Spring for the Soul

Posted on March 22, 2026 by Barbara Harper

After Noah and his family finally got off the ark, God promised, “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22).

One of the things I loved about moving from TX to SC and TN was having four distinct seasons. Winter has its charms, but it’s not my favorite. Our winters aren’t as severe as many of our northern neighbors, but the cold can still pack a punch.

Early spring can still host a snowfall or two. We don’t usually plant anything until well into May, so young seedlings aren’t killed by a late frost.

Still, by and large, signs of spring increase day by day. Light stays longer. Trees begin to bud. Spring flowers start sending their shoots above ground. And many of us feel a new hope and energy with the return of color and light into our worlds.

Souls have seasons, too, though they are not as predictable as the physical realm. I’ve often been inspired by John Newton’s “Waiting for Spring.” The whole poem, along with some of his journal entries at the time, can be found here. I’ve shared it many times before, but it always speaks to me this time of year. In the first three stanzas, he talks about the change of seasons as part of God’s decree. Then he writes:

Such changes are for us decreed;
Believers have their winters too;
But spring shall certainly succeed,
And all their former life renew.

Winter and spring have each their use,
And each, in turn, his people know;
One kills the weeds their hearts produce,
The other makes their graces grow.

Though like dead trees awhile they seem,
Yet having life within their root,
The welcome spring’s reviving beam
Draws forth their blossoms, leaves, and fruit.

Then he prays in the last stanza:

Dear Lord, afford our souls a spring,
Thou know’st our winter has been long;
Shine forth, and warm our hearts to sing,
And thy rich grace shall be our song.

Another of his poems, or hymns, “Pleasing spring is here again” captures evidences of spring.

What a change has taken place!
Emblem of the spring of grace;
How the soul, in winter, mourns
Till the Lord, the Sun, returns;
Till the Spirit’s gentle rain,
Bids the heart revive again;
Then the stone is turned to flesh,
And each grace springs forth afresh.

Lord, afford a spring to me!
Let me feel like what I see;
Ah! my winter has been long,
Chilled my hopes, and stopped my song!
Winter threatened to destroy
Faith and love, and every joy;
If thy life was in the root,
Still I could not yield thee fruit.

Speak, and by thy gracious voice
Make my drooping soul rejoice;
O beloved Saviour, haste,
Tell me all the storms are past:
On thy garden deign to smile,
Raise the plants, enrich the soil;
Soon thy presence will restore
Life to what seemed dead before.

Both of these hymns were in Newton’s Olney Hymns, Book 2.

Unlike dormant spring plants and trees, we don’t have to wait for the Son to shine. We can go to His light: “The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple” (Psalm 119:130).

“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

“Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth” (Hosea 6:3).

“But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall” (Malachi 4:2).

“To give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:77-79).

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone” (Isaiah 9:2).

When winter hangs on in our souls, we need God’s light to warm, nourish, and revive us. We can pray with John Newton:

Dear Lord, afford our souls a spring,
Thou know’st our winter has been long;
Shine forth, and warm our hearts to sing,
And thy rich grace shall be our song.

(I often link up with some of these bloggers.)

God Uses the Ordinary

Posted on March 15, 2026 by Barbara Harper

I often hear people put the words “just” or “only” in front of their descriptions.

I’m just a student.

I’m just a housewife.

I’m just a mom.

I’m just a secretary.

I’m just a bus driver.

Saying “I’m just . . . ” in that context implies the speaker feels somehow subpar, that others have a bigger role in life.

It’s true that God sometimes takes a person from relative obscurity, gives them a big job, and puts them out in front. Moses, Joseph, Gideon, David, Daniel, Peter, and so many others come to mind.

But most of the people preached to in the Bible, the people who made up the churches the New Testament letters were written to, were just ordinary people learning what it meant to live for Christ in their worlds.

Some of the people we see in the Bible were in the spotlight for a while, but went back to ordinary life: Ruth, Zechariah and Elizabeth, Anna, Simeon, and others. There are some of Jesus’ disciples about whom we know nothing but their names. Mary, the mother of Jesus, experienced some spectacular episodes around Jesus’ birth. But most of the rest of her life was involved with the everyday happenings of a Jewish mother in Nazareth.

