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Like A Thief In The Night

One night a thief broke into a house he thought was abandoned. As he walked then the darkened house with a flashlight he heard a voice from the kitchen that said, “Jesus is watching you.’ He stopped and said, “who’s there?” There was no answer so he thought he must have imagined it. But after he took a few more steps, the voice said again, “Jesus is watching you.” He decided to walk toward the voice, just before he entered the kitchen, he heard it again, “Jesus is watching you.” He swung the flashlight up and saw a parrot talking in a cage. The parrot said, Jesus is watching you.” The their turned flipped on the kitchen light and said, “Why you’re just a dumb bird.” The he looked in the corner of the room and seen a huge Rottweiler couching. And the parrot said “Get him Jesus.”

You might think it’s strange that Jesus would compare Himself to a thief. Of course, Jesus isn’t identifying with the sin of stealing. But just a good thief (that’s a oxymoron).that tries to sneak in quickly and quietly and escape with His people. That’s an accurate description of how Jesus will rapture His church.

We should all be living as if Jesus was crucified yesterday; raised from the dead this morning, and is coming back this afternoon.

1 Thessalonians 5: 1-4 tells us, “But concerning the times and the seasons, you have no need that anything be written to you. For you yourselves know that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night. For when they are saying, “Peace and safety,” then sudden destruction will come to then, like birth pains on a pregnant woman; and they will in no way escape.

We should know these 4 things

1. Jesus will return, But we don’t know the exact day.

Can you imagine a thief sending you a text or email saying, “Just wanted to know that I’m coming to rob your house tonight.” Of course not. Thief’s don’t announce when they’re coming. They sneak in and out.

When I was growing up my Dad used to do military funerals when a soldier or veteran would pass away. My father would keep all the guns in his closet. One night when no one was home the house was broken into and all the M16 rifles were stolen. He was very upset because they trusted him with these rifles. For a long time there would be someone home, or a neighbor would be watching the house.

Jesus told us to keep watch, because you don’t know on what day the Lord will come. We need to understand, if the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and not let the house be broken into. So we must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you don’t expect him (Matthew 24:42-44),

There have been times throughout history when many people expected Jesus to return. We use the Gregorian calendar now, but when the Julian calendar turned from year 999 to the year 1000, people expected Jesus to come for a new millennium, the same was true in the year 2000. People were on their best behavior, In the year 1000 history says that worldly goods were sold and money was given to the poor. Prisoners were set free, and many traveled to Israel to wait for Jesus’s return,

In the second and third chapter of Revelation, Jesus gives messages to the 7 churches, which represent all churches of all time. When He wrote to the church at Philadelphia, He says, “Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I also will keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth” (Revelation3:10).

In Luke 17 Jesus compares His return to a couple of Old Testament events. “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the dat Noah entered the ark. Then the flood cane and destroyed them all. It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating, drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and suffer rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like this on the day the Son Of Man is revealed (Luke 17:26-30).

Are You Ready?

The Miracle We Need

Scofield Reservoir -Utah

Miracles come in all shapes and sizes. And sometimes the miracle we want isn’t the miracle we need. It’s easy to miss the miracle God wants to do in our lives because we’ve placed Him in a box.

The Bible tells us in Isaiah 55:8-9,

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways me ways, declares the Lord, As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher that your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Miracles come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes we are focused on the one big thing we want God to do, when in fact God is performing little miracles all along the way. Often it is those little miracles that come along the way that make the biggest impact on our lives. We may not even realize it until we look back and recognize what God did. The more this happens the more we can learn to look for God’s hand in everything.

When I was struggling through my life, wondering where God was and being angry at Him for giving me the family, I grew up with. While I felt alone, and was sure I was a mistake that was never meant to be born. I didn’t understand why God was keeping me alive when all I wanted was to lay down and never wake up again, even having nights I prayed for death. I didn’t understand that while my life was horrible He was patient with me and protected my life for a reason.

The miracle God performs in our lives often looks very different from the one we expected. I was praying for the miracle of death, but God gave me life. Sometimes what we want isn’t necessarily the best thing God has for us. God knows this and in His mercy and love for us, He often protects us from those things. Like me, I’m sure you can thank God now that you didn’t receive some of the things you wanted in the past.

Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” God always knows best and His plans for us are always good.

When we cannot see the final outcome, and all seems hopeless, it’s hard to believe God for a miracle in our lives. But it’s during these times especially, that God moves miraculously. It’s important that we do not lose hope, and look God. God can use our greatest heartache to reveal Himself through our greatest pain. He has the ability to turn our worst trial into our greatest testimony.

