No Greener Pastures Today’s scripture selection: Psalms 21-23 Key verses: Psalm 23 Of all the beloved scriptures of the Bible, I suppose there are none more recognized, and revered, than those of Psalm 23. Even those who know almost nothing of the faith are familiar with these words: “The Lord is… Continue reading Week 8 Wednesday
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 8 Tuesday
Power From Above Today’s scripture selection: Judges 12-16 Key verses: Judges 14:5-7 There are some biblical characters that are so memorable that even those who know little about the faith know about them. Samson is one such man. Ask about Samson and you are likely to hear some vague recollection of a sort of biblical… Continue reading Week 8 Tuesday
Week 8 Monday
A Stairway to Heaven Today’s scripture selection: Genesis 28-31 Key verse: Genesis 28:17 Ask people of a certain age what they know about a “stairway to heaven” and you are likely to hear about all about a song performed by the English rock band Led Zeppelin back in the seventies. But the Bible… Continue reading Week 8 Monday
Week 8 Sunday
My Fair Share Today’s scripture selection: Matthew 20-22 Key verses: Matthew 22:37-39 One of my favorite things to do at Christmas time is watch the T.V. special A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS. As I get my annual dose of Linus telling the PEANUTS gang, “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown” I happily… Continue reading Week 8 Sunday
Week 7 Saturday
Watch Your Step Today’s scripture selection: Romans 13-14 Key verses: Romans 14:13b “…make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.” Awhile back, I almost had a bad fall. I was leaving our church’s sanctuary, my mind on something other than what I… Continue reading Week 7 Saturday
Week 7 Friday
Oasis Today’s scripture selection: Isaiah 34-39 Key verses: Isaiah 35:1-2 When I graduated from seminary I was excited to find a ministry in Dallas, Texas. It was the days of the popular “Dallas” T.V. show; I had always lived on the eastern side of the country and was ready for a change of scenery;… Continue reading Week 7 Friday
Week 7 Thursday
Fleeting Shadows Today’s scripture selection: Job 13-14 Key verses: Job 14:1-2 Job was fed up. He was fed up with the unhelpful “advice” of friends; with their self-righteous attitudes and platitudes. And he let them have it with both barrels. Not only that – he gave God an earful too. In the… Continue reading Week 7 Thursday
Week 7 Wednesday
Keep Me Truckin’ Today’s scripture selection: Psalms 18-20 Key verses: Psalm 18:28 Recently, during one of my children’s sermons at church, I asked the kids how other people could know that they (the children) were lovers of God – just by looking at them. I asked a simple question: “What does a lover of… Continue reading Week 7 Wednesday
Week 7 Tuesday
Too Many Men Today’s scripture selection: Judges 7-11 Key verses: Judges 7:2 Ever feel outnumbered? Sure – it’s an all too common feeling – pressures mount around us and soon we find our strength failing; our resolve melting. And before long we hear that enticing whisper in our ears, “If only you had a few… Continue reading Week 7 Tuesday
Week 7 Monday
The Blessing Today’s scripture selection: Genesis 24-27 Key verse: Genesis 27:28 “May God give you heaven’s dew and earth’s richness — an abundance of grain and new wine.” One of the wonderful things about the Bible is that it doesn’t “sugarcoat” its saints. What I mean is, they are real – they have… Continue reading Week 7 Monday