God messaged me through music

Since I grew up in church, hymn lyrics provided the primary poetry in my life. Well, that and Robert Lewis Stevenson’s A Child’s Garden of Verse. Decades later, I can still recite some of the latter. And I still like to swing and eat animal crackers but without the cocoa. However, the words to hymns escape me until the music begins and kinetic memory beckons me to sing along.

During the day, I usually turn on instrumental versions of classical hymns to fill my home with memories and uplift my spirit. Often, those same old favorites run through my mind, and I like that good company.

This week, though, an internal recording got stuck on a tune I’d heard but couldn’t recall the words. What made this disconcerting was hearing the phrase, “And shall be till I die” play on automatic repeat!

I tried to change the music in my head, but after a short intermission, there was that phrase again, “And shall be till I die” – playing over and over and…. So, I did what most people now do. I Googled the phrase. Up popped “There Is a Fountain” with sheet music showing five verses, the second-to-last of which ended, “And shall be till I die.”

By this time, I was sure God was trying to tell me something, so I couldn’t help but wonder if He were telling me I’m going to die. Yes, we all are, but I was hoping to wait a while. Nevertheless, with a little trepidation, I read the lyrics of that fourth line, and here’s what I found:

“Redeeming love has been my theme; And shall be till I die.”

Yes! Thank You, God! I can live with that theme! And, Lord willing, that theme – that purpose – shall continue in me until I die.

Amen!

 

©2025, Mary Harwell Sayler

 

 

God, me, and overhanging trees

Living on a fixed income means keeping down expenses and praying for God to provide, especially when something untimely – like a hurricane – happens. In Florida, such a storm caused an unexpected surge in my homeowner’s insurance, even though I hadn’t needed to make a claim.

After many emails, a few phone calls, and a couple of changes in coverage and companies, I lowered my insurance bill considerably. Two months later, however, the new company advised me that the branches hanging over my roof had to be cut back in thirty days or the policy would be cancelled.

Actually, I’d been concerned about those ancient branches but figured I couldn’t afford to have them removed. With no choice now, I started looking for a professional tree service but couldn’t decide who to call. I needed a recommendation. And I prayed for the Lord to provide someone I could trust.

Since I had a lunch engagement, I went. Coming out of the restaurant I saw a half-dozen county workers in yellow slickers, so I walked up to them and asked, “Do you know someone reasonable and reliable I can call to cut back several tree branches?” They pointed to the guy in civies standing right behind them.

As God-incidence would have it, the man owned a tree service!

We agreed on a time the next day for an estimate, but rain forecasts caused us to reschedule for the following morning. And then he didn’t come. Or call. I even left a couple of phone messages but didn’t hear back.

I was so very sure God had arranged for this help that I decided to wait until Monday to call someone else. But who? After Sunday worship, I asked my church family if they could recommend a reputable and affordable tree service. A friend pointed to a card on the bulletin board and said, “They’re the ones who did work for the church.”

Monday morning, I called, and the owner of the company said he could come right then. He did. And his estimate was less than I expected, even though he agreed to do more. He even accepted credit cards! And he promised to come the next day.

We chatted a bit, and he said, “You might be wondering why a professional service would be available this quickly.” Well, yeah. Then he told me how, for a couple of weeks, a glitch in his phone had hindered calls. Sometimes the phone worked; sometimes it didn’t, so he finally went to buy a new one, but keeping his old number. He was coming out of the phone store when I called – the first call on his new phone.

Perfect timing! But as you know….

Things don’t get perfectly timed unless God orchestrates the circumstances.

And I would not have made that call when I did if I hadn’t waited until Monday to find another tree service.

And I wouldn’t have waited if I hadn’t believed God provided that first possibility, which He obviously did.

The Voice Bible translates Romans 8:28 like this, "We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan." 

Even tree branches aren't out of His jurisdiction to orchestrate - anything, anywhere.

Amen.

 

©2025, Mary Sayler

 

Praying Afer Every Election!

1 Timothy 2:1-4 – “Make prayers, requests, intercession, and thanksgiving for everyone – for your leaders and all in authority – so we may lead a quiet and peaceable life of honesty and dignity. For this is good in the sight of God our Savior, Who wants everyone to be saved and come to know the truth.”

Lord, even if we despise someone in a position of authority, You don’t! Your will is for everyone to know the truth about You and be saved. And, who needs saving more than detestable people?

Give us Your prayers to pray, Lord, for our leaders at church, work, school, home, and country. Help us to intercede for those who don’t know You and desperately need You. To be honest, we don’t want to give thanks for unlikeable leaders! Yet we want to thank You for everything, and we choose to obey.