Then there were people like the little girl who served Naaman’s wife and told about the prophet in Israel who could heal her master, or the boy who gave his small lunch to the disciples, which was broken and multiplied to feed thousands.

Ordinary life is where the rubber meets the road, isn’t it? That’s where we tend to let our guard down. But that’s also where the bulk of our ministry is, among our own family, neighborhood, and church.

Some of the ordinary people who have ministered to me:

A couple in our church who often invited me over for a meal, followed by their family devotional time, and unwittingly modeled for me what a godly marriage and family looked like.

A woman just ahead of me in life seasons who talked about her teenage daughter while we put up a missionary bulletin board at church and shaped my view of parenting teenagers.

A couple at church who anonymously paid for my tuition to a Christian school for my last two years of high school. This not only helped me become grounded spiritually, but led to the college I attended, where I met my husband. To this day I don’t know who they are, but I think I might have an idea.

The woman who served with a smile almost every time the church had a function involving food.

People who may never have taught a class or preached a message, but who prayed or shared a quiet word of encouragement.

People who do their jobs with excellence and a good attitude, who are a balm after dealing with people who don’t.

My grandfather used to say, “God must love common folks, He made so many of us.”

Most of us are “common folks.” But God loves us and can use us in our everyday ordinary ways to minister to others and glorify Him.

(I often link up with some of these bloggers.)

How Do We Delight In the Lord?

Posted on March 8, 2026 by Barbara Harper

Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4).

Whenever I’ve heard teaching or preaching on this verse, the emphasis has always been on the second half. We’re taught that this verse isn’t a blank check for whatever our hearts might want. Instead, as we delight in the Lord, He will give us the desires we ought to have. The better we know Him and delight in Him, the more our desires will align with His.

However, I don’t think I’ve ever heard the first part of the verse explained–unless I have forgotten it. It seems to be assumed that we know what it means to delight in something.

And we do. “Delight” carries the connotation of pleasure and joy. We delight in people–a husband, child, grandchild, or friend. We might take pleasure in a special gift, heirloom, or a just-right or longed-for purchase. We take joy in special occasions–graduation, wedding days, dinner with friends.

But do we take joy in God?

We’re often thankful for our salvation, answered prayer, the beauty of creation, and many other gifts from God. And that’s good.

But do we delight in Him?

Here are some ways that are a help to me–perhaps they will be to you, too.

Delight in God’s Word.

The Bible is the primary way God speaks to us in our day. There will be times our Bible reading might seem a little dry, but God promises “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” 2 Timothy 3:16-17).

The more we read the Bible with a heart to know God, the more we’ll delight in it, and then in Him. Psalm 119 calls God’s Word a delight ten different times.

Aside from specific study, have you ever opened the Bible to find exactly what you needed for the moment? Fellow blogger Nancy Ruegg calls this experience Bible Hugs. I don’t know how many times I have been pondering a question, issue, or need, and my scheduled Bible reading for the day addressed the very thing I was thinking about.. That makes me feel so seen and loved by my Father.

One quick example: I was in the hospital thirty years ago undergoing tests for what would eventually be diagnosed as transverse myelitis. I was scheduled for an MRI, which was fairly new at the time. Any medical personnel who came into my room asked me if I was claustrophobic. I wasn’t sure–I had never been in a position that would cause me to feel claustrophobia. But their questions were making me that way! They explained that some people are bothered by being surrounded by the MRI machine and having to be still through the somewhat lengthy scan. They could give me something to relax me for it, but would need to know if I wanted it early enough to order it and then for it to be administered in time.

That day, the reading in my Daily Light on the Daily Path devotional was full of verses about stillness, like, “Sit still, my daughter,” “Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted,: “Be still, and know that I am God,” “In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength, ” “Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still,” “He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.” Those calmed my heart. I recited them to myself while in the MRI machine and even dozed off.

Study God’s attributes.

