Month: October 2026

“David said to Abigail: “Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you to meet me today. Blessed is your good judgment and blessed are you yourself. Today you have prevented me from shedding blood and rescuing myself with my own hand.”

1 Samuel 25:32-33 (NAB)

Although David was anointed by the prophet Samuel, to be the next king, Saul, who was the current king, was not about to give up his throne. Instead, he set out to kill David, forcing him to live as a fugitive along with a group of men who were loyal to him. 

While David’s men were encamped in the wilderness of Carmel, they met some shepherds who were tending their master’s sheep. David and his men were kind and protective toward the shepherds, who worked for a very wealthy land owner named Nabal.

Nabal had thousands of livestock in the area, but also a reputation for being harsh and bad mannered. He was married to a woman named Abigail, described as intelligent and attractive. The custom of arranging marriages in those days, often resulted in mismatched pairs like Nabal and Abigail. (1 Samuel 25:3)

David sent his men to ask Nabal for some food to eat. Nabal’s response was rude and disrespectful to the messengers, chasing them away saying, “Who is David that I should care about him?” 

David’s anger was triggered when he heard about Nabal’s response. He was living with multiple stressors at the time, trying to survive the challenges of the wilderness and protect the men who were loyal to him, while they all were living as fugitives. 

Even though he was anointed and called to be the next king of Israel, that dream seemed very far off. Saul’s many attempts to kill David, along with Nabal’s unjustifiable meanness, pushed David to a breaking point that day, and he reached for his sword. He and his men quickly headed out to retaliate against Nabal. 

Abigail heard about what Nabal did and immediately had her servants prepare a package filled with loaves of bread, raisin cakes, figs, fruits and wine. She headed out ahead of them, to meet David and ask his forgiveness for Nabal’s offenses, by bringing him a peace offering of food and wine for him and all his men. 

When Abigail met David, she bowed down before him, asking forgiveness for Nabal, her foolish husband. Abigail had remarkable wisdom and patience, and her peace offering did cause David to pause. She gently reminded him that he was made for more, persuading him to trust God, and not tarnish his soul or taint his calling, by shedding blood unnecessarily in revenge.

She redirected David to the more noble side of his nature. Her gift of calming words brought peace and wisdom, and David was touched by her remarkable insight. He turned from his obsession with wrath, declaring that she helped him to rescue himself from himself that day. Abigail was a peacemaker during a difficult waiting period in David’s life.

Soon afterward, Nabal died of a stroke, Saul died in battle, and David was crowned King of Israel. Later, King David went back to Carmel and married Abigail, who was a widow. 

We are not all called to be kings or queens, but we are all called to be peacemakers in this world. We will probably encounter many Nabals in our lifetime, and some challenge our patience more than others. Like David, our dreams may be delayed or put on hold, by unpleasant people or events, but God will fulfill His plans and promises in His perfect timing. 

Abigail inspires us to look at the whole picture, reminding us that we all have a higher, more noble calling. We are all called to be peacemakers, as Jesus said, 

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:8)

Lord, help us to look at the big picture as children of God, which is our higher calling, and use us to be peacemakers in the world. Amen

“After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.”

1 Kings 19:11-12 (NIV)

Elijah, the prophet, was in a cave hiding out, depressed and waiting to die. Overwhelmed with fear and grief after Queen Jezebel killed all the prophets, he was now the only prophet left, and her assassins were out searching for him. 

While hiding in the cave, Elijah was emotionally exhausted and prayed,

“I’ve had enough, Lord, take my life; I’m no better than my ancestors.” Then he fell asleep, but God sent an angel to wake him up twice, to force him to eat and drink, which shows us how much the Lord not only cares for our mental, emotional and spiritual well being, but for our physical health and nourishment as well.

Looking outside his cave, Elijah observed a powerful wind, followed by an earthquake and then a fire, but God did not speak through any of those dramatic forces of nature. Instead, He came to Elijah, speaking in a gentle whisper that swept over him like a comforting  breeze. The whispering voice asked, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He told God that all the prophets had been killed and he was the last one left. Then God told him to “Go back…” 

God sent Elijah back to the chaotic world he was running away from, and informed him that he was not the only one left, that there were 7,000 other believers besides him. God intends for us to find others who share our common faith, to know that we are not as alone as we think. Elijah left the cave, found those other believers, and the brutal leadership of Jezebel and Ahab was soon replaced by a good and just king, named Jehoshaphat. 

The Soul whisperer let Elijah know that things were not as bleak as he once feared, and that a change was coming. He also learned that he was never alone, and the situation was not as hopeless as he perceived it to be.

It reveals the tender heart of God, who comes and whispers to us while we seclude ourselves in our cave of desperation. He comes to us with a gentle whisper, inviting us to go back and resume the place we were meant to be in this world. Then He promises to walk with us, to restore us physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. The same divine Soul Whisperer embodied Jesus, who invites us to come to Him when we are weary and heavy laden, and He will give us rest.

