Steven Miller

I know it's so tempting to call people, especially liberals, dumb, stupid, idiots and so on, when they are doing things that deserve such names, but it has been grieving me a lot lately to see so many brothers and sisters in the Lord launching out with such things, or sharing memes that say such things. Who is going to listen to the "truth in love" if we are calling them such names and showing how we don't really love them? Jesus died for them as much as us and the only real difference between them and us is that we know it and they don't (most likely). So as Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:4 - "Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God." I think we can probably fit name calling into that list as well. Showing Jesus' love to them is very important. I also might add, loving them is not the same thing as condoning their actions. Loving them is just that, loving them.

I wrote this the morning after the storm ripped through Quincy, causing much damage on July 11, 2015.  I'm just now getting time to post it. I sit here writing this the morning after a strong storm that caused a lot of damage all throughout Quincy. The electricity is out throughout the majority of the city.  I haven't been out much to survey the damage, but from the few pictures I have seen online, it's fairly extensive. Being without the electricity gives one a reminder of how dependent we as a society have become on modern conveniences; though I imagine that electrical power has been around so long that is probably isn't thought of as modern anymore, but it is a necessity none-the-less. I'm drawn to wonder about the gifts that God has given us and how they depend on power too.  Just as our appliances need the electrical power to function, so too do we need the power of the Holy Spirit to have the spiritual gifts that God has given to us to function as well. ...

I have come to love using texting... so much in fact, that I prefer to text to conversing over the phone.  There's nothing quite like being able to zip off a text to someone and go about your next task for the day.  Comparing that to having to dial a phone, hope the person you're calling answers and if they don't, then you have to hope that their voicemail is set up and if it is, then you have to hope that their voicemail box isn't full, because they haven't bothered to either check nor erase their messages, so there's no room for your message, then you have to call back again anyway.  A text is so much easier. The problem is, when you try to use texting as your main source of communication in a long distance relationship, it's sorely lacking.  It creates misunderstandings that are never even close to what you intended and then you get taken for being the biggest jerk in the world, when all you really wanted to say was, I'm sorry and I love you.   Te...

This Is About You … It is often difficult when you are someone whose soul craves to communicate your thoughts and feelings in some way.   The reason it is difficult is that when you communicate your thoughts and feelings, you are opening yourself up to a vast array of hurtful criticism.   You see, the heart that you open to share from is also open to receive back.   It is a rare person who is capable of receiving your heart-felt thoughts in the way that you intended to communicate them. You may communicate something that means a great deal to you emotionally.   It is with that heart-felt intent that you share your thoughts and feelings.   However, what you may get back in return is some very hateful and hurtful commentary that has little or nothing to do with what you communicated.   Of course, there is always a chance that you did not effectively communicate what you meant, so that’s something to keep in mind.   But the harsh criticism is...

Wondering Mind...             For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved to write.   As a kid, I would sit and write plays of various sorts.   I also wrote stories, poetry and just my thoughts.   About the only thing I loved more than writing is music, so I followed that more so than the writing, but ended up not doing much with it either.   So here I am, just a month shy of my 52 nd birthday wondering why I never pursued writing or anything else that was a passