A Cool Drink of Water (Ephraim Beason)

Ephraim means “I will be doubly fruitful or doubly blessed.” In the Bible Ephraim was the name of Joseph’s son in the book of Genesis. Ephraim’s grandfather Jacob spoke a blessing over Ephraim and his brother Manasseh. This blessing is still spoken over others. “May God make you as prosperous as Ephraim and Manasseh.” (Gen 48:50).

Ephraim Beason was named by his parents on the day of his birth on June 20, 1858 in Osceola, St. Clair County, Missouri. His parents were Joseph and Samantha Beason.

Ephraim Beason questioned the meaning of his name many times in his life. He didn’t feel doubly blessed or fruitful. Being born in 1858 in Missouri, he was only three years old when the Civil War began in 1861. Missouri was a hotbed for the war and there was much upheaval and unrest. Ephraim’s oldest brother, Nathan joined the Confederate Army under General Sterling Price in June of 1861, when Eaph was three years old.

June 20, 1861 was a difficult day for the Joseph Beason family. Living in the state of Missouri they were caught in the middle of a state on both sides of the Civil War. Missouri did not secede from the Union but was considered the 12^th state of the Confederacy. On August 10, 1861 the Battle of Wilson’s Creek resulted in a Union defeat leaving the southwestern part of Missouri in Confederate hands. Joseph and Samantha’s oldest son, Nathan decided to join the Confederate Army in June of 1861. Eaph was only three years old and was so sad to see his dear brother go to war. He didn’t understand what was happening but could sense that his parents were deeply concerned. Nathan used to take Eaph with him on all kinds of adventures and Eaph certainly missed these times. Excitement filled the home when Nathan would show up at the old home usually at night. They were always unexpected and unannounced but the celebration in the family was joyous. Many times the Union soldiers would circle the house on horseback and throw open all the doors and search their home. This was so frightening for a three year old. They rushed in with pistols and searched upstairs and down. They threatened his father with death as they were leaving.

Ephriam remembered the early September morning in 1863 when his family loaded their wagon with a few things from their home and fled north not knowing where they were going. The Union soldiers told Joseph that they would kill him because he was considered a Confederate sympathizer as he had a son in the Confederate Army if he did not vacate his farm on September 9^th due to ORD number 11. He was also told he would be killed if he had a gun. They searched his home and farm for a gun but did not find one. Samantha had taken a tip from Genesis 31:34 “Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel’s furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.” They had disassembled Joseph’s gun and put in the bottom of the trunk of clothing and Samantha sat on it and held little Melissa who was frightened and sobbing throughout the ordeal.

The family was filled with grief with abandoning their farm and upon hearing the news of their son Nathan’s death. The farm tools and machinery and furniture had to be left behind for the scavengers. They traveled 85 miles north of their home. The Beason family kept moving north renting farms along the way.

Eventually they moved to Waubonsie Creek, Iowa in 1877. Ephraim and his father chopped wood for W.D. Stephens. W.D. Stephens had a beautiful daughter named Adenia. WD made a big mistake and sent this daughter out to give Ephraim a cool drink of water. Eaph was 20 years old and Adenia was 17. It was love at first sight. Eaph’s sister Melissa had also fallen in love with Jim Mackey. A cool drink of water while chopping wood on a hot summer day has been the fall of many a good man. Secretly they decided to elope and have a double wedding. They got together on the evening of September 10, 1878 and started for Missouri with a team and buggy. They had heard that the marriage laws were more lenient in Missouri. The Justice of the Peace in Hamburg, MO was abruptly awakened from his deep sleep at 12:30am and a double wedding took place in his home at 12:45am with his wife as the witness. At daybreak the young couples found they were close to cousin Silas Beason’s house and stopped there for their wedding breakfast.

Ephraim worked many different jobs to earn a living for his new bride. He worked in a brickyard, tended crops, cut and hauled wood, and many other odd jobs. Adenia did housekeeping and tended to Ephraim’s brother Joe’s children as their mother had passed. Adenia became very ill and was in a coma for three or four days. She woke up just a few days before giving birth to her daughter Rosa May Katherine in June of 1879. When she woke up she did not remember Eaph or marrying him. It took a few days for her memory to return.

Their second child Joseph William (Willie) was born on June 10, 1881 and Rosa May Katherine succumbed to typhoid fever that same year in October. The next spring the Missouri overflowed taking away their house and all of their belongings. They nearly lost their lives.

Another tragedy struck the family in the spring of 1888 when Willie was accidentally struck by a large log that was being unloaded from a wagon load of boards. The doctor was called and the preacher and church members came to pray for Willie but he died that night about midnight. Eaph and Adenia were grief stricken and inconsolable.

At this time of great loss Ephraim’s eyes were opened to his great sin. He was a big rough and tumble man and a good fight was something he enjoyed. He carried the scars of a fight all of his life when a couple of guys jumped him and hit him with brass knuckles. Eaph knew if he wanted to be with his children again in heaven, he needed to get right with God. He converted and joined the church and started preaching the next year in 1889. He found the Lord was his cool drink of water in his grief and in the midst of his struggles. Jesus said in John 4:14, “But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst, but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

Eaph loved to tell the story of the love of Jesus and how Jesus is the only hope for a life full of scars and tragedies. He and Adenia moved to WaKeeney, Ks and had ten more children. My great-grandmother Olive Livinia Beason was one of them. In WaKeeney Ephraim owned a blacksmith shop and also preached in many school houses in the area. He traveled by horse or horse and buggy. He didn’t have a circuit that he traveled but he preached whenever he was given the opportunity. He took my great-grandmother Olive with him to many of these services and she was a great singer.

“Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laymen; such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the kingdom of heaven on earth”. John Wesley

He was a stern and serious man but he could belt out the songs of His Savior. In the evening after working in the blacksmith shop, he would sit on the front porch and read the newspaper with his wife Adenia, with a cool drink of water. His grandchildren shared that they were a little afraid of this big grandfather. But sometimes he would laugh so hard and long that it seemed to rock the whole house. He could sing well and loud. He sang songs like, “There’s Power in the Blood” and “When We All Get to Heaven”.

Adenia was a very happy person and was always praising the Lord. She carried her Bible with her most places and would share scriptures and have a word of prayer for those in need.

Ephraim and Adenia found that their Lord and Savior was more than enough to carry them through life’s challenges. They found that He is just what He said He is. He is the “living water” and you will never thirst again because His well shall never run dry.

Jeremiah 17:13 Yahweh, you are the hope of Israel! All who forsake you will be covered with shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in the dirt. To forsake you, Yahweh, is to forsake the fountain of living waters.

Strange Wedding Vows

Fifty four years ago the Farmer and I fell in love and decided to get married. Actually at 19 and 24 we had no idea of what love really was. Love is waking up every day and deciding that I still love him, no matter what feelings I may have. He must do the same. Maybe he has really upset me and I’m very angry with him but I still decide that I love him this day just as I did yesterday. Just as I did on our wedding day. Love in our seventies is different than what we thought in our twenties. Love now is a grateful heart that we have shared life with the same children and cherish the same grandchildren and we are incredibly thankful to have each other to share our lives. Many of our friends are now walking and living without their dear spouse.

“A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.” – Mignon McLaughlin

On our wedding day in May we got married at a little country church that we both attended. The Farmer had attended there his entire life and the Pastor was his uncle. I moved to this area when I was in Junior High and started to attend the same church. The road to the church was gravel and it rained on the rehearsal supper. It also rained on the morning of the wedding and the florist wouldn’t deliver the little bit of flowers we had selected. My family just picked them up and took them out to the church with us. Our wedding was simple and I had one bride’s maid and he had one groomsmen. We served cake and lemonade following the service in the church basement. The Farmer’s sweet mother made the cake for us and it was perfect. My mother made the lemonade from real lemons and the mints.

