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
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 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
Week 2 Friday
More Than Candles Today’s scripture selection: Isaiah 7-11 Key verses: Isaiah 9:2 Each year at our church there is one evening to which I look forward like none other – Christmas Eve. Nestled out in the countryside, on that magical night, our little white church shines brightly. Why? Because like so many other congregations we… Continue reading Week 2 Friday
Week 2 Thursday
A Life Hedged In Today’s scripture selection: Job 3-4 Key verses: Job 3:23 When I first got my beloved dog Dash from the rescue foundation I found out he had been given that name for good reason. Open a door, turn your back, and that little dog was gone – flying down the street… Continue reading Week 2 Thursday
Week 2 Wednesday
Rest in Peace Today’s scripture selection: Psalms 3-5 Key verses: Psalm 3-5 Anyone who has ever seen a horror movie depicting a spooky old graveyard knows what the letters “R.I.P.” mean. The phrase “Rest in peace” evokes an image of the funeral home parlor, not a good night’s sleep. But today’s scripture passage suggests… Continue reading Week 2 Wednesday
Week 2 Tuesday
No Child’s Play Today’s scripture selection: Joshua 6-10 Key verses: Joshua 10:14 When I was a kid, like many young boys, I liked to play at war. I went through the classic “Cowboys and Indians” phase; the “Batman verses the Joker” phase; the “Spaceman verses the dreaded alien from Mars” phase. I remember being… Continue reading Week 2 Tuesday
Week 2 Monday
Waiting Out The Storm Today’s scripture selection: Genesis 4-7 Key verse: Genesis 6:8, 22 The Bible is filled with stories – stories of failure and victory; terrible sin and amazing redemption; death and life. On almost every page we meet characters of all type and persuasion, some beautiful, some not. But read those stories… Continue reading Week 2 Monday