Stage by Stage Today’s scripture selection: Genesis 12-15 Key verse: Genesis 12:9 He was seventy-five years old when he left his homeland: not a great time in life to begin a road trip. But Abram, who would one day be known as Abraham – the father of a multitude – did what… Continue reading Week 4 Monday
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 4 Sunday
Believe It or Not Today’s scripture selection: Matthew 8-9 Key verse: Matthew 9:35-38 The stories roll on, one after another, building in intensity. A leper is healed; a tormented servant finds relief; a family member of one of the inner circle is restored to health; fierce storm waves are stilled; sins are forgiven; devils… Continue reading Week 4 Sunday
Week 3 Saturday
Peace and Progress Today’s scripture selection: Romans 5-6 Key verses: Romans 5:1-5 The Christian life is a two-sided coin. On the one side, we have been given a gift, pure and simple. God’s grace-filled love comes to us, not because we have earned it; not because we are good enough; not because we are… Continue reading Week 3 Saturday
Week 3 Friday
A Well Full of Grace Today’s scripture selection: Isaiah 12-17 Key verses: Isaiah 12:2-3 It may seem like an odd place to find it. In the midst of prophetic doom and gloom, chapter after chapter of condemnation, comes a word of hope and grace. “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and… Continue reading Week 3 Friday
Week 3 Thursday
Some Lessons Hurt Today’s scripture selection: Job 5-6 Key verses: Job 5:17-18 It’s a cliché with which we are all familiar: A father stands before his child, preparing to discipline him, and he says “This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you, but….” And whether or not the discipline is a… Continue reading Week 3 Thursday
Week 3 Wednesday
More Than A Hymnbook Today’s scripture selection: Psalms 6-8 Key verses: Psalm 8:3-4 “Psalmos” – it means “a poem sung to the accompaniment of musical instruments.” But that barely describes it. Psalms is all about telling God what’s on your mind, and in your heart. It’s about the full gamut of emotions… Continue reading Week 3 Wednesday
Week 3 Tuesday
When the Battles Get Old Today’s scripture selection: Joshua 11-15 Key verses: Joshua 13:1 My office library is filled with Bibles. Somewhere along the line I learned that it’s good to have various versions of these ancient texts, along with their adjacent commentaries. Read them side by side and you soon learn something very important. People… Continue reading Week 3 Tuesday
Week 3 Monday
A Rainbow’s Promise Today’s scripture selection: Genesis 8-11 Key verse: Genesis 9:12-16 Promises are important things. From our youngest days we understand that. Friends keep promises; enemies don’t. Marriages are built on them; divorces happen because they are ignored. Promises are just one way that we become people of integrity – people others… Continue reading Week 3 Monday
Week 3 Sunday
The Sermon of a Lifetime Today’s scripture selection: Matthew 5-7 Key verse: Matthew 5:1-2 He had stepped out of obscurity into a very public ministry. He had told the people that the kingdom of heaven was much closer to them then they realized. He had called his first disciples, promising these simple fishermen that… Continue reading Week 3 Sunday
Week 2 Saturday
Follow the Rules Today’s scripture selection: Romans 3-4 Key verses: Romans 3:23-24 “THAT’S NOT FAIR – YOUR’E NOT FOLLOWING THE RULES!” Remember those days? Maybe you were playing “Spaceman on Mars” when you encountered your alien little sister hiding behind a bush. You shot her with your ray gun, but she didn’t disintegrate like… Continue reading Week 2 Saturday