The Farmer had told me he was going to have his uncle, the Pastor put in our marriage vows that I would always make homemade bread for him. That is what his mother did. She raised a hard-working family of seven children and baked loaves of fresh bread every day or every other day. I fully expected this to be in our vows. But his uncle was gracious and did not make me promise in front of everyone. I did however, make all our bread until I took a full time job in town to help make ends meet on the farm. By this time we had been married fourteen years. That was a lot of bread making.

Bread making is very healthy for your emotions. Bread dough does not really care how hard you hit it when you are kneading it. This helps release many pent up feelings and is much healthier than taking it out on your children or your Farmer. Bread making has helped many relationships to thrive.

“Bread — like real love — took time, cultivation, strong loving hands and patience.” — Melissa Hill

In the Bible in John 6:35 it says, Jesus said to them, “I am the Bread of Life. Come every day to me and you will never be hungry. Believe in me and you will never be thirsty.” He is our nourishment, or sustenance. Bread is a food that sustains life and without this nourishment our physical bodies will become malnourished. In the same way our spiritual bodies need the Word of God to fill us and give us life. Jesus is the Bread of Life. There is no other way. Jesus is essential for life. No matter how hard we try we will never be perfect and we don’t have to be because Jesus, the Bread of Life, paid the price so that we can be forgiven.

Fresh bread smells like a little piece of heaven when it comes out of the oven. It nourishes while it lasts but it never lasts especially with several hungry children around to feed. Jesus never leaves us hungry but fulfills our need for nourishment.

Yes I’ve made a lot of bread in my early married life and now in retirement, I am enjoying trying out sourdough recipes. The Farmer still loves a fresh slice of homemade bread.

“Courage is being scared to death-and saddling up anyway!” John Wayne

In March, my cousin, Terry called me to let me know he was battling cancer again. He knew better than not to tell me! Twelve years ago he gave me a call and told me he had cancer in his throat and he began the battle to beat the C word. And he did! His doctors had never seen anyone go through all he went through and still go to work nearly every day.

Terry was made from some hearty stock and is a real cowboy. He was a member of the World Champion Roping Team in 1991. He worked hard and he worked long. When we were children we roamed all over Pap-Paw’s ranch in Oklahoma. There was so much to do in that place and our imaginations ran wild. Terry was my Roy Rogers and I was Dale Evans. There was one problem with this picture: this Dale Evans was afraid of horses. Well I wasn’t afraid of Pap-Paw’s horse, Buck. (That was the wrong name for this gentle old horse.) But I was afraid of the heights it would take to get up on him. I definitely was not the best Dale Evans. But we fought our bad guys anyway along with our other cousins.

Cowboys are born, not made. Their stories are true, even when they’re not.”– Baxter Black

When Terry called in March, he said he was experiencing kidney cancer again and he just wanted to get on my prayer list. He was sure he was going to be able to beat this again and he was added to my prayer list. On May 10, 2026 I received a call from his little sister, Patti. She said that Terry was tired of the battle and he made the decision to go on hospice. I called him that evening and heard his weak and weary voice. I asked him if he had received Jesus as his Savior. He told me “Oh, yes! I took care of that years ago.” May 11 we headed to Oklahoma to get to see Terry one more time. As I was driving I was asking the Lord to show me how to pray for Terry and I heard on the radio the song “Wide Open” by North Point Worship. The words carried my answer on how to pray for him and it gave me a glimpse of what was ahead for Terry. Here are the words I heard.

No height, no depth, no laugh, or final breath

Could ever separate us from Your love

No failure, no mistake, no loneliness, or pain

Could ever separate us from Your love

On the other side of everything I’m afraid of

You are standing with Your arms wide open, wide open

Even in my deepest doubts and wonder

You are standing with your arms wide open, wide open

My heart was at peace and we had a wonderful visit with Terry. We headed back to the farm the next day and Terry went home to be with his Savior just about the time we got home. I think he’s enjoying roping in heaven in a brand new body.