There is never a moment in our lives when God is not at work. He’s always working, and revealing Himself, and moving on our behalf. Our trials often bring us to the end of ourselves and position us to receive the greatest miracles God has for us.

Complaining Helps Nothing

Gordon Valley Utah

Complaining about life leaves us stuck in a loop of negativity because venting accomplishes absolutely nothing.

Instead of wasting energy on what is out of our control, it’s better to shift our focus to direct action solutions and gratitude.

I have learned a few effective strategies that can help us begin taking our control back and break the cycle of complaining. I went to a counselor many years back that had helped me get rid of my constant complaining.

The first step was to give myself the right to have a pity party once a week. To complain about everything that was wrong with my life in a 15 minute span. The next are the following strategies:

  • Audit Your Language: Commit to a 21 day no complaining challenge. When you catch yourself venting, consciously replace the thought with something you are grateful for who are direct question about how to improve the situation.
  • Turn Venting into Requests: if you repeat the same complaint more than once, figure out how to frame it as a direct actionable request. For example I used to get frustrated when I would be unloading groceries and my husband would walk right by me and not help. My actionable request was asking him, “Can you just grab the heavy things that bring them in?” His reply was “Oh, I didn’t realize you needed help. My mother used to bring the groceries in.” I hadn’t realized he didn’t think he had to help, because of the way he was raised.
  • Take Direct Action: if a problem is within your control, tackle it head on. If it is completely out of your control, stop giving your energy and focus your efforts elsewhere.
  • Reframe your Perspective: constantly talking about your problem, only requires your brain to seek out more negativity. Shifting to an attitude of appreciation and actually transform relationships and career opportunities.

Changing your perspective on complaining means viewing it not as a release, but as movement without progress. To transform our complaint into actionable feedback or focused problem solving.

My Future Self

If I were to write a letter to make you yourself I would remind myself of future to my present truths that recall God’s past faithfulness, and remind myself that inner peace from God, not a perfectly calm world.

The White Wash Tomb Metaphor

The Aspen Forest

The Bible speaks extensively about the contrast between an outward public reputation and the true state of a person’s soul. It consistently warns that God sees through external appearances and values inner integrity over public praise.

Jesus directly addressed the concept of maintaining a beautiful public image while being spiritually corrupt.

He compared hypocritical religious leaders to “whitewashed tombs.” The reality was they look beautiful on the outside, but were full of dead bones and cleanliness on the inside. In Matthew 23:27 Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanliness.”

The lesson Jesus was trying to teach is that cleanliness must start from the inside out so that the outside may also be clean. Jesus spoke before verse 27 in Matthew 23:26, “You blind Pharisees, first clean the inside of the cut and of the platter, that it’s outside may become clean also.”

We as human beings judge by what is visible, but God operates on a deeper level of awareness.

1 Samuel 16:7 says, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him, for I don’t see as man sees. For man look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

What is highly valuable among people can be detestable in God’s sight. In Luke 16:15 Jesus says, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts. For that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.”

The reality is that no created being on earth is hidden from God‘s sight, everything is uncovered and laid bare before His eyes. Hebrews 4:13 tells us, “There is no creature that is hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account.”

The Bible warns us that external religious rituals or a good reputation cannot mask a corrupt heart. God critiques those who honor Him with their lips while their hearts are far from Him. Doing good deeds solely to be seen by others earns human praise but holds no reward from God. Jesus warns us in Matthew 6:1 to, “Be careful that you don’t do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.”

Revelation 3:1 addresses a church with a great public reputation that was spiritually dead. “You have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.”

Building a flawless public reputation, a pristine social media image, or a busy calendar of religious activities while allowing our actual relationship with God to rot from neglect. The Bible tells us good works mean nothing without a relationship with God. God is never fooled by the cosmetic paint of behavior modification, He looks past the whitewash and demands radical, internal resurrection.

Best Local Dish I’ve Had When Traveling

For the last 5 years, my husband and I have traveled to Las Vegas to celebrate our anniversary. Over the years, my favorite place to eat has been Hugo’s Cellar. They are a Steak and Seafood restaurant. I always order the prime rib and shrimp dinner. It’s always been amazing.

Throwing Out A Life Line

Jesus offers us a lifeline of unwavering hope, peace, and salvation in the midst of life’s deepest storms. It can become an anchor for our soul to secure a connection to God’s presence when we feel completely overwhelmed.

When deep storms threaten to pull us under, Jesus remains our steadfast anchor. He doesn’t always stop the wind from blowing but He throws us a lifeline into the dark crashing waves to pull us to safety.