It’s easy to become overwhelmed by grief or discouragement, but just when we think we have no strength or faith left, the Spirit comes and whispers new hope to our souls. 

When I once felt spiritually depleted, the Holy Spirit whispered to me through some Christian music I was listening to. I felt His Presence, and His words within my soul. Though it wasn’t an audible voice, He was saying to me, “I want you back,” and then something changed within me, giving me new hope, faith and strength to go on. 

I believe the love of God comes like a gentle breeze, whispering to every person in whatever emotional cave they are currently in. Caves and mountain tops are great places for prayer or meditation, but they aren’t meant to be permanent dwellings. The Soul whisperer calls us out of our cave and away from mountain tops, to lead us back to the chaos of the real world, to be with others, and walk with Him on our journey of faith. 

Sorrow and grief can make us feel we may never walk with the same vigor we once had, but the Soul whisperer says, “Walk with whatever you have left, and I will be with you the rest of the way.” He equips us on our journey, showing us new mercies each day, and it all starts with a whisper within our soul.

Lord, help us to hear what you are whispering as you nourish, heal and draw us out of our cave, revealing your new mercies to us each day. Amen

“But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.”

Luke 10:33-34 (NIV)

I once heard a speaker tell a story about his son, Joseph, who got lost in the woods at 4 years old.

While looking for Joseph, his dad spotted a nearby pond, and fearing the worst, he vigorously searched the shallow water, for his son’s body, but found nothing. He prayed and said, “God, you have blessed me with so much in my life and I thank you for everything, but you can take it all back, if you would just please give me back my son.” 

Little Joseph was terrified and sitting under a tree in the woods, crying the whole time. His family searched all over until they found him safe and unharmed sitting under the tree. 

The father recalls how in his  desperation to find his lost son, he was ready to give anything to get him back. That whole experience made him more aware that the essence of the gospel message is about God, a Father who also wants His lost sons and daughters back, and is willing to pay any price for them, which He already did through Jesus.

The gospel message is so much more than a list of moral guidelines or beatitudes to live by. It’s a story of the bold and boundless love that God has for all of us. When I heard the story of the lost boy in the woods, I related to it right away, because I was also once lost in the woods at the same age as Joseph.

When I  was four, my family went on a vacation and we stayed in a cabin in a wooded area of Michigan. I also wandered off and got lost in the woods. A very kind family saw me wandering and took me into their cabin, until they found my parents, who were searching everywhere for me. I vaguely recall that the people who took me in, were kind and spoke gently to me, calming my fears. They kept me safe until the reunion with my parents. 

God is still searching through the woods of this world, for all of His lost sons and daughters. He is relying on some good neighbors like us, who may be in a nearby cabin, to show kindness to them when they cross our path. He hopes we will show the same kindness and speak calmly to prepare them for a future reunion with their Heavenly Father. 

Jesus described the Good Samaritan as being moved with compassion, who then did something to help the wounded man. Compassion will move us to action, according to our own capacity. The lost sons and daughters of God cross our path for a reason, not by coincidence. God knows what we have to offer them and He sends people our way according to His purpose. God may simply be asking us to be present for someone, to speak calming words, as they did for me when I was lost.

So who are the lost sons and daughters in our lives that we can help? They may be coworkers, relatives, friends, neighbors or total strangers. We each have a unique role in God’s search and rescue mission for the lost. People may enter our lives for a moment, or for a season and others for a lifetime, but it is God who places them all there.

God also sends people to care for us if we lose our way. He sends people into our life to give us what we need, to prepare and lead us closer to God someday. It might have been a parent, a grandparent, a teacher, a friend, neighbor or a total stranger.

Lord, thank you for the goodness you show us through others, and give us compassion for those lost sons and daughters you send our way. Amen

“Before I was born the Lord called me; from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name.”

Isaiah 49:1 (NIV)

There’s no doubt that it makes us feel special when someone knows our name, especially when we least expect them to. Isaiah said it more than once, that God called our name while we were in the womb. Jesus said that He calls us, His sheep, by name, and then leads us out. Where did He lead us out to? The very first place He led us out of, is the womb, on the day we were born.

Not every scripture is to be taken literally, but what if God really did call our name while we were in the womb. It’s too bad we have no memory of it, but we can still imagine how it was. Think for a moment that at some point in your prenatal development, the voice of God spoke your name, while you were floating around blissfully in amniotic fluid. 

Then the day of your birth took place, which was a stark transition from the comfort and security of the womb to the bright lights and cold atmosphere of a delivery room. Suddenly, there were new sounds and shadows of people outside the womb, which is unpleasant at first, in contrast to the warmth of the past months. You let out your first cry and then ‘life after birth’ begins.