My Pap-paw

My Pap-paw, my mom’s dad, was an angry alcoholic who was hard on his family and his wife, my Granny. Although he was originally from Kentucky, his family sent him to Oklahoma to live with his older brother Ed. They were concerned, since he was the youngest son, that he would be killed in all the feuding there in Kentucky. His mom died young, and his sister was the one who had to raise all the children. Pap-Paw was severely depressed and tried to self-medicate with alcohol. At times, my Pap-paw would just disappear from his family. He would hop on a freight train and ride it back to Kentucky. His family there would call my Granny and let her know he was there and that he was ok. When my mom visited their home place in Kentucky, they had to park the car and walk back into the woods. She said there were bullet holes in the house, and she was afraid to stay there as a child.

My mom and her siblings lived in fear of him, and once he even had a gun and told them if they did something, he would kill them. They hid out in the barn for a while. Their mom, my Granny, took the brunt of his anger, and they never knew when they came home from school what they would find.

Three men from the Baptist church in Blackburn, OK kept inviting Pap-Paw to church, and one evening he went as they were having revival services. A miracle took place in his life, and Pap-paw surrendered his life to Jesus Christ and took Jesus as his Savior. He never drank alcohol again. He totally changed in a moment. My Pap-paw was the Treasurer of that church when I came to know him, and he rarely missed a service there. Now in that church, the men had to sit on one side of the church and the women on the other. There were a few times in his later years that my Granny sure wished she could elbow him as he slipped into a deep sleep and began to snore.

My Pap-paw wrote in my little autograph book that he hoped someday I would receive Jesus as my Savior. When I was born, he gave me a little Bible with verses marked in it for me to read when I was old enough. He said to start with the book of John. His message to me in that little autograph book helped me make the decision to follow Jesus and be baptized. We lived in Cuba, NM when I was in the sixth grade, and I was baptized in a little Baptist church there.

Some day when I get to heaven, I am going to look up those three men from that little Baptist church in Blackburn, OK and tell them thank you! Thank you for caring enough to rescue my family from the pit of despair. Thank you for inviting my Pap-paw to church, so I could know to give my life to Jesus, so that I could raise my kids to know to give their lives to Jesus and so that my grandchildren could know how important it is to have a personal relationship with Jesus.

If you desire to know how to have a personal relationship with Jesus, I will tell you. First in Romans 3:23 it says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We need to know that we are all sinners. The Word says all have sinned. We need to ask God for forgiveness for our sins.

Romans 6:23 says that the wage of sin is death; BUT the gift of God is eternal life. (I just love those BUTS in the Bible.) Romans 5:8 says that while we were yet sinners, Jesus Christ died for our sins. Jesus paid the price on the cross for our sins. This is a gift from Jesus. All we must do is receive this gift by repenting of our sins, believing that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died on the cross, and three days later, He arose. Romans 10:13 says for whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Here is a prayer to pray if you would like to receive the free gift of eternal salvation. Dear Jesus, As your word says, I have sinned and I ask for your forgiveness. I confess with my mouth that you are the Son of God and you died on the cross for my sins and that you rose again. My desire is to accept your free gift of salvation and let you be the Lord of my life. Thank you for saving me. In Jesus name. Amen. Pretty simple and amazingly easy to do. If you need any help, contact me and I will show you the way.

“Grandfathers are just antique little boys.” –Unknown

My Granny and Pap-paw were always incredibly special to me. My Granny took me to Vacation Bible School as much as she could and to Sunday School. I loved going to church, and I still do. Both sets of my grandparents were very influential in my life. They both showed me the love of Jesus and how through the most tragic times of life, Jesus will carry you through.

“Grandparents, like heroes, are as necessary to a child’s growth as vitamins.”—Joyce Allston

Soft-ball Stage

The “soft-ball stage” is a critical point in candy making (usually between 234°F and 240°F) where sugar syrup forms a soft, pliable, and flattening ball when dropped into cold water, making it perfect for fudges and caramels.

