Just me trying to be honest with God.

It is the nature of love not to agree, but to benefit.

Love should be universally shared, but it is not universally understood. What one person sees as love, another may see it as hate. The love that Christ spoke of, and lived is not a love of liking someone ,or agreeing with them, but the love of beneficial actions towards them. 

“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Jesus “Conversations Within” ts 9/22/25






#Love in Action, Not Agreement


“Let me tell ya about the birds, and the bees, and the flowers, and the trees, and the moon up above, and a thing called love.” Jewel Akens

God has woven so much value into the fabric of creation. The universe is as much a revelation about who He is as it is the story of mankind. He encourages us to explore, to be inquisitive, and to learn from all that He has made. It would be hard to spend time in nature and not meet Him there. Sadly some do. .

"Look at the birds of the air. ” Jesus “Conversations Within” ts 9/21/25




#Meeting God in Creation

“Having a dog at the beach named “Shark” was a mistake. ” Meme

I find that timing is an important part of speaking gracefully. Sometimes saying nothing is the most gracious response. Sometimes the best comment is no comment. Pray for wisdom to always be gracious when using words.

“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Col.4.6 “Conversations Within” ts 9/20/25



Tired of your algorithm feed, change it. There’s a lot of beauty and goodness out there.

 I recently walked down a favorite boardwalk to the beach. Looking out over the water, smelling the salt in the air, listening to the waves breaking on the shore, I felt a wave of refreshment after a week of poison on the internet. “Turn off the news, listen to some music.”

“He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.” Ps.23  “Conversations Within” ts 9/19/25





“A walk in nature walks the soul back home.”

Social media can bombard us with poisonous rhetoric, and hateful words. The sad part is that I have exposed myself to it by just flipping through my phone. I recently realized that algorithms can feed me all the beauty in the world or all the ugly. I discover that when I deliberately seek out beauty, I find it. I now see wondrous beauty all over the world.

“Seek and you will find.” Jesus “Conversations Within” ts 9/18/25



“Choose your weapon.” “Ok, I choose prayer.”

It is recorded that Mary Queen of Scots once said, "I fear the prayers of John Knox more than all the assembled armies of Europe." Gracious Lord, I pray that seeking You in prayer is not my last resort, but my first.

“For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” 2Cor.10.4 “Conversations Within” ts 9/17/25





“My destination is no longer a place, rather a new way of seeing.” Marcel Proust

What better way of seeing everything and everybody than through the lens of love. Discover new ways to see and serve everyone in your life, EVERYONE! Love teaches us to consider what we can do to improve the lives of others, and the world we live in. Love teaches us not only who people are, but who they can be with our support.

“Let love be your greatest aim.” 1Cor.14 “Conversations Within” ts 9/16/25



Spread the love!

We must not only stop the hate, we must spread the love, not only to those who love us, but even to our enemies.

"Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" “Conversations Within” ts 9/12/25



"Honesty without love is cold, and love without honesty is shallow. Speak the truth with love." Selena Fredrick

I asked AI how someone could speak the truth in love and got these guidelines: “Pray for wisdom; Examine your motives; Be humble and patient; Choose the right setting; Listen before you speak.” I would say, Not a bad answer, not bad at all.

“Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is, Christ.” Eph.4.15 “Conversations Within” ts 9/11/25



Hope this helps.

This is the life I desire. I want to be the helping hand, to be useful to others, to be a listening ear, an understanding heart, a servant for goodness, an encourager and a true friend to the person in front of me.

“I have called you friends.” Jesus “Conversations Within” ts 9/10/25




Keep your eye on the ball.

I have to remind myself everyday to ignore everything that distracts from what is really important. The best way to do this is to stay actively engaged in what is.

“The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Gal.5.6 “Conversations Within” ts 9/10/25



“No man is free who cannot command himself.” Pythagoras

All the commandments in Scripture are summarized by one, which is simply to let love be the governing dynamic in everything we do. I ask myself if this thought, this word, this action is an expression of love, for God, for another, for myself? This is the command I would give myself. I pray I keep it!

“The fruit of the Spirit is…self control.” Gal.5 “Conversations Within” ts 9/6/25



“Use it!” Reign of fire

Whatever it is, use it. Use it for good. Use it to draw strength. Use it to get it done. We are assured that God is using it, using it for good in the lives of those who love and trust Him. We see life properly when we approach it in partnership with God and His purposes.