At first, that might sound like a dry academic pursuit. Instead, such a study leads to worship and joy.

As an example, a friend and I are studying God’s attributes in None Like Him: 10 Ways God Is Different From Us and Why That’s a Good Thing by Jen Wilkin.

The first chapter deals with God’s infinity. Jen points out that it is impossible to measure Him in any way. David says “his greatness is unsearchable” (Psalm 145:3). Solomon said the highest heaven could not contain God (1 Kings 8:27).

God Himself measures the waters, the heavens, and the mountains, but “Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord?” (Isaiah 40:12-13).

God’s greatness inspires awe and worship, but also fear. What might a God that big do to us? Does He even notice us or care about us?

Yes, Jen says. He knows the number of our hairs (Luke 12:7). He measures our sorrows and tears (Psalm 56:8). He measures our sins, yet “his immeasurable grace exceeds them” (Romans 4:7-8; 5:20).

When I read this book the first time, I was amazed how meditating on God’s attributes increased my faith: “God can take care of anything! What do I have to worry about?” But learning about Him more deeply also spilled over into love for Him and delight in Him.

Mardi Collier had a similar experience as a result of Bible study. She and her husband, Ken, served at The Wilds Christian Camp and Conference Center in various capacities for years (at one time, he was the president). When she talked with her husband about wanting to know God better, he suggested she start in the psalms and make note of every verse that said something about God. She made a notebook and started a new page every time she saw a new attribute of God, adding to each page as she found other verses. Her study expanded to the rest of the Bible. That project eventually became a book: What Do I Know About My God?

So as we read the Bible, we don’t just get through the scheduled reading for the day: we look for God. What does the passage say about God? But we don’t just read it academically. We read it personally.

Remember what God has done.

Psalm 150:2 tells us to “Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness!” We marvel at God’s hand throughout history as we read the Bible. Not only does He demonstrate His wisdom and ability in leading and providing for and protecting His often unappreciative people, He also shows His love and compassion for them.

But God didn’t just work in history. He works in our lives today. David writes in Psalm 63:5-8: “My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.” Whether making a list with pen (or computer) or lying awake and thinking in the middle of the night, recounting God’s work in our lives causes us to joy in Him.

Some years ago, I was encouraged to write down my “Ebenezers.” The word means “stone of help” and comes from 1 Samuel 7:12, where Samuel placed a stone as a memorial of God’s help and called it “Ebenezer.” God helps us every day in big and small ways, but I made a list of some special times when I particularly saw God’s hand at work (that list can be found here.)

Pray.

Prayer is a big subject with many facets, but for our purposes today, I’ll just say there’s nothing like a direct answer to a personal prayer–or the realization that God’s “no” was the best response–to inspire our delight in the Lord.

Read and sing hymns.

Colossians 3:16 says we are taught and admonished as we sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Music and poetry have a way of engaging our minds as well as our emotions and can feed our delight in the Lord.

I can hardly sing “Is He Worthy?” without getting teary. “God of Heaven,” “Behold Our God,” and “O God Beyond All Praising” all transport me into instant worship.

Another favorite is the lesser-known but lovely “O God My Joy” (lyrics and background information here), based on Psalm 43:3-4: “Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling! Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God.”

And then there are the multitudes of hymns that are testimonies of what God has done in our lives.

See God’s hand in creation.

Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” Have you ever been stopped in your tracks by a gorgeous sunset, beautiful flowers, or majestic mountain scenes and marveled at God’s handiwork?

Then David wrote in Psalm 8:3-4: “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” The God of such grandeur knows and loves and cares for us!

Turn thoughts to God all through the day.

We don’t have to confine our worship or our delight in the Lord to our time in the Bible with Him or in prayer. As we go about our daily tasks, we can pray, sing, or think about God’s character, words, and deeds.

What helps you most to delight in the Lord?

(I often link up with some of these bloggers.)

Spiritual Maturity Is Dependent

Posted on March 1, 2026 by Barbara Harper

Whether we have our own children, or nieces and nephews, or friends’ children, or little ones at church, we expect to see them grow. Even though we marvel at how quickly they seem to grow, we would be concerned if they didn’t.