These words spark sheer terror in my heart: soft-ball stage. This terror arises out of some childhood trauma that I experienced. I remember the day as if it were yesterday. We lived in a mobile home (we called it a trailer house) and I was probably 12 years old and decided that some chocolate fudge sounded dreamy! Food has always been a high priority in my life. I was a little pudgy and some fudgy sounded like a great addition to my day. My mom was outside but I had seen her make fudge before. I did get her permission to make some. I was doing great until I read to cook it to the soft-ball stage?!? What does that mean? I hollered out the window at mom and she said put a drop of the syrup in some cold water and see if it forms a ball. What I heard her way was add some cold water! Now that did not help my fudge one bit. It was kind of a nice chocolate syrup, a little runny but tasty so not a total loss.

Only a few degrees separate hard ball from soft ball.” — Science and Cooking: Physics as a Foundation of Culinary Art

Several years later I married my Farmer and he loves his mother’s “Moist Devil’s Food Cake” and the frosting that she made “Chocolate Fudge Frosting”. I should have known from the title of fudge that there were difficulties ahead. The Farmer and I have been married almost 54 years and every single year on Valentine’s Day and also in March on the Farmer’s birthday I attempt to make this special treat for him. I wake up that morning in dread not knowing how this will turn out. I make a really good chocolate frosting that does not say anything about a soft-ball stage in it but this recipe is the one the Farmer really likes, so here we go. It’s time to face my fears. And as my daughter loves to remind me, “I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me.” Phil. 4:13. Some days the frosting is great and spreads well other days it crystalizes and is in blobs too hard to spread, and sometimes it is runny. It is unpredictable for sure. The Farmer does like it any way that it turns out.

“My cooking is magnificent; even the smoke alarm is cheering me.” – Unknown

I have researched the soft-ball stage in my quest to succeed and have found these guidelines: stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Then turn up the heat and boil rapidly. Put thermometer in the saucepan and DO NOT STIR as the sugar could crystalize! REALLY, now they tell me. The only thing you do is turn the heat down. I sure wish I would have known that 60 years ago!

“Many people have eaten in this kitchen & have gone on to lead normal, healthy lives.” – Unknown

“Today’s menu has two choices TAKE IT or LEAVE IT.” – Unknown

It is good to realize that we are never too old to learn. I remember at 20 years of age I thought I knew all there was to know about the Lord. I mean I’d been reading the Bible since I learned to read. Fourteen years should be enough to know-it-all. Now 60 years later I realize that I will not live long enough to fully know my Lord and Savior. I see scriptures every day that I’ve read for 60 years and I see new truths in them. God’s amazing Word is alive and active. I’ve learned to read it out loud so the atmosphere around me can hear it and be impacted by it. I’m so thankful that we have all eternity to learn more about Jesus. It will take at least that long to discover the riches of His love and mercy.

Maybe I need to stop stirring and let His promises just sink in and do their mighty work in my heart. The Lord has been showing me in some many ways these last few weeks that my heart needs a softening. In some areas it has crystalized a little and it is time to soften the soil of my heart and prepare it for the new seeds the Lord wants to sow in my heart. The Lord wants me to live with more compassion, more forgiveness, and a deeper connection to Him and those around me. Proverbs 4:23 “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Psalms 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”

The soft-ball stage is when the syrup forms into a soft, flexible ball. Now the syrup can be used in your recipe. A soft flexible heart can be used in this world we live in much better than one that has crystalized.

Recipes:

Moist Devil’s Food Cake-Mabel’s recipe

2 C. sugar ½ c. milk

½ c. shortening 2 whole eggs

½ c. cocoa 1 ¼ tsp. soda

1 c. boiling water 1 teas. vanilla

2 c. sifted flour ¼ teas. salt

Stir dry ingredients together. Put shortening, sugar, cocoa in boiling water.

Mix all ingredients together and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Test with toothpick until it comes out clean.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

2 cups sugar ½ cup cocoa

½ cup oleo ¼ cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients except the vanilla. Bring to a full boil and boil one minute

Or until the soft-ball forms in cold water. Add vanilla and beat until creamy

Happy New Year! 2026 is Here!

Is There Room in Your Heart?

Conrad and I have had a good year this 2025. We are thankful every day for good health and for each other. Graduations filled up our May. Our sweet Anna graduated from KU and is teaching high school art in Great Bend. Willow graduated from Flower Mound High and is going to Boston University in a few weeks. Asa graduated from Rawlins County High and is now at KSU in computer science. We now have two grandsons at KSU with another planning to join them next fall.