Thank You, Most High God, for the people You have placed in authority over us. Help them to lead with dignity, honor, honesty, and a mind set on You.

Mary Harwell Sayler from Kneeling on the Promises of God

 

ABC Characteristics of Christians

 

This alphabetical list describes traits commonly held among Christians from all sorts of backgrounds and church affiliations. However, numerous other possibilities exist too. For instance, we might prefer “Disciplined” under “D” or “Peacemaking” instead of “Prayerful” or “Victorious” in lieu of “Versatile.”

Regardless of the variations we use as substitutes for the words selected here, the list can serve as a reminder of our shared goal of becoming more and more Christ-like.

Accountable

Biblical

Caring

Discerning

Encouraging

Forgiven

Grace-filled

Hopeful

Inspired

Joyful

Kind

Loving

Merciful

Necessary

Obedient

Prayerful

Quickened

Reborn

Spirit-Filled

Thankful

Understanding

Versatile

Worshipful

X-ed out of sin

Young-at-heart

Zealous

 

©2024, MaryHarwell Sayler

#Christians

God wants to bring good from bad

Remember how Romans 8:28  assures us that "All things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose?" Two biblical examples of this very thing come to mind:

First, when the Apostle Paul heard of some basic no-no's happening among the Christians in Corinth, he wrote a letter to chastise them. Eventually, however, he tried another approach, and by Chapter 13 of First Corinthians, he gave us one of the most profound treatices ever written on the true meaning of love. That "Love Chapter" as it's often called, provides a way to assess our attitudes and actions, but would we have been given such a beautiful, poetic definition of love if the Corinthians had not been behaving so badly?

Then, in the book of Revelation, the Apostle John wrote down the vision the Risen Christ had given to correct and encourage the seven churches - lauds and warnings that still apply today. When it came to Laodicea,  the last church mentioned, the Lord sharply rebuked them, saying they were neither hot nor cold, but so lukewarm in their fath that He was ready to spit them out of His mouth. Or, as some translations suggest, they made the Lord Christ want to vomit! 

And yet....

After explaining what the Laodiceans lacked, Jesus let them know He only chastises those He loves. And, in verse 20, He offered up an often-quoted invitation that would not have been needed if the Christians in Laodicea had already been strong in faith. Jesus said, "Behold! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in, and we will dine together."

Surely, the Lord would rather not fuss at us! Yet, it's a blessing to know He wants to turn our mistakes, bad attitudes, and poor choices into something good. Praise God! He can!

(c) 2024, Mary Harwell Sayler

Me, Myself, and Eye Care

 

When I mentioned my macular hole (left eye) and macular wrinkle (right eye) to a fellow writer in my Christian Poets & Writers group on Facebook, I learned he has a similar problem! I hope it's not a common concern among poets and writers, but if you have worsening vision, I pray these tips will help:

 

• Place a magnifying glass in every room where you’re apt to need one.
• Add closed captions to programs on TV.
• Buy audio books or print editions with 14-point fonts or larger.
• Avoid glare.
• Get phones with large buttons.
• Put yellow strips on the edge of each step.
• Wear sunglasses with UV filters or lenses that darken in sunlight.
• Zoom in and increase the size of words and pictures on your computer monitor.
• Limit computer time.
• Avoid wind, dust, and dryness.
• Stay hydrated!
• Schedule regular checkups with an Ophthalmologist.

 

If you’ve found other ideas that work for you, my eyes and I will welcome your suggestions in the Comments below. Take care. 

God bless.

 

Mary Harwell Sayler

 

When people in your presence push their politics

 

(Yes, alliteration intended.)

Are you weary of hearing heated debates over politics? If so, try turning disputes into a truce with these Bible tips.

• All Christians have a duty to tell the truth of God’s Word: “There is no authority except from God,” Romans 13.
• All lands are placed under God-given authority (Jeremiah 27:6.) 
• All of the people in the crowd recognized Jesus’ authority as He taught them (Matthew 7:29.)
• All authority to forgive has been given to Jesus (Matthew 9:6.)
• All ill spirits must submit to Jesus’ authority (Luke 4:36.)
• All followers of Jesus have His authority and power to use for good (Luke 9:1.)
• All powerful people and worldly authorities have immeasurably less power and influence than the church Body of Christ. As the Bible explains:

^“God’s power was at work in Christ when God raised him from the dead and sat him at God’s right side in the heavens, far above every ruler and authority and power and angelic power, any power that might be named not only now but in the future. God put everything under Christ’s feet and made him head of everything in the church, which is his body. His body, the church, is the fullness of Christ, who fills everything in every way,” Ephesians 1:20-23, Common English Bible (CEB.)