We also assume that children will grow mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Moms might miss the cute antics of their little ones, but they’d be alarmed if their teenagers acted like toddlers.

Though there is an aspect of grief when children become adults and leave home, there is anticipation, too. We look forward to seeing what God will do in their lives.

As much as we miss our kids when they move away from home, we know something is wrong if they’re forty and still living in their parents’ basement, playing video games most of the day.

Maturity in the children we’re close to seems to be measured by their ability to stand on their own two feet–to function successfully as adults on their own. Though we welcome their coming to us for advice, and we love to help them in any way we can, we know we won’t be around forever.

Spiritually, though, we don’t grow independent from God. We don’t become spiritual adults as we move away from Him to live our own lives.

Instead, we grow spiritually when we realize how little we actually have control over, when we’re aware we need God every moment of every day. We grow more dependent on God as we mature.

How do we mature spiritually?

We take in His Word. 1 Peter 2:2, NKJV: “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.” Acts 20:32: “And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.“

We grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord. 2 Peter 3:16-18: “There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

We pray. Colossians 1:9-10: “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”

We learn from the leaders God gave the church. Ephesians 4:11-13: “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”

We develop discernment by learning to distinguish between good and evil. Hebrews 5:12-14: “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”

Renew our minds. Romans 12:2: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.“

Behold Christ. 2 Corinthians 3:18: “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

What does spiritual maturity look like?

Stability. Ephesians 4:14: “That we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”

Awareness of our weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Endurance and hope. Romans 5:3-4: “Endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

Fruit of the Holy Spirit evident in our lives. Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”

Jesus. Ephesians 4:13: “Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”

Maturity doesn’t always accompany age. Some older people aren’t very mature at all, and some young people can display remarkable maturity. But the good news is, whatever stage we are in now, we can grow spiritually and become more and more like Christ.

(I often link up with some of these bloggers.)

Review: James for You

Posted on February 25, 2026 by Barbara Harper

The New Testament epistle of James has been a controversial book over the years. Some have felt that his emphasis on showing faith by works contradicts Paul’s writings that salvation is by faith, not works. But Sam Allberry shows in James for You: Showing You How Real Faith Looks in Real Life that the two writers are really saying the same thing. They are just looking at faith and works from different angles.

One of the main things I appreciated in Allberry’s books is that he showed how the book flows together. We tend to–or at least, I have tended to–read the paragraphs as isolated topics. For instance, James 2-3 talks abut the sin of showing partiality, then faith without works, then taming the tongue, then wisdom from above, then worldliness. But each paragraph leads into the next.

Allberry describes James’ style as “practical, pithy, and very direct.” James was the half-brother of Jesus, and his book is “soaked in the words and wisdom of James’ older brother. He may not be named much in this letter, but his presence is felt throughout.” Like Jesus, James uses simple, everyday illustrations.

Some of the themes James deals with, in addition to faith and works, are wisdom, obedience, dealing with trials, needs of the poor, responsibility of the wealthy, the danger of double-mindedness, the dangers of the tongue.

A few quotes that stood out to me:

Faith needs the pushback of trials for us to grow spiritually. Trials and difficulties are an opportunity to cling on to the promises of God more tightly.

It is what God can accomplish through suffering that is good, not the suffering itself. It is an opportunity to gain the most valuable thing on earth: a faith that is complete and lacking nothing; maturity and depth in our relationship with God.

Good behaviour in one area does not cancel out law-breaking in another.

And so the battle is with the will. James is not saying that Christians will automatically be able to experience joy in suffering. We are called to “consider” trials in this way. We need to fight to think about them in the right way: consciously to force our perspective and vision above and beyond the present suffering, so that we look forward to the good that God will, over time, produce through them.

I have not read anything else by Sam Allberry–I had not even heard of him before. But I appreciate the insights he brought to the study of James.

What Do You Tell Yourself?

Posted on February 22, 2026 by Barbara Harper

I imagine we all talk to ourselves throughout the day. Sometimes we ask things like, “Where did I put my phone?” Or “What did I come in here for?”