A new knee was in store for grandpa in May. He tried physical therapy and decided to go ahead with a new knee. He has done very well with his new knee and was very faithful to do all of the physical therapy carefully. This did put a crimp in Pam’s plans this summer. Travel was curtailed for a bit and Pam had to mow and trim this whole place. Wouldn’t you know this would be the year it would rain and the grass would keep growing until frost! I love green grass and rain so no real complaints from this girl.

We were unable to go on a SOWER mission this year due to the knee replacement. This mission was missed very much by both of us. We are hopeful to return to this ministry soon. We miss our friends and the couples we have worked with.

I-70 has been a well-traveled road for us this fall. With two grandsons in Manhattan and four grandchildren in Olathe, we have seen a lot of this road. We also made it to St. Paul, Minnesota to watch Josh play football there with UNW. Our grandchildren are growing up quickly now and the realization has hit that they are on their own pursuits all over the USA right now and it will be more so in the future. I wonder if we will make it to Boston University?

Conrad and I are enjoying retirement. We are not retired we are refired! We’ve been really enjoying our church and we have had many opportunities to teach Bible studies in the last few years. We rejoice in our Savior and His goodness to us.

Will we make room for God to write His story in our lives?

God bless you all dear friends! HAPPY 2026 Conrad and Pam Popp

My Hiding Place

“Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun”. – Mary Lou Cook

An old threshing machine was a delightful plaything for my cousins and I. We made it to be everything we could possibility imagine. It was also a great place to hide in games of tag or hide and seek. It used to be very useful in agriculture but they had outlived their day and were just sitting in pastures and along roadways everywhere. Combines pulled by a tractor had made them obsolete. My Pap-paw and Granny were the most fortunate people that I knew with one in their pasture just past the old chicken house. When my cousins and I could gather at the old ranch and traverse through the old cotton field we found that old threshing machine. My, it turned into a spaceship, a battleship, a pirate ship, and anything else our imaginations could think of. We spent hours there just enjoying our own creativity and using our imaginations. We invented so many ways to use this equipment. We took tremendous risks and we broke some rules and we made mistakes and we had some fun.

The more we could stay away from the house the better. Back at the house our parents and grandparents probably had green beans for us to snap, or Pap-Paw had use take a sample of wheat and vetch and had the cousins and I count the quantity of each in that sample. (I think it was his way of keeping us busy!) Or maybe there was an ice cream freezer that needed cranking. We loved that ice cream but not the cranking part, although the end result was worth it.

Today my hiding place is any place I can get alone with the Word of God and allow Him some time to speak to me. He speaks to me much but I don’t always take the time to listen. How can I not take the time to listen?!? How can I not listen to the Almighty God! When I do listen, I am amazed at His goodness and His kindness to me. He is no respecter of persons and He will and does speak to you also. I am not special as He loves all His sons and daughters and His desire is for us to hear Him and follow His heart.

Psalms 119:114 TPT You’re my place of quiet retreat, and your wraparound presence becomes my shield as I wrap myself in your Word!

Psalms 119:114 ESV You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.

“Come Up Higher”

Come Up Higher!

“Beloved! Come up higher! I have more for you.”

Tommy Tenney says that God is calling you to a higher level of commitment. Forget the plans you made for yourself. Die to self. (Jer. 50:14)

Claim your upgrade. Perhaps you have been asked to move from the normal section of the airplane and have been upgraded to First Class. Would you refuse the upgrade? Come and accept a move to the upper level.

Is 40:31 But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Eagles fly higher than any other creature. As they catch the wind, it carries them even higher. The eagles’ eyes are sharper and keener than any other. Eagles are discerning. Eagles know just how to make the wind currents work for them and they have the highest view of all that is happening below them.