This lifeline involves several aspects of faith and grace. Just as a lifeguard rescues a drowning swimmer, Jesus comes directly into our darkest, most difficult circumstances to pull us to safety.

This anchor of hope in the Bible is often described as a lifeline, that provides firm assurance and a clear guide to spiritual peace.

It’s a model for grace. This lifeline isn’t just for receiving help, it calls us to throw out a life line to others who are struggling or drifting away.

Even in moments of uncertainty, Jesus offers grace, encouraging us to trade our questions for trust and belief.

The beautiful truth is that Jesus never abandons us in deep waters. When we feel like the waves are crashing over our heads, we can reach out and grab the lifeline Jesus offers and cling to His promises, lean into His unfailing love and let the Master of the wind hold us steady.

Things I Wish Were Still Taught In Schools

American schools have gotten so past the fundamentals that students need to survive in the world. I think we need to get back to basics like reading, writing, and basic mathematics, and true American history.

We also need to implement a basic home cooking and sewing, as well as shop, which taught kids a simple life skill such as welding, or painting , and building wood pieces.

Most young adults don’t know how to unplug a toilet, fix a leaky roof, or change a flat tire.

My Household Goblin

My household goblin is a feline

This is Asher

He has some funny quirks. He flips over his food dish, after he eats, and won’t eat in it until he sees me washing it. He will bring me this toys when he wants to play fetch. And every time I open a book he comes and demands attention.

I think this picture shows his meowfia (Mafia boss) behavior.

The Way The Holy Spirit Transforms Lives

The Sunrise

There is something powerful about the way the Holy Spirit transforms our lives after we accept Jesus as our Savior.

The Holy Spirit gives believers the power to live like Jesus and be bold witnesses for Him. Of course, there are many ways He does this, so let’s talk about the most common ones.

Jesus said in John 16:7, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you, but if I depart, I will send Him to you.”

If Jesus said it is best for us that He goes away, then it must be because there is something valuable about what the Holy Spirit came to do.

Acts 1:8 gives us a clue, it says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Jude’s and Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”

From this scripture, we can get a concept of what the Holy Spirit does in the life of a true believer. He sends us out as witnesses and gives us the power to do it effectively.

From my experience I have felt that we have to step out in faith and trust that everything will fall into place. I will be the first to admit this is difficult for me. And on more than one occasion I have let my flesh take over and become too sacred to approach a stranger when the Holy Spirit told me to “talk to a person.” Or witness to them. But, I will never stop repenting for not acting on the urge I felt or trying to do what the Holy Spirit asks of me.

The Holy Spirit works in a believer’s life, and there is one common goal we all share: to make us more like Jesus.

He works by renewing our minds to be like the mind of Jesus. He does this by convicting us of sin and leading us to repentance.

Through repentance, He wipes out what was dirty in us and allows us to bear good fruit. While we allow Him to continue nourishing that fruit, we grow to resemble Jesus more.

Galatians 5:22-23 tells us, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control, against such things there is no law.”

The Holy Spirit also works in us through the Word of God. He uses the power of Scripture to convict us and influence our way of thinking. He does this to shape us into godly people.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 says that, “Every scripture is God breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that each person who belongs to God may be complete, throughly equipped for every good work.”

When we build a closer relationship with the Holy Spirit, He will pull us away from things we have in our lives that don’t please Him. This can be as simple as inappropriate music that becomes distasteful to us because of negative messages that it brings.

The Best Advice Someone Has Ever Given Me

The best advice someone given in one sentence, 8 small words that changed my life.

“You Have The Power To Change Your Thoughts.”


This works because thoughts are not facts, but rather habitual patterns that we retrain. It works best when we can catch ourselves in a thought, check to see if it is a fact, and change it, if it is not true.

I think we are not a victim of our circumstances, we are the architect of our own reality.

When Words Hurt

Words are powerful tools that can build up or tear down, and they frequently leave a lasting emotional impact. They can deeply influence someone’s confidence, sense of belonging, and mental well being.

There is an old children’s English rhyme that goes “Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me.” This childhood phrase is far from the truth.

When someone uses harsh, belittling, or exclusionary language, it can cause genuine emotional distress. The fact is few things have the power to ruin a relationship like critical, assuming, defamatory, hostile and inaccurate, or even slanderous words. The reason people do this is because of insecurities, jealousy, or that it makes them feel powerful.

Using our mouths as a fountain of life requires deliberate thought and mindfulness. Ephesians 4:29 is a Biblical encouragement where we are challenged to avoid unwholesome talk and instead use only words that are helpful to those who listen.

“Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but only what is good for building others up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear.”