Sometimes we commiserate with ourselves about the driver who just cut us off in traffic or the rude salesperson.

We might berate ourselves when we’ve done something we think is dumb. Or congratulate ourselves when we feel we have done something well.

Occasionally, our self-talk goes much deeper. Hard times come, and we conclude God doesn’t love us. A time of suffering drags on, and we feel there’s no hope in sight.

There are multitudes of reasons to read the Bible. One is that we might discern truth from falsehood–not only in others, but also in ourselves.

I love this quote before from David Martyn-Lloyd Jones in Spiritual Depression:

Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself? Take those thoughts that come to you the moment you wake up in the morning. You have not originated them but they are talking to you, they bring back the problems of yesterday, etc. Somebody is talking. Who is talking to you? Your self is talking to you. Now this man’s treatment [in Psalm 42] was this: instead of allowing this self to talk to him, he starts talking to himself. “Why art thou cast down, O my soul?” he asks. His soul had been depressing him, crushing him. So he stands up and says, “Self, listen for a moment, I will speak to you.”

The psalms provide multitudes of examples of the writer correcting his wrong thoughts and encouraging himself with God’s truth. They show the writer coming to God with a problem or an issue: Where are you? Why are you not acting? The wicked are faring better than Your people. I’m hurting here. People are persecuting me for no reason.

And then the writer reminds himself of truths about his God: He’s here. He loves us. He cares. The wicked will face consequences some day if they don’t repent. God will strengthen me and help me.

We don’t have to live at the mercy of thoughts running rampant or dragging us down. We take our thoughts captive. We can search our Bibles, turn to familiar helpful passages, and ask God to remind us of His truth. We renew our minds with His Word.

(A few lines here have been taken from a couple of previous posts.)

(I often link up with some of these bloggers.)

Rely on God and Make Every Effort

Posted on February 17, 2026 by Barbara Harper

We all have trouble with self-control in some areas: eating habits, overspending, wasting time, cutting remarks, flares of temper, etc. We’ve had enough experience trying to correct those issues that we know willpower alone doesn’t conquer them.

As Christians, we know self-control is one part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23. So if we’re struggling with anger, we pray for the Spirit’s help and control. Then five minutes later, we find ourselves ranting at the driver who cut us off in traffic or the computer that mysteriously isn’t working right.

So what happened?

Peter tells us, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3). He has already given us “all things that pertain to life and godliness.” How? “By which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire” (verse 4). Then, “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith . . . with self-control” (among other things, verses 5-6).

“Make every effort” doesn’t mean we try to drum up our own righteousness. That’s impossible. That’s why Jesus died for us, so that He could take on our unrighteousness and grant us His righteousness when we repent of our sin and trust in Him for salvation. But it’s because He did this that we have “all things that pertain to life and godliness.”

I tend to want to figure out where the lines are, what’s God’s part and what’s my part, what’s the formula? But God doesn’t usually work by way of formulas. Somehow He works in us “to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). But He doesn’t expect us to be passive. He uses means to accomplish His will in us.

We need to recognize and correct the lies we tell ourselves and take responsibility for our actions and reactions. Often we blame other people (“If he hadn’t said this, I would not have been tempted to say that”). Or we blame circumstances (“I was busy and missed lunch, so those doughnuts were irresistible”).

We need to change our thinking so it lines up with His. Romans 12:2 tells us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.”

We might feel like we just can’t help ourselves. But God says, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). We need to pray that God will help us look for the way of escape rather than an excuse to indulge.

We need to yield to God instead of insisting on our right to our own way: “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God” (Romans 6:13, KJV).

We need to abide in Him, because without Him we can do nothing. (John 15:1-5).

We spend much time in Scripture, which “is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

We behold Him in His Word. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says: “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

When self is screaming for its own way, we need to remember Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23).

We may need to make some determinations, like David did in Psalm 101:2-3: “I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.” I used to be against making resolutions, because they seemed like setting ourselves up for failure, as well as focusing on our own effort. And then I came across 2 Thessalonians 1:11: “To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power.” Every resolve for good. But relying on God’s power, not my own.