From then on, we hear our name called by parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, a spouse, and others. Years erase the memory of the prenatal voice of God, as we learn to discern the inner voice of His Spirit, who guides us in non-audible ways. He speaks through our conscience, and whispers in our heart, in prayer, or by reading scripture, through music, and by the words of others who inspire us. 

We may even feel at times that something is missing because we subconsciously long for that divine voice we first heard in the womb. 

When we see our name on a note, a greeting card or banner celebrating a birthday, graduation or anniversary event, we naturally rejoice. Jesus once told us that having our names written in heaven, is reason for the greatest rejoicing. (Luke 10:20)

I have a story about once seeing my name written, where I never expected to see it. After settling in my current home in 2019, I searched on a website to buy the right painting to hang on a long bare wall in my living room. To make it even more meaningful, I specifically looked for a landscape scene of a particular area of Greece where my father grew up. 

I found a painting on canvas, showing the Peloponnese mountains in the background, with six boats docked in the foreground. It was 5 ft long and would fill in the wall space perfectly, so I ordered it. 

When it arrived, I was looking at the details up close, and each boat had a name on it, but the letters were partly covered, except for one boat. To my surprise, on the fourth boat from the left, I saw my first name in Greek. (Μαρία) It was as if God was saying ‘hello’ to me, through that picture. My name was the clearest one to read on any of the boats. A painting I ordered to fill in a blank wall, turned out to be an unexpected blessing. 

The voice of God who first called our name in the womb is the voice we now hear with the ‘ear of our hearts’. He will call our name again one day, when He leads us from here to our eternal home in heaven with Him.

Lord, remind us today that you are always speaking to our hearts in various ways, whispering our name to guide and comfort us with your divine Presence. Amen

“Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression

of the remnant of his inheritance?

You do not stay angry forever

 but delight to show mercy.”

Micah 7:18 (NIV)

Most people consider living a long life as a blessed life. Longevity is a blessing, but it is not the defining feature of a blessed life. The people who are blessed are those who receive the grace and mercy that God offers to all, whether they live 20, 40 or 100 years. 

The thief on the cross couldn’t have been very old, and though his life was short, he received the promise of being in paradise with Jesus the day he died. Some might think that he wasted many years before that day, but the one righteous deed he did was in asking Jesus for mercy before he died. It was enough for God to receive him into heaven, which makes his short life a blessed one. 

Someone may be dwelling on what they have lost, or what they are about to lose, but God is focused on giving all people the blessing of His salvation, and He does it through a million chances. Whether we lose health, a relationship or financial stability, God is always trying to draw us closer to Him. He not only desires all souls to be in heaven with Him, but to recognize His love here and now, in our present lives as well. 

When our cross seems too much to bear, He is sanctifying us through that cross. If we were to ask God why He allowed a particular event to happen in our lives, His likely answer is, “Trust me, you cannot see what I see.” 

Even when we fail to trust or believe, we have not used up our last chance, since God offers us a million more. It’s what abundant grace and unconditional love is all about.

Speaking of a million chances, I recently learned the life story of a contemporary Christian singer named Jamie Macdonald. Her story is not what one would expect of someone who writes and sings chart topping songs in the Christian genre.

Jamie’s journey to faith began when her parents divorced before her teen years. Her mother remarried, and her stepfather was mean and abusive, kicking her out of the house at age 15. Jamie went on a downward spiral, dropping out of high school, and becoming addicted to drugs. 

She went to LA, and as young as she was, she lived in homelessness for about six years. After seeing many of her friends die of overdoses or be sent to prison, she remembered a time in her childhood when she believed in God, while at a church camp when she was 12 years old.

In the place she was at, surrounded by drug adducts, Jamie fell to her knees one day when she was 21, and cried out to God, asking Him to help her, and He began to do great things in her life. She finally left the drug scene in LA and received help to overcome her addiction. She always dreamed of a career in music, since she wrote and sang her own songs. While living in Kansas City, MO, she found work singing the songs she wrote, in local coffee shops. In 2025, she released her first chart topping single, ‘Desperate’, which was voted the break out Christian song of the year, which earned five music award nominations.

Jamie is living a totally new life in Christ these days, and although her first 21 years seemed to be wasted years, she has a deeper appreciation of God’s grace which gives us a ‘million chances’. She feels her life is blessed to sing only for Jesus, who inspired her to write and sing a song titled, ‘A million chances.’

Jesus once said that ‘the one who is forgiven much, will love Him much.’ May we all be able to see our life as blessed, in spite of the years we ever considered wasted or lost. Nothing is lost where God’s grace intervenes.

Lord, thank you for your abundant grace that gives us millions of chances to receive mercy, and your love that so powerfully transforms people. Amen