Gullible Today’s scripture selection: Proverbs 14-15 Key verse: Proverbs 14:15 Time for a little practical advice. Remember that old saying about there being a “sucker” born every minute? Turns out Solomon offered that same advice a couple of thousand years before it was ever said. “The simple believe anything, but the prudent give… Continue reading Week 31 Thursday
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 31 Wednesday
A Place to Dwell Today’s scripture selection: Psalms 90-92 Key verses: Psalm 90:1-2 One of my favorite Psalms is the one that begins this way: “Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” There’s… Continue reading Week 31 Wednesday
Week 31 Tuesday
Faithful Renewal Today’s scripture selection: Second Kings 21-25 Key verses: Second Kings 23:1-3 Josiah was a young – but faithful – king. During a period of reform he instituted a “book” was found. It was no ordinary book. It was a book of law and religious covenant. It clearly spelled out all the things that… Continue reading Week 31 Tuesday
Week 31 Monday
Busy, Busy, Busy Today’s scripture selection: Leviticus 22-24 Key verses: Leviticus 23:3 Everybody’s so busy. Or at least it seems that way. I serve a small congregation, out in the country. We’re near a city – but not a mammoth one. It’s not L.A. or New York. It’s Virginia – you know, the Blue Ridge… Continue reading Week 31 Monday
Week 31 Sunday
Light and Life Today’s scripture selection: John 1-2 Key Verses: John 1:4-5 I love the way the apostle John begins his gospel. While the other gospel writers start right in with the historic details of Jesus’ life – John takes another, much more dramatic, angle. “In the beginning was the Word, and… Continue reading Week 31 Sunday
Week 30 Saturday
Produced by Faith, Prompted by Love, Inspired By Hope Today’s scripture selection: First Thessalonians 1-3 Key verse: First Thessalonians 1:3 The apostle Paul was quite a wordsmith. Yes, like many authors, he sometimes got a little carried away. Now and then, it seems to me like he used a hundred words when a… Continue reading Week 30 Saturday
Week 30 Friday
Dry Bones Today’s scripture selection: Ezekiel 37-42 Key verse: Ezekiel 37:3 Dry; dusty; and very definitely dead – that described the vision of bones that the prophet saw before him. There is nothing quite so final; so void of hope than death – especially when it is graphically represented by not just one or two… Continue reading Week 30 Friday
Week 30 Thursday
This Little Light of Mine Today’s scripture selection: Proverbs 13 Key verse: Proverbs 13:9 One of my earliest memories of church life is singing a song called “This Little Light of Mine.” Over the years I have led more children than I can remember in singing this same song. If you’ve heard it,… Continue reading Week 30 Thursday
Week 30 Wednesday
Unbreakable Today’s scripture selection: Psalms 87-89 Key verse: Psalm 89:34 Life is full of things that are easily broken. That’s part of the harsh reality of the world… Commitments are broken Promises are broken Hearts are broken People are broken Even our relationship with God can be broken At least when it comes to our… Continue reading Week 30 Wednesday
Week 30 Tuesday
A Foolish Pride Today’s scripture selection: Second Kings 16-20 Key verses: Second Kings 16-20 King Hezekiah was going to die. At least that was the word from Isaiah the prophet. Fearful; broken; he appealed to God for mercy. And he received it – another fifteen years of life. His appeal was based on… Continue reading Week 30 Tuesday