I think of God’s part and my part something like what the children of Israel did in the Old Testament. Sometimes God supernaturally defeated their enemies. But usually, they had to pick up their swords and fight. They learned from sad experience that they only won when God was with them and they were relying on Him.

I think it is similar for us. Sometimes God will seemingly instantly deliver us from a wrong desire or habit. But often it takes prayer and relying on God’s Word and help to make any headway. And since self-control is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, and fruit takes time to grow, it may take time for us to gain victory in a given area.

Another way I think of these things is what happened when Jesus told the lame man to walk or the man with a withered hand to stretch it out. Both of them could have said, “That’s the very thing I cannot do.” But they obeyed–and in the process, God gave the strength to do His will. I usually want to “feel” strengthened before I obey–but often He gives strength as we obey.

May God give us wisdom, grace, and strength as we rely on His work in us and cooperate with His working outward through us.

__________
This post was inspired by an excellent chapter on discipline and self-control in True Woman 201: Interior Design: Ten Elements of Biblical Womanhood by Mary Kassian and Nancy Leigh DeMoss (now Wolgemuth). Our ladies Bible study at church is going through this book, which is based on Titus 2:1-5.

(I often link up with some of these bloggers.)

“Deep roots are not reached by the frost”

Posted on February 8, 2026 by Barbara Harper

When I was looking for winter inspiration last week, I came across a poem by J. R. R. Tolkien from The Fellowship of the Ring. It’s a riddle Bilbo Baggins wrote for Frodo to help him find the real Strider. But one line in particular caught my eye.

This is the first half of the riddle:

All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

If you’re like me, you might’ve read the first line as the familiar saying adapted from Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice: “All that glisters is not gold.”

Tolkien flips it. The king they are looking for in LOTR isn’t “glittering” in his kingly accouterments yet. (Does that sound like someone else you know?)

But that’s not the line that arrested me. What stopped me in my tracks was this: “Deep roots are not reached by the frost.“

Trees that aren’t evergreens look dead in the winter, don’t they? They have no leaves or fruit. They are barren for many months. They might lose limbs to ice or heavy snow.

In fact, releasing their autumn leaves helps protect them from harsh, freezing conditions. If trees kept their leaves all winter, they might lose more limbs from the extra weight when iced over. Insects would eat more of their vegetation. Since water expands when frozen, cells in leaves would rupture in freezing temperatures.

Some of the trees that fall over in bad weather have shallow or damaged roots.

But if roots are firm and deep enough, trees withstand the winter. They not only survive: they sprout new leaves when spring comes. They grow. They flourish.

Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

When we go through a spiritual winter, we might feel leafless and fruitless. Jesus said branches are pruned in order that they might bear more fruit. Sometimes new growth comes only when parts are cut away–not just old, diseased parts, but branches that look perfectly fine.

Jesus said a person whose heart is like rocky ground “endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away” (Matthew 13:21).

But if we’re deeply rooted in Christ, winters won’t destroy us.

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving (Colossians 2:6-7).

When we’re rooted in Him, we know His character. We can trust Him even when we don’t understand what He is doing.

When we’re rooted in Him, we’re firm in our identity. We’re His children. We’re forgiven, cleansed, sanctified, known, loved.

When we’re rooted and built up in Him, we’re established in the faith. We won’t be “tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes” (Ephesians 4:14).

We stand firmly no matter what storms are raging around us, no matter how deep the frost, no matter what losses we face. As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9:

“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed;
perplexed, but not driven to despair;
persecuted, but not forsaken;
struck down, but not destroyed.”

May we walk as we received Him, humbly, dependent on Him and not ourselves. May we be so rooted and built up in Him that no frost can reach our roots.

(I often link up with some of these bloggers.)

Winter Inspiration

Posted on February 5, 2026 by Barbara Harper

I know a few people who love winter. Very few. 🙂 It’s not my favorite season. The stretch from mid-February to the first signs of spring are the hardest for me.

