Louder Than Words Today’s scripture selection: Acts 9-10 Key Verse: Acts 9:26 “When he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples: and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple.” The apostle Paul – before he was known as the apostle Paul – had… Continue reading Week 43 Sunday
Author: Paul Simrell
The Reverend Paul W. Simrell has served for over thirty years in a variety of congregational and institutional settings. He is a recognized minister with standing in the Virginia region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada and is nationally endorsed by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) for specialized ministry in both pastoral counseling and chaplaincy. Ordained in 1982, he has served congregations in Kentucky, Texas, Florida, and Virginia. He currently serves as the pastor of Elpis Christian Church, a small, historic congregation located just a few miles west of Richmond, Virginia. Elpis is the Greek word meaning “expectant hope.” He also serves on the associate clinical staff of the Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care, Richmond, Virginia, both as a pastoral counselor and a ministerial assessment specialist, specializing in executive, clergy and relationship coaching. He is a graduate of the University of Florida and Lexington Theological Seminary and has done advanced clinical training in chaplaincy and pastoral counseling at the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky, Children’s Medical Center and Parkland Hospital in Dallas, Texas and the Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care in Richmond, Virginia. He is a Certified Pastoral Counselor, an ACPE Practitioner, and a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors. He is a Certified Facilitator of the Prepare-Enrich relationship assessment and skills-building program and served as a volunteer chaplain for over twenty years with the CJW Medical Center campuses in Richmond, Virginia. His avocational interests include playing the piano and drawing. He is very happily married to his wife Elizabeth Yeamans Simrell, a free-lance writer, who is also a Certified Facilitator for the Prepare-Enrich program.
Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton
Week 42 Saturday
Expectant Hope Today’s scripture selection: Hebrews 11-13 Key verses: Hebrews 11:1-2 “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.” Have you ever thought about the different kinds of hope? There’s a sort of “wish for the best” kind… Continue reading Week 42 Saturday
Week 42 Friday
Refuge and Judge Today’s scripture selection: Nahum Key verses: Nahum 1:7-9 A lot of people seem to picture God to be one thing or another, but not both. Either they see Him as a loving, ever present source of grace or they see Him as the holy Judge of all. Nahum says He is both.… Continue reading Week 42 Friday
Week 42 Thursday
The Sound of Grace Today’s scripture selection: Proverbs 31 Key verses: Proverbs 31:8 “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.” It might not always be popular or politically “correct”. It might not be what the majority wants to hear. It might even cause you to… Continue reading Week 42 Thursday
Week 42 Wednesday
Coming and Going Today’s scripture selection: Psalms 120-121 Key verse: Psalm 121:8 It’s an expression that is a little outdated; maybe even a bit quaint. But I think it says a lot about a certain psychological, and spiritual, condition: “I don’t know if I’m coming or going!” Ever feel that way? Well, if so,… Continue reading Week 42 Wednesday
Week 42 Tuesday
In the Eyes of the Lord Today’s scripture selection: Second Chronicles 21-24 Key verses: Second Chronicles 24:2 “Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the years of Jehoiada the priest.” I have a friend who once spoke of what it was like to do something “right there in front of… Continue reading Week 42 Tuesday
Week 42 Monday
Wilderness Wandering Today’s scripture selection: Deuteronomy 1-3 Key verse: Deuteronomy 2:7 “The LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast wilderness. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you, and you have not lacked anything.” Over the years… Continue reading Week 42 Monday
Week 42 Sunday
Scattered But Not Defeated Today’s scripture selection: Acts 7-8 Key Verse: Acts 8:4 “Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.” One of the things I find encouraging about the early church’s history is that persecution seemed to only strengthen it. They were no strangers to challenges. They were, from the beginning,… Continue reading Week 42 Sunday
Week 41 Saturday
The Real McCoy Today’s scripture selection: Hebrews 8-10 Key verse: Hebrews 9:24 “For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the real one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence.” A long time ago, in T.V. terms, there was a very… Continue reading Week 41 Saturday
Week 41 Friday
What God Wants Today’s scripture selection: Micah Key verse: Micah 6:8 Have you ever asked, especially when feeling like life has been too confusing or demanding, what God wants? Have you ever been tempted to cry out, “God, just what do you WANT anyway?” If so – Micah has an answer for you: “He has… Continue reading Week 41 Friday