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Rom.8.28 “Conversations Within” ts 9/5/25



Do I need this stress?

Political posts are a very good example of stress I don’t need in my life. Why step into an arena--a place of conflict, when you know that no problem will ever be properly solved in an arena? There is a better model instead of arguing. And, it is more than being the change I would see in the world, but the change that Christ wants to see.

"Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels." 2Tim.2.23 “Conversations Within” ts 9/4/25



“Preach the truth, to yourself.”

I am so grateful for this bit of wisdom. It has helped me argue myself out of fear, doubt, and worry so many times. The gospel is “good news” indeed, and when we embrace it in faith, we wake to the realities of all that God is for us in Christ.

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.” Jesus “Conversations Within” ts 9/4/25



“The answer my friend, is blowing in the wind.”

I make plans every day. I am sure Father will bless some of them, and blow others into the wind. I actually see value in what He blows into the wind.. He is teaching me His values, and where to spend my time and energy, and where not to.

“The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.” Prov.16.9 “Conversations Within” ts 9/3/25



“Everyone will not like you. Jesus said we are the salt of the earth, not sugar.” Meme

It is sad, but in this world, someone can be hated even when they seek to love. I do not want to be persecuted for the wrong reason. But I should never be ashamed of sharing the truth claims of Jesus. I represent Him, not a religion, a political party, and certainly not myself. 

“If they persecuted me, they will persecute you.” Jesus  “Conversations Within” ts 9/7/25




Can you spot AI

In these days of AI generated content, it is becoming clear that a new tool to deceive and manipulate threatens. I am reminded not only to discern what is false, but to make doubly sure before I hit the share button that I am not spreading a lie.

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” One of the big Ten “Conversations Within” ts 9/2/25



“Joost, for whom kindness is an instinct.” “The Way” the movie

I don’t want kindness to be something I work at doing; I want it to be as natural as breathing. Still, I know I must work at it until grace transforms my efforts into my nature. I am grateful for all the people in my life who radiate it. Someone said, "If you can be anything be kind." 

“Love is kind.” 1Cor.13 “Conversations Within” ts 9/1/25


Who do you trust?

When my children asked me this I told them to look at the fruit of the person's life. Do their words match their life, and does their life line up with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, i.e. the fruit of the Spirit of Jesus. I trust Him living in them.

“By their fruit you will know them.” Jesus “Conversations Within” ts 8/31/25



“Thank you, terror. Thank you, disillusionment. Thank you, frailty. Thank you, consequence.” Alanis Morissette

 It doesn’t take much to realize the value of hardship when we see it as training to mature the soul. We are spiritual beings living in a physical world. It is the soul that has lasting value. It is the soul that will survive.

“Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?” Heb.12 “Conversations Within” ts 8/26/25



“Best guess, that's all science is. Best guess. ---- So my best guess is that you don't know.” “The Core”

Science has had to retract a good many posits over the years. This is because we simply don’t know all the facts. So, we guess. Some things just can’t be tested with the scientific method. If there is a lesson, perhaps it is not only to decide if faith would serve us better, but also how reliable is where we put our faith.

“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? God speaking to Job “Conversations Within” ts 8/25/25



God loves me, despite me.

I often feel so unworthy of the goodness that surrounds my life. I find myself apologizing to Father when I realize how kind He has been to me, when my thoughts and actions fall short of being the son He deserves. I am so very grateful for His gracious love. 

““Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Peter to Jesus “Conversations Within” ts 8/24/25



“No stinkin thinkin!” Zig Ziglar

Our thoughts can poison the soul with bitterness, anger, resentment. Reject every negative thought and replace it with pure goodness. Flush out toxic thinking by opening the heart and mind to expressions of faith, hope and love.

“Whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.” Phil.4 “Conversations Within” ts 8/23/25



The skill of dismissing a thought.

 The Spirit of Jesus is teaching me how to dismiss thoughts that compete with health and happiness. And why not? If a thought, word or deed doesn’t lead in a wholesome direction, why think it, say it, or do it?

“Take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” 2Cor.10 “Conversations Within” ts 8/23/25



“Esse Quam videri To be, rather than to seem.” “Only the Brave”

I pray that I am not only a “what you see is what you get” kind of person, but that what you see adds authentic value to others. I tire of all pretense, especially my own.

“Tell them that “I am” sent you. ” God speaking to Moses “Conversations Within” ts 8/22/25