IS 43:18-19 Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

As we embrace the beginnings of a new year, 2025, a powerful message from God resonates: God is urging us to embrace the new beginnings that lie ahead. There are new dreams, new visions, new beginnings and new adventures with the Lord ahead of us. But as Paul says in Phil.3:13-14 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things with are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

There it is “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God!” God is calling us to come up higher. This will require us unloading some of the baggage we have held onto for years. Do we have hurtful words stored in our memory banks, unforgiveness, shame, unrepentant hearts, wounds and other heavy memories? Our Lord says to cast our care on Him. That will certainly lighten our load and set us free to accept the call to come up higher with Him. We can’t take the next step higher if we are loaded down with the burdens of the past.

Accept the upward call of God. Accept the upgrade.

There is an interesting story in the Bible in Judges 1:14 and Joshua 15:15-19. Caleb’s daughter Achsah was offered as a pawn by her father. She was offered in marriage to the man who could attack and capture Kiriath Sepher. Caleb’s nephew Othniel captured Kiriath Sepher and Caleb gave his daughter Achsah in marriage to him. One day she asked her father for a blessing. She asked for the upper and lower springs of water on the field that he gave to them. She knew she had her father’s favor and she did not see herself as a victim but as an heir of her father, a favored heir. She had every reason to have the attitude of a victim. But she had the attitude of an heir. What if she asked only for the lower springs then the upper area would have been dry and unusable. We can’t receive an upper springs inheritance with a lower springs mindset.

Understand who you are in Christ.

“Come up higher!” This is a word that has the power to pull you into the more God has for you. We must know that we are heirs in Christ. Rom. 8:17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory

Mornin’ Glory

Morning Glories have graced the gate of this yard for many years. They climb up the trellis and cling to the frame to cover the gate and welcome visitors or turn them away. Our new UPS delivery man was hesitant to come in the gate as the Morning Glories had completely covered the gate. The Glories love the morning and bloom at that time of day, closing up in the afternoons. Morning glory vines bring old fashioned charm and a quaint cottage feeling to this yard.

“Where flowers bloom so does hope.”

Lady Bird Johnson

“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.”

Francis Hodgson Burnett

“Every flower must grow through dirt.”

Laurie Jean Sennott

When I hear the word glory, I always think of my Savior. Glory and honor is what I desire to bring to His name. His glory is what we need in our world. It’s so like Him to create all the beautiful colors we enjoy with the Morning Glory and all the other flowers around us. As we head in Autumn I think of how He is so creative. He could have made our world just in hues of gray. But He couldn’t as He loves beauty, too. His love for us caused Him to create such colorful things for us to enjoy.

Psalms 50:14-15 Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High. Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.

Glory in Hebrew is kabowd or kavod. There is more than one meaning. God may have designed this beautiful language of Hebrew to give dimension to our understanding of Him and His love for us. It is from the root word for weight. It can mean glory, honor, respect, distinction and importance. It is abounding in honor and reverence. Exodus 24:17 is a prime example of this.

“Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel.”

Our God is so worthy of reverence and praise. His glory should activate in us a response of praise and worship so full of the recognition of His mighty strength and the honor that is due Him. When we encounter the majesty of God, we must respond with reverential worship, awe and devotion.

“Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” Exodus 40:34-35

We must embrace His glory and let this fill our lives and our world. Only then can we understand fully the difference the glory of God brings to us individually and corporately

The Bread of Life

The Bread of Life

“There is much more of God available than we have ever imagined, but we have become so satisfied with where we are and what we have that we don’t press in for God’s best. Yes, God is moving among us and working in our lives, but we have been content to comb the carpet for crumbs as opposed to having the abundant loaves of hot bread God has prepared for us in the ovens of heaven! He has prepared a great table of His presence in this day, and He is calling to the church, “Come and dine.”

Tommy Tenney, “The Heart of a God Chaser”

I can’t think of a more delightful smell, than that of bread baking in the oven. That incredible aroma just wraps itself around you, like a very precious hug from a grandchild or someone special. Smells bring up all kinds of memories and remembrances. A certain smell can take you back to a place in your memory and it becomes so real that you can see it again. Bread with its irresistible taste and aroma have made it a culinary delight.

Whether it is a freshly baked loaf shared with loved ones or a comforting slice of toast on a cold day, bread has the power to nurture both body and soul.

