Newborns Today’s scripture selection: First Peter 1-3 Key verse: First Peter 2:2 I’m not a parent. So I can’t speak with any authority on how to properly diaper an infant; the fine art of feeding that infant strained vegetables; how to best deal with his or her fussiness or unique little quirks. I’ve never tried… Continue reading Week 45 Saturday
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 45 Friday
Priorities Today’s scripture selection: Haggai Key verses: Haggai 1:4-8 It was time to rebuild the temple. It had been destroyed, years before, and permission had been given for it to be rebuilt. Those who had been exiled had a chance to return to their homeland and their God. But the building project had stalled. For… Continue reading Week 45 Friday
Week 45 Thursday
Don’t Rush It Today’s scripture selection: Ecclesiastes 5-6 Key verse: Ecclesiastes 5:1 “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.” When it comes to prayer – I usually suggest to people that… Continue reading Week 45 Thursday
Week 45 Wednesday
Wiped Clean Today’s scripture selection: Psalms 128-130 Key verses: Psalm 130:3-4 “If you, LORD, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.” We live in a world that likes to keep score. Think about it. How many times, each and… Continue reading Week 45 Wednesday
Week 45 Tuesday
Unexpected Help Today’s scripture selection: Second Chronicles 33-36 Key verses: Second Chronicles 33:22-23 “In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put… Continue reading Week 45 Tuesday
Week 45 Monday
Creative Editing Today’s scripture selection: Deuteronomy 10-12 Key verses: Deuteronomy 12:32 “See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it.” Now and then, I think it’s helpful to remember something… God doesn’t need an editor. We know that, of course. We know “He wrote the book”… Continue reading Week 45 Monday
Week 45 Sunday
No Accident Today’s scripture selection: Acts 13-14 Key Verse: Acts 13:2-3 “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabus and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them… Continue reading Week 45 Sunday
Week 44 Saturday
Plain Talk Today’s scripture selection: James 4-5 Key verse: James 4:7 I love the New Testament book of James. Why? Because James doesn’t beat around the bush – he tells it like it is. In just a few short chapters he covers a lot of territory: How to handle trials in life The difference between… Continue reading Week 44 Saturday
Week 44 Friday
Gathered Again Today’s scripture selection: Zephaniah Key verses: Zephaniah 3:20 It isn’t long – and it isn’t pretty. I’m talking about the message we find in the book of Zephaniah. It’s only three chapters – and all but a few verses of it are pure judgment; real hellfire and damnation stuff. It’s not the kind… Continue reading Week 44 Friday
Week 44 Thursday
There is a time Today’s scripture selection: Ecclesiastes 3-4 Key verses: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” Lots of people talk a lot about time. We talk about When we will get what we want When we will accomplish something important When we will be… Continue reading Week 44 Thursday