bethf1300

[bethf1300]

Random Travel Thoughts 2025

For the past two years, we have splurged on two “big” trips, 2 weeks each year in Europe to travel to Rome, Florence, London, Edinburgh, and Paris. We are late to the party when it comes to big trips like these, and we realize that traveling will only get more difficult due to our age and the wear and tear on our bodies. I might like to take another trip to Paris since it is my favorite, and…

[bethf1300]

Trying out Substack

Hi Readers – Thank you for visiting this site. Recently I started posting on Substack. For a while, I posted on both sites, cross posting. But in the last week or two, I have only posted on Substack.I haven’t decided for sure yet, but I like the Substack platform. I invite you to join me there. My work there is free – not behind a paywall! Simply enter your email address and you’ll receive my…

[bethf1300]

Be the One to Ask

I published this piece in a blog a few years ago. As I revisited it today, I was reminded of the wonder and awe of God’s leading and response to our prayers. Let’s be the ones who ask the Lord! In reading through the books of Samuel, I was struck by this repetitive phrase – “David asked the Lord” Notice these verses- David asked the Lord, “Should I go and attack them?” “Yes, go and save…

[bethf1300]

The Way Through the Jungle

John 14:6 — “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” They had never been in a jungle like this before. The thick vines seemed to reach out and grab their legs; the heat was suffocating. Each step forward felt more uncertain than the last. The group followed their guide closely, listening to the rhythmic chop of his machete clearing the overgrown…

[bethf1300]

The Lost Lamb

The old shepherd The old Shepherd knew the hills like the back of his wrinkled hands. He had walked a thousand times through each twist of the path, every hollow in the earth. Tonight, the wind howled through the ravines, and the moon cast only a thin silver light over the rocky terrain. He pulled his cloak tighter around his shoulders and listened. There it was again—the faint, desperate…

[bethf1300]

Reading, Listening, Following, Shared!

It’s been over a month since I shared posts, podcasts, and pieces that have captured my attention. My Writing Writing as a way to spend time devotionally during Lent has been a full-time focus. If you want to read any of the Lent pieces, my posts drop daily. Here are links to a few shared posts from the past 12 days: Create In Me a Pure Heart was the first piece. I published A Different Kind…

[bethf1300]

Joy is not a crumb

The woman sat on her porch, watching the early morning light spill over the horizon. She cradled a warm mug of tea in her hands, the steam rising like a whispered prayer. During Lent, she was avoiding inevitable distractions—less noise, fewer screens, more space for God. But this morning, as she looked at the world awakening around her, she felt a tug in her spirit. Consequently, she…

[bethf1300]

The Rest We Need

I am retired now, and with retirement comes its own challenges. But today, I am reminiscing about working. I hear young friends talk about the pressures of raising children, maintaining their homes, and, for some, even working outside their homes. I was a working mom. It’s the memory of Sundays that prompts this post … The weight of the week pressed down like an invisible burden. Deadlines…

[bethf1300]

Light of Life

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” —John 8:12 When I wake, the house is dark, and the hush of early morning wraps around me. I strike a match, and the wick of a candle flickers to life. The small flame casts a warm glow on my Bible, its light steady against the lingering night. I sit…

[bethf1300]

He Satisfies

The Smell of Bread About a year ago, I experimented with making gluten-free sourdough bread. As I was thinking about Lent today and how Jesus completely satisfies our souls, I was reminded of that first morning waiting for the sourdough bread to finish baking. Here’s that story … I wiped the flour from my hands and glanced at the recipe again. I had always loved to bake bread before I had to…

[bethf1300]

Grace At the Table

“And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’” – Luke 22:19 The night before His crucifixion, Jesus gathered with His disciples at the table, breaking bread and sharing the cup. In this simple yet profound act, He instituted what we now call the Lord’s Supper. Through this…

[bethf1300]

Jesus Washes Feet

Our community group has been working through the book of John, and last week, we discussed John 13. We used our imagination to envision what the scene around the table in the Upper Room must have been like. Jesus washes the disciples’ feet As Jesus gathered with His disciples for the Passover meal, He did something unexpected—He took a water basin, knelt down, and began washing their feet (John…

[bethf1300]

Neverending Love

As I continued to think about God’s love in this season of Lent, I was intrigued by this statement from The Wonderful Works of God by H. Bavinck: “God is known in proportion to the extent that He is Loved.” I realize that we can only love God because He first loved us. It reminded me of N.T. Wright’s story about a card he received with a circle on it. N.T. Wright writes, “When I was ordained…

[bethf1300]

The Carpenter's Gift

A friend told me this story recently about a carpenter, not as truth but as an illustration of truth … The old carpenter In a quiet village nestled between rolling hills and a vast sea, there was an old carpenter named Elias. His hands were weathered from years of shaping wood, but his heart was young and kind. He spent his days crafting furniture, repairing homes, and carving beautiful wooden…

[bethf1300]

A Different Kind of Rest

Lent is time for repentance, self-denial, and introspection. However, Sundays during this period are different. Traditionally, the Sundays in Lent are not included in the the forty days of reflection. Instead, Sundays are “mini Easters”—weekly reminders of Christ’s resurrection that bring a sense of joy and relief from the solemnity of the season. Tim Keller reminds us: “According to the Bible,…

[bethf1300]

Seasons of Surrender

A friend sat on the porch, coffee growing cold in her hands. At fifty-six, her life felt unsettled. Her children were grown, her career had ended, and the quiet stretched long and uncertain. She asked me, “What now?” She confessed that she had been asking God the same thing. I knew she had always pursued God’s will with purpose—motherhood, ministry, work—but now, she felt adrift. She wondered if…

[bethf1300]

The Church Visitor

The wind blew a gale on Sunday morning as we exited our car in the church parking lot. Ron and I walk in together hand in hand every week – intentionally holding hands. It’s become a Sunday morning ritual. Introduction … We saw a gentleman we didn’t know across the parking lot, so we slowed a bit for him to catch up with us. He said, “It looks like you know where you are going. I will follow…