Church, we have work to do! Let’s start by stopping arguments among ourselves! Let’s unite in prayer to discern the tasks the Lord has given each of us to do as the Body of Christ and His Ambassadors to the world.

 

©2022, Mary Sayler

 (Above scriptures came from searching Bible Gateway.)

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Caregivers, Caretakers

Undoubtedly, our circumstances differ in detail, but my thoughts here and your Comments below might help each of us who cares for an adult with some form of dementia or an inability to process or recall information.

• Note the attention span of the person in your care. One minute? Three?  
• Be prepared to answer the same question or hear the same story many, many times.
• Offer needed instructions one sentence at a time. Too much information at once frustrates and confuses.
• Dreams might replace actual memories. Avoid arguing or saying things like, “You’re wrong” or “That’s not what happened. Change the subject, use distraction, and get out a photo album or scrapbook to boost memories.
• Show respect and empathy, not pity, intolerance, or (God forbid!) disgust.
• Welcome, encourage, and dwell on any show of positive attitudes such as the person’s humor, delight in little things, and appreciation for nature, you, and God.

Equally important:

• Take care of yourself!
• Rest whenever you can, even in snatches.
• Stay well-hydrated.
• Find creative outlets. Give yourself permission to color outside the lines.
• Read up on the condition you’re dealing with and look for support groups.
• Try not to put yourself in a potentially dangerous situation. For example, never, never stand in front of someone who looks like they’re about to pass out or fall!
• Walk behind and be ready to grab onto a shirt or belt, not to hold the person up, but to help steady the individual until balance returns.
• Take a walk when you need a break. If that’s impossible, try taking three deep breaths.
• Talk to your pastor, priest, or other spiritual person you trust.
• Sing hallelujah songs. Praise God.
• Pray, pray, pray!

 

©2022, Mary Sayler

 

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Jesus can use the Internet!

 

If you’ve ever been to church or read the Bible, you’ve surely heard Jesus’ command in Matthew 28:18-19:

 

King James Version

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations….”

 

Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition

“And Jesus coming, spoke to them, saying: All power is given to me in heaven and in earth. Going therefore, teach ye all nations….”

 

For those of us who never felt called to serve as missionaries in various countries, this Great Commission doesn’t seem to apply. But, if you’ve read the whole Bible, you know that God doesn’t ask His people to do something without providing the means.

 

With Christ on the Internet, we can teach all nations from our homes, offices, or mobile devices! Blogs, websites, e-zines, e-books, podcasts, e-mail, text-messages, and social media sites open multiple ways to The Way. Or, to be more precise, The Way provides and uses many ways - even cyberspace - to reach and teach us and others.

 

Remember the particular powers the Lord has been given? As Matthew 28 clearly states, Jesus has ALL POWER in heaven and in the earth. We’re talking Cosmic Connections! Wouldn’t that include satellite dishes, radio waves, and other means I don’t even know to mention?

 

The point is, everything falls under the power of the Lord Jesus Christ!

 

• Prayers sites to connect us with one another, enabling two or more of us to make our prayer requests agreeable to Jesus’ Name….
• Searchable Bibles online to answer questions, provide commentary, and enable us to research what God actually says about a topic, not just what we thought He said….
• Information from trustworthy sites to help us through mental, physical, or spiritual health concerns….

 

That last thought first began this conversation. i.e., In a harrowing weekend involving lots of blood, no hospital anywhere near, and shut-downs of family doctors, I panicked! I did not know what to do. By Saturday evening, I’d looked and looked for information on the Internet to no avail. Then came Sunday.

 

I’d been praying all along – mostly “God help!” but that morning I asked Jesus to please lead me to the information needed. He did. Maybe it was the way my search changed or the way sites I hadn’t noticed before now caught my attention or the way that Christ’s presence sustained me. But, whatever way the Lord used, The Way led me to the way that calmed, that worked, that healed.

 

©2021, Mary Sayler

 

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Where old hotlinks go to die or worse!

If you’ve been fortunate enough to get a .com, .net, or other dot domain in your own name, do not (I repeat, do not) let it go! Ditto on other domain names that define your work. 

Unfortunately, I speak from experience! Earlier this year, I decided not to renew my domain names and keep only my blogs or other free sites. Bad idea! Within a short time, I discovered that anyone looking for my writing, poetry tips, or Bible-based websites would be led to psychic readings or, worse, a page of nudes! This was not why I spent a decade building followers! 

I suppose such shocks are to be expected: i.e. people opposed to Christianity will be ready to take advantage of the opportunities that, sadly, I created. The only way I know how to enter this battle without coming to blows is to go through my blogs and change old hotlinks to current ones. 

