New, Not Used Up

Posted on August 26, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

 

2 Corinthians 5:17 (CEV)
Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person.

 

I’m a new creation in Christ, you’re a new creation in Christ, we’re all new creations in Christ — the way God planned from the start.

Ephesians 2:10
God planned for us to do good things and to live as he has always wanted us to live. This is why he sent Christ to make us what we are.

 


Good morning, Lord. Thank You for making me new, for planning new things for me to do today and every day. Teach me to let go of my old, used up and useless ways. Empower me to step out in faith, knowing the best is yet to come.

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New, Not Old

Posted on August 25, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

There are days when I feel old, really old. The Bible says otherwise:

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

My body is getting older, for sure. But in my soul, the new has come, is coming and will continue to come, every day. 

 


Good morning, Lord. Each day brings new mercies, new insights, new opportunities and new growth. The older I get, the more I learn about Your love and wisdom. There’s something new every morning, thank You!

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The Shepherd’s Love

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

More on the parable of the lost sheep:

“He [Jesus] has a deep sympathy with each stray heart. He knows the sorrow that sin brings, the deep pollution and the terrible wounding that comes of transgression, even at the time; and the sore heart and the broken spirit that will come of it before long; and so the sympathetic Saviour grieves over each lost sheep, for he knows the misery which lies in the fact of being lost.” (Charles Spurgeon, 1884)

When our dog went missing, I was more concerned about her well-being than my loss. That’s how God feels about each of us.

 

Good morning, Lord. You don’t want any to perish, but all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). You grant us free will, always giving us the opportunity to do life Your way. I sometimes forget how much You care, how much You grieve when any one of us runs away from You. You don’t give up on us, we’re the ones who give up on You. Thank You for Your ever-watchful, persevering love.

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Preview of Heavenly Joy

Posted on August 21, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

 

In the parable of the lost sheep, there’s a big celebration when the shepherd finds his wayward sheep.

 


Luke 15:6-7 (NIV)
Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’  I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

I posted a photo of our lost dog on social media. Once she was back home, I updated those posts. A host of folks I don’t even know responded with joy — an earthly peek into a heavenly reality.

 

Good morning, Lord. Scripture says the heavenly host rejoices when a sinner repents. Once upon a time, saints and angels sang and danced on my behalf. Wow!

Likewise, O God, may I rejoice whenever I hear that one who was lost has been found.

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Lost and Found

Posted on August 20, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

 

Our pup, a 5-year-old rescue, seemed to have settled into our household. And yet, she ran away.

 


Matthew 18:10 (NIV)
… If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?

We canceled our vacation and devoted five days to the (ultimately successful) search. Why? Surely, there are a hundred more dogs awaiting homes. We could have said, “Well, that one’s gone, let’s get another.”

But that’s not the way love works.

 


Good morning, Lord. There are billions of people in the world, and You care for each one — none are ignored or discarded, considered worthless by You. You love each one of us as though we were Your only child. As the hymn says, “Amazing love! How can it be … O my God, it found out me!” (Charles Wesley, 1738).

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Vacation Plans … Interrupted

Posted on August 19, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott


As Day 1 of our vacation drew to a close, we got bad news from home. Our pup escaped from the dogsitter, disappearing into the woods. Our plans changed. We turned around.

 

Luke 15:4 (NIV)
Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?

Suddenly, the parable of the lost sheep applied to me personally. As the week moves forward, I’ll share my lessons learned.

**spoiler alert** all’s well that ends well.

 

Good morning, Lord. Your Word is, as Scripture says, living and powerful (Hebrews 12:2). You can take a familiar passage and pop it in front of me like a giant stop sign, making me bow down in awe of Your wisdom. Words used more than two thousand years ago are suddenly spoken straight to my ears. And to think, Lord Jesus, that You knew about me back when You said it — I am amazed. 

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Vacation Time

Posted on August 5, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

 

Be back in two weeks!

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Follow the Light

Posted on August 4, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

I will be on vacation for a couple weeks, so I’ll leave you with this thought to ponder while I’m away:


“Light in Scripture is the emblem of joy …
Light is also the cause of beauty …
Light is also the emblem of knowledge.”
Charles Spurgeon
Morning & Evening
August 3 – Morning.


Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12). Jesus is the source of all joy, beauty and knowledge. Follow the light!

 


Good morning, Lord. I write this as the morning light creeps above the horizon — thank You for the beauty of the sunrise. Thank You for Your Word — I rejoice in the wisdom I find there; it is my strength for today and my hope for tomorrow. I praise You for the radiance of Your creation, for the lights in the sky and the beauty of the earth.

As I walk through my world, Lord, let Your light shine on me and through me, in Jesus’ name, amen.

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A Tool in God’s Hands

Posted on August 1, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

Romans 6:13 (TLB)
Do not let any part of your bodies become tools of wickedness, to be used for sinning; but give yourselves completely to God—every part of you—for you are back from death and you want to be tools in the hands of God, to be used for his good purposes.

Which do I want to be: a tool for wickedness or a tool in God’s hands?

 


Good morning, Lord. Use me for Your good purposes. Sometimes it may not feel good; sometimes I don’t understand. But this I know: You are a good God, and You see the big eternal picture. I can trust You to work it together for good (Romans 8:28).

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Humble-Hearted Before God

Posted on July 31, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott


Psalm 51:17 (ERV)
The sacrifice that God wants is a humble spirit. God, you will not turn away someone who comes with a humble heart and is willing to obey you.


Humble heart, humble soul, humble spirit — I’m not there yet. I’m still a work in progress.

 

 

Good morning, Lord. You call for humility — pride and arrogance get in my way. Pride takes personal credit for what I accomplish, overlooking Your role in my life’s journey. Arrogance thinks my way is the right way.


Teach me not to think too highly of myself. Fill me with gratitude for the skills and opportunities You have sent my way. Grant me faith to do things Your way.

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