Nobody Special Today’s scripture selection: Matthew 17-19 Key verses: Matthew 18:3-4 It was just an ordinary day at the shopping mall – at least for me. I was wandering among the clothes racks in one of the stores when I felt a small, almost imperceptible tug, on my pants leg. Looking down, I… Continue reading Week 7 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 6 Saturday
Find Your Gift Today’s scripture selection: Romans 11-12 Key verses: Romans 12:6-8 In recent years there’s been a lot written about how we should all find our “purpose” in life; how having a personal “mission statement” is a good idea. Maybe it is a sort of pendulum swing from the self-serving consuming attitudes of the… Continue reading Week 6 Saturday
Week 6 Friday
Staying On Path Today’s scripture selection: Isaiah 29-33 Key verses: Isaiah 20:31 “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.” One of the most common laments I hear people make is that they just can’t decide… Continue reading Week 6 Friday
Week 6 Thursday
Keeping Your Eye On The Little Things Today’s scripture selection: Job 11-12 Key verses: Job 12:7-10 This summer I took up a new hobby. It won’t make me smarter or increase my vocabulary; it won’t help me get in better shape physically; it won’t supplement my income or increase my stature in the community. It’s… Continue reading Week 6 Thursday
Week 6 Wednesday
A Glad Heart Today’s scripture selection: Psalms 15-17 Key verses: Psalm 6:9-11 Heartburn is no fun. I have plenty of experience with this because I have a bad habit of skipping breakfast, eating a “fast food” lunch, and guzzling lots of coffee all day. That’s a prescription for heartburn that can set a house on… Continue reading Week 6 Wednesday
Week 6 Tuesday
The Next Generation Today’s scripture selection: Judges 1-6 Key verses: Judges 2:10 When I was a kid it seemed to me that those older than I were always talking about the “these kids today.” Usually, what they had to say wasn’t very favorable. There was lots of talk about hair being too long and dresses… Continue reading Week 6 Tuesday
Week 6 Monday
Holding Nothing Back Today’s scripture selection: Genesis 20-23 Key verse: Genesis 22:12 Some stories in the Bible really bother me. That may sound funny, coming from a preacher, but that’s just the case. While the scriptures are filled with wonderful tales that can be happily be shared at bedtime with our little ones;… Continue reading Week 6 Monday
Week 6 Sunday
No Crystal Ball Today’s scripture selection: Matthew 14-16 Key verse: Matthew 16:1 “If only I had some kind of sign that this was the right thing for me to do!” Ever said those words? I know I have. No matter how hard we study over a situation, no matter how much “data” we gather, so… Continue reading Week 6 Sunday
Week 5 Saturday
Today’s scripture selection: Romans 9-10 Key verses: Romans 10:14-15 If the apostle Paul had been a Southern Baptist preacher, he might have been tempted to say he had a “burden on his heart.” He was worried – about those who needed to hear a word of grace and hope. He was more than concerned about… Continue reading Week 5 Saturday
Week 5 Friday
On This Mountain Today’s scripture selection: Isaiah 23-28 Key verses: Isaiah 25:7 The church denomination in which I serve has a camp retreat center in Virginia. It’s nestled there in the mountains – and over the years – I have spent a fair amount of time there. Now, don’t let anyone fool you. Church camp… Continue reading Week 5 Friday