Last week, I spent 3.5 days turning posts into drafts, locating the worrisome links, and inserting active ones I actually want people to find. Sounds easy enough, but tedious as I had well over 1,300 posts! 

 I’m still less than half-way through this tiring task, but, Lord willing, I hope to update the remaining links this week. Nevertheless, I’m very, very grateful the Lord made me aware of this problem before I had a lot more posts to tend. 

Praise God! 

©2021, Mary Sayler 

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Baffling Bible Verses!

 

If you’ve read the blog posts on “A Life Worthy,” you know Michael Burns loves the Lord, the Bible, and levity – all of which we, too, greatly need. In this morning's post, however, he asked a seriously big question:

 

“So many believers trust God, fear God, serve God, and yet are destitute. Why?”

 

Since Psalm 25:12-13 had evoked that question, I re-read the words Michael had quoted at the beginning of his post:

 

“Who, then, is the man who fears the Lord? God will instruct him in the way chosen for him. He will spend his days in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land.”

 

Even though we’ll never fully understand baffling Bible verses this side of heaven, I went looking for light in study Bible notes, which generally avoided the subject. Then I looked up the verses in various translations on Bible Gateway – a practice I highly recommend, especially when a passage of scripture boggles the mind or spirit. Here’s some of what I found:

 

Psalm 25:12-13

 

Common English Bible

¹² Where are the ones who honor the Lord?
    God will teach them which path to take.
¹³ They will live a good life,
    and their descendants will possess the land.

 

New American Bible (Revised Edition)

¹² Who is the one who fears the Lord?
    God shows him the way he should choose.
¹³ He will abide in prosperity,
    and his descendants will inherit the land.

 

New International Version

¹² Who, then, are those who fear the Lord?
    He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.
¹³ They will spend their days in prosperity,
    and their descendants will inherit the land.

 

Amplified Bible

¹² Who is the man who fears the Lord [with awe-inspired reverence and worships Him with submissive wonder]?
He will teach him [through His word] in the way he should choose.
¹³ His soul will dwell in prosperity and goodness,
And his descendants will inherit the land.

 

English Standard Version

¹² Who is the man who fears the Lord?
    Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.
¹³ His soul shall abide in well-being,
    and his offspring shall inherit the land.

 

King James Version

¹² What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.

¹³ His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.

 

We could go on and on to other choices, but these seem to cover various options in translating the Hebrew language into English. And each version adds light.

 

In the first line, for instance, we’re shown “fear” as awe, reverence, honor, and worship. So that mindset is the first clue in how we’re to be assured of God’s leading. The question is:

 

Do we have the right attitude toward God?

 

If so, we can count on the Lord to teach us which path to take, show us the way to choose, and instruct us through His Word. Then, the question is:

 

Do we know what the Bible says about our situation and where to go from there?

and/or

Can we sense the urging of the Holy Spirit in a particular direction that’s in line with scripture?

 

If so, we will live a good life, period. But that does not mean we’ll be problem-free or needed to find enough places to stash all our cash! Even though we “abide in prosperity,” side trips, detours, or distractions can take us into the slums! 

 

I’ve felt that. Despite my family’s faith in God, we got too close to poverty for comfort when a job transfer didn’t turn out as promised by the people in charge. At one point, I had $10 for groceries for a family of five, and yet we never went hungry. More important, because of that move, our souls were fed in ways we’d never known as the Lord provided one amazing spiritual teacher after another.

 

Regardless of our individual circumstances, every believer can proclaim my “soul will dwell in prosperity and goodness,” my “soul shall abide in well-being,” and “my soul shall dwell at ease.” How? By being in awe of God and at peace with Him and His Word.

 

That’s what King David did. He wrote Psalm 25 as a lament during a tough time, but, as often happens with psalms of woe or complaint, this one ends with the poet’s reminder to himself that God had always been with him and still was and would be. It’s like he was giving himself a pep talk – not based on will-power or emotion but on truth and the conviction that God’s abiding presence…

 

Was, is, and will be.

 

As we continue in an ever-deepening relationship with God, our values, biblical beliefs, and faith will surely influence our children for a thousand generations as promised in Exodus 20:6. And each new believer among our descendants will then add another thousand generations from their life span!

 

Maybe we’ll amass properties and land, but the true inheritance we pass on to others is the good news of our restored union with God through the forgiving sacrifice of His Son. Then, as Jesus promised in Matthew 5:5, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”

 

©2021, Mary Sayler

 

For more light on this complex subject, find your favorite translation of the Bible and read it, cover to cover, then keep on reading (it or another version) a little at a time. Hopefully, this previous post can also help, “Settling Down with Jesus.”

 

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