.

 

Good morning, Lord. Without You, I have no story to tell. You are the power behind every page, the joy in every season, the love that binds it all together. My heart aches for those who don’t know Your story, for people who close their eyes to the testimony of Your creation, the folks who harden their hearts to Your grace. Give them ears to hear, in Jesus’ name.

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Time for My Story

Posted on September 30, 2026 by Shirlee Abbott


I’ve written my way through changing technology: pen and paper, an old-fashioned typewriter and a new-fangled Selectric, a cumbersome computer and a sleek laptop, even my cell phone. I’ve used erasers, Wite Out, correction tape and — my favorite — the delete key.

It’s no accident I’m living in this moment in history.

Esther 4:14 (ESV)
… who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

As He did for Esther in her time, God has a plan for me in my time.

 

 

Good morning, Lord. You placed me here and now “for such a time as this.” Reveal Your purpose for me. Show me what to do next.

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