To try to combat negative thoughts about this season, I looked for some inspiration–Bible verses, quotes, poems, and songs that share a better perspective on winter. I collected some to share with you.

Bible verses

He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes. He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before his cold? He sends out his word, and melts them; he makes his wind blow and the waters flow. –Psalm 147:16-17.

Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word! –Psalm 148:7-8.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. –Psalm 51:7:

“Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord: “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” –Isaiah 1:18.

Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the soul of his masters. –Proverbs 25:13.

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:10-11.

Quotes

I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, “Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.” Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

The tendinous part of the mind, so to speak, is more developed in winter; the fleshy, in summer. I should say winter had given the bone and sinew to literature, summer the tissues and the blood. –John Burroughs

Glory follows afflictions, not as the day follows the night but as the spring follows the winter; for the winter prepares the earth for the spring, so do afflictions sanctified prepare the soul for glory. —Richard Sibbes

Our winters shall not frown for ever; summer shall soon smile. The tide will not eternally ebb out; the floods retrace their march. The night shall not hang its darkness for ever over our souls; the sun shall yet arise with healing beneath his wings. – ‘The Lord turned again to the captivity of Job.’ Our sorrows shall have an end when God has gotten his end in them. –Spurgeon

Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home. –Edith Sitwell

One kind word can warm three winter months. –Japanese Proverb

Poems

One of the most famous poems set in winter is “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost, which can be read here.

An excerpt from “November” in A Child’s Calendar by John Updike:

The stripped and shapely
Maple grieves
The loss of her
Departed leaves.

The ground is hard,
As hard as stone.
The year is old,
The birds are flown.

And yet the world,
Nevertheless,
Displays a certain
Loveliness –

The beauty of the bone.

An excerpt from “Winter Morning” by Alexander Pushkin:

The snow below the bluish skies,
Like a majestic carpet lies,
And in the light of day it shimmers.
The woods are dusky. Through the frost
The greenish fir-trees are exposed;
And under ice, a river glitters.

“Winter-Time” by Robert Louis Stevenson

Late lies the wintry sun a-bed,
A frosty, fiery sleepy-head;
Blinks but an hour or two; and then,
A blood-red orange, sets again.

Before the stars have left the skies,
At morning in the dark I rise;
And shivering in my nakedness,
By the cold candle, bathe and dress.

Close by the jolly fire I sit
To warm my frozen bones a bit;
Or with a reindeer-sled, explore
The colder countries round the door.

When to go out, my nurse doth wrap
Me in my comforter and cap;
The cold wind burns my face, and blows
Its frosty pepper up my nose.

Black are my steps on silver sod;
Thick blows my frosty breath abroad;
And tree and house, and hill and lake,
Are frosted like a wedding-cake.

“The Winter Evening” is a long poem that’s part of an even longer poem in six “books” titled “The Task” by William Cowper. Here are just a few lines from it:

Now stir the fire, and close the shutters fast,

Let fall the curtains, wheel the sofa round,

And, while the bubbling and loud-hissing urn

Throws up a steamy column, and the cups,

That cheer but not inebriate, wait on each,

So let us welcome peaceful ev’ning in.

Speaking of winter:

I crown thee King of intimate delights,

Fire-side enjoyments, home-born happiness,

And all the comforts that the lowly roof

Of undisturb’d retirement, and the hours

Of long uninterrupted evening, know.

Songs

There are fun songs, like “Winter Wonderland,” Let It Snow,” and “Snow” from the film White Christmas. Then there are these meaningful ones.

“In the Bleak Midwinter”

“The Snow Lay on the Ground”

“See, Amid the Winter Snow”

“Whiter Than Snow”

“Winter Song,” also seen as “Tis Winter Now.” This one was new to me. The author was Samuel Longfellow, brother of Henry Wadsworth. I wouldn’t agree with his general theology, but this song was lovely.

Are you feeling more kindly disposed to winter now? I’m still eager for it to get over and for spring to come. But winter has its beauties as well.