When the Farmer and I were married 52 years ago, there were some conditions in our vows. The Farmer’s mother had always made all of the bread in their home. She had seven children and she had to bake bread almost every day. She was truly a saint. Since the Farmer had been raised that way he thought his new bride could also bake all of the bread for our new union. Since his uncle was the pastor that was marrying us, the Farmer said he would have Uncle Curly put it in our vows. Because I was young and so in love I agreed to make and bake bread for our family. I did make our bread until I began to work outside of the home full time.

The Farmer’s dad enjoyed a really hard crust on his bread. If his wife had to leave him to tend the bread in the oven for a bit, he always let it stay in the oven until the crust was so hard.

“Remember, man does not live on bread alone: sometimes he needs a little buttering up.”

John Maxwell

On November 6, 1987, President Ronald Reagan declared November to be National Family Bread Baking month. He said, “Bread, the staff of life, both gives and symbolizes sustenance. Until recent decades the American people baked their bread at home and today many families enjoy this tradition, not simply for its wholesome nutrition but also for its rich association with the well-being and security of family life.”

Bread is pretty amazing. I think we can all agree on that. It was pretty amazing in the Bible too. It is mentioned at least 492 times in the Bible beginning in Genesis and continuing right through Revelation with a variety of meanings and symbolisms. Jesus declared himself the Bread of Life.

Then Jesus declared, “I am the Bread of Life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35

I’ve made many loaves of bread in my life. That’s perhaps why I am drawn to the story of when Jesus made bread.

There was a large crowd of five thousand people who had gathered to hear Jesus teach. It was in a remote location outside a small village and the teaching went longer than planned. Soon the sun grew hot and the day grew long and the people were too far from the city to buy themselves food.

Jesus’ disciples wondered aloud what they would do with this hungry crowd. “You feed them,” Jesus said. But the disciples confronted Jesus with the reality of the situation. There were five thousand people gathered. Even if they could buy all the fish from the local fisherman and all the bread from the local bakery, there would not be enough in this small village. Jesus decided to show them his power. By taking the five loaves of bread and two fish that a little boy had, he made enough bread and fish to feed the entire crowd AND have leftovers. I don’t know what that bread tasted like. But I imagine if the Son of God himself, who invented the idea of wheat and yeast and water, were to make bread then that bread would be unbelievable!

Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. Luke 9:16-17

When our family gathers together, Mae-Maw’s rolls are always the most requested item on the menu. My mother could sure make delicious rolls. As long as she was able she would gather the supplies and make bread for her family. Her great grandchildren were always delighted and there were usually none left over.

Here is the recipe for Mae-Maws’ Buttery Crescent Rolls

1 cup milk scalded 1 package yeast

¼ cup butter ½ cup warm water

3 T. sugar 2 eggs beaten

1 tsp. salt 4 to 5 cups flour

Add butter, sugar, and salt to scalded milk. Stir until butter melts. Let the mixture cool to lukewarm. Dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl. Add milk mixture, eggs and 2 cups of flour. Beat with mixer at low speed until smooth. Stir in flour to make a soft dough. Knead 8-10 minutes on floured board. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise one hour. Divide in half or thirds and roll out. Cut with pizza cutter and roll up to make crescents. Place on greased cookie sheets. Cover and let rise 30 minutes. Bake 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned. Brush with butter. Makes 24-30 rolls. Enjoy. Note: we always double this recipe.

Throughout the Bible bread is a symbolic representation of God’s life sustaining provision. He alone is our true source of spiritual life, both in this present world and in the everlasting life to come. Even in the Old Testament in Leviticus 24:9 and Numbers 4:7 the Lord gave instructions to build a table called the table of showbread in the tabernacle. There were twelve loaves of bread on this table on every Sabbath. This symbolized God’s eternal covenant relationship with his people and his constant care and provision for them.

Don’t just pick up the crumbs of this provision. The Lord’s desire for you is that you would savor His fresh bread right out of the oven of heaven. Will you come and dine at His table? The invitation is still open.