Category: growing up in the Lord

Let me start this by saying, we have really excellent kids. We are blessed beyond measure and they surprise us daily with their wit, insight, and empathy.  Even the best of us can have a “bad day.” Sometimes a bad mood is situational. Sometimes we “wake up on the...

Enjoy another weather-related lesson from the Caswell Clan. Yesterday, the average wind speed was in the 40 MPH range with gusts up to 90 MPH. The air quality went from “okay” to “terrible” in a matter of minutes. Dirt and dust were so thick that visibility was ZERO. Most...

Earlier this week, the verse of the day came from Joel chapter two. Joel was a prophet to Judah, sometime after the return from Babylonian captivity. His message is simple, “Return to God!” His message is delivered in the midst of drought and plague – a national disaster –...

Depending on where you live, storm preparation is a seasonal event, like “spring cleaning” or the “holidays.” Some places prepare for hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, or wildfires. Preparing by definition is “to make ready beforehand.” I know both “extreme preppers” and those who aren’t even prepared for tomorrow. In our...

This week in my Bible reading plan, I read about Aaron and Hur holding up the hands of Moses so that Israel prevailed against the Amalekites (Exodus 17:2). This illustrates that we ALL need people to hold us up sometimes, especially in tough battles. Moses had a divine purpose....

Earlier this week, within the course of a few hours, I added five people to my “urgent needs” prayer list. While praying over one situation, I asked, “Lord, do you ever get tired of our stupidity?” We are often stuck in our own grief, self-pity, or outright rebellion. When...

For the past several years, I’ve done some form of “reading the Bible in a year.” This started with my Grandfather making a family calendar each year that included all the birthdays and anniversaries, classic family photos, and Bible reading on each day. I loved that I could read...

October brings vibrant colors, weather changes, and a harvest Here in West Texas, the cooler temperatures take a while to stay. On the Caprock, we start our mornings around 50 degrees but we may still reach the 90s during the day. A dryer climate often means less dramatic color...

Comparison is the thief of Joy. When I get in a “My kids are behind” mindset, I shift my focus to the ways they exceed. My job is not to raise people who think like everyone else, regurgitating the popular answer of the day. My job is to give...

Psalm 46:10  in the Amplified Bible says, “Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God.” Other versions say “cease striving,” “stop fighting,” or “desist.” In context, the Psalmist is proclaiming that God is our refuge and that He is with us. There is no better place to...