Barbara Zumwalt

Isaiah 41:10 “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you… Continue Reading Love that Casts out Fear

“I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year, ‘Give me a light that I might tread safely into the unknown.’” So begins a poem by… Continue Reading Gate of the Year

“Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end.”Psalm 119:33. I was just running errands. And while doing so, God engaged with me.… Continue Reading God’s Finishing School

“There were shepherds, abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night.”— Luke 2:8 Three of the greats in the history of Israel had been shepherds: Abraham, Moses… Continue Reading Unworthy witnesses

It was amazing to see the 1,700 attendees of Trunk or Treat (who all seemed to descend at once on my station). I observed a few things: • Some children… Continue Reading Lessons from Trunk or Treat

“I am the vine; you are the branches.” (John 15:5a) In ancient Israel, many grape vines were grown directly on the ground, not on trellises or raised on stakes, as… Continue Reading Be a Shoot, Not a Root

Gideon, fearful and hiding from the Midianites, was threshing a handful of wheat in an unexpected place (the wine press) to hide from them what he was doing. “And the… Continue Reading Hidden and Sought

I knew something was wrong when she didn’t meet me at the door. For more than 15 years, the sound of the garage door opening brought my cat Fannie to… Continue Reading Lesson Through Heartbreak

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13… Continue Reading Christian Hope

“Let your light so shine before men that they see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 A recent full moon got me to thinking about… Continue Reading Moonshine

1 John 5:12, “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.” Autumn brings so many vibrant colors. Everywhere we look is a… Continue Reading Autumn Leaves

“Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, ‘Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.’ He answered, ‘A wicked and adulterous generation asks… Continue Reading Another sign of Jonah