Bearing With Small Trials

Posted on February 1, 2026 by Barbara Harper

I’ve never chosen a word for the year–I’ve often said that God has much more to say to me than one word. 🙂

But a phrase that has come to mind often these last weeks is “bear up.” I can get down and whiny over not feeling well or first world problems or barren winter landscapes or several overcast days in a row or a number of other relatively minor things. I often have a harder time with these smaller trials than with the big ones. It’s almost instinctive to turn to the Lord in a major crisis and ask His grace and help. But I stumble over everyday troubles.

Yet every day can’t be sunshine and roses. We live in a fallen world. As Longfellow said in “The Rainy Day,” “Into each life some rain must fall, Some days must be dark and dreary.”

God has said all through Scripture to expect suffering, and He tells us He uses it for our spiritual growth.

Overcast days and long winters aren’t really suffering. Sure, they can affect one’s outlook. There is such a thing as Seasonal Affective Disorder. But my “winter blues” aren’t to that extreme and can’t really compare to cancer and chemo or persecution.

Proverbs 24:10 comes to mind: “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.”

Yes, it is. And if it’s so small in these minor issues, what’s it going to be when a major crisis comes my way?

The second stanza in Amy Carmichael’s poem, “Make Me Thy Fuel,” says:

From subtle love of softening things,
From easy choices, weakenings,
Not thus are spirits fortified,
Not this way went the Crucified;
From all that dims Thy Calvary,
O Lamb of God, deliver me.

Softening things? Easy choices? That’s my jam. I am not soldiery. I am a wimp.

So I feel the need to learn to “bear up” under the everyday trials of life–both to be a better testimony and to become more resilient when bigger hardships happen.

I like the NKJV translation of 2 Timothy 2:3: “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”

I don’t think enduring hardship means being stoic. David was a soldier, but he poured out his heart in the psalms.

Nor do we need to deny our pain or frustration or sadness, large or small. A broken toe may not hurt as much as a crushed leg, but it does hurt. However, we need God’s perspective on our trials.

Enduring hardship doesn’t mean we can’t pray or that we deal with the small stuff and only go to God with the big things. We’re told to “[cast] all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7, emphasis mine).

But we can “[look] to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

We can pray to be “strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy” (Colossians 1:11).

Both of those last two verses mentioned joy. What joy? The joy that someday, all trials and pain and suffering of any size will be over (Revelation 21:4). The joy that no matter what we go through, God is with His children (Isaiah 43:2). The joy that He provides help, strength, and grace (2 Corinthians 12:8-10). The joy that He uses trials to test our faith and perfect us (James 1:2-4).

In an older book titled Formula for Family Unity, Walter and Trudy Fremont shared an example of a mother trying to help her son as he gets ready to go out in the cold to do his paper route. She had an overly sympathetic attitude, saying, “Oh, honey, it’s so cold out there; I’m afraid you’ll freeze on your paper route.” The son then felt sorry for himself for having to go out in the cold. They suggest it would be better for the mother to say, “When you finish your paper route, I’ll have a cup of hot chocolate waiting and a good breakfast” (pp. 103-104). She acknowledges that his job is cold and hard, but in a way that braces him to face it.

We, too, can reframe how we think about the things that get us down. Cold, grey winter days? God is still working even through dormancy. Hard freezes reduce the number of bugs that show up in summer. I can work on inside projects or curl up with a book and a blanket.

Minor illnesses that reduce my energy for a few days? How often have I wished I could stop the normal routine and rest or read or engage in quiet activities. Here’s the perfect opportunity.

Several overcast days in a row? They make me appreciate sunshine even more. I can keep busy with pleasant or useful occupations or play uplifting music rather than focus on the grey skies.

One reason God allows trials in our lives is to draw our attention and foster our dependence on Him. I can all too easily feel sorry for myself and then feed my self-pity. Instead, I need to preach God’s truth to myself and rely on His grace and strength.

May “God . . . who comforts the downcast,” “who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word” (2 Corinthians 7:6; 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17).

(Just to be clear: I am not trying to make light of anything anyone is going through, or to say “Just grin and bear it.” I’m sharing my thought process about my own tendency to maximize smaller trials.)