Harvest Today’s Scripture Selection: Galatians 6:9 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” We’ve all heard it before: you reap what you sow. Even though that is a soundly Biblical teaching – it has become a popular saying… Continue reading Harvest
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
Gentleness
Gentleness Today’s Scripture Selection: Second Timothy 2:24 “And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.” How gentle are you? You might think the answer to that question might depend on the specific circumstances; the person or persons with which you are dealing, etc. But,… Continue reading Gentleness
Faith
Faith Today’s Scripture Selection: Luke 17:5 “The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!” Even with all they were witnessing All the teaching All the healing All the miracles …they had the need. They needed help with their faith. Isn’t that true of all of us? No matter how close we sometimes feel to… Continue reading Faith
Eagerness
Eagerness Today’s Scripture Selection: Mark 10:17 “As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. ‘Good teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’” It must have been a dramatic scene. A young man, full of energy and passion, falling at the… Continue reading Eagerness
Daily
Daily Today’s Scripture Selection: Luke 9:23 “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Much has been written about these words of Jesus; and much debated about what it means to Come after me Deny himself Take up his cross Follow me What I… Continue reading Daily
Calling
Calling Today’s Scripture Selection: Ephesians 4:1-5 “As a prisoner of the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. … Continue reading Calling
Balance
Balance Today’s Scripture Selection: Isaiah 40:12 “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?” Does your life… Continue reading Balance
Abundance
Abundance Today’s Scripture Selection: John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” When is enough – enough? When do you have enough money; enough friendship; enough love; enough power; enough respect; enough – anything? I suppose if you were… Continue reading Abundance
Faith: A to Z
Dear Faithful Readers, As I said yesterday, today we begin a fresh year of The Mustard Seed Daily Devotional posts. We have spent the last year together, working our way through the scriptures by “genre.” Now, we begin another walk – this time by theme. But where to begin? Well, how about our own alphabet?… Continue reading Faith: A to Z
A Personal Note To My Readers – Thank You.
Dear Faithful Readers: Thank you! With today’s post, I have completed exactly one year of daily devotionals. As promised, we have walked together – each day – through the entire Bible. Oh, we haven’t looked at every single verse of the Bible. But we have looked at key passages, one day at a time. I… Continue reading A Personal Note To My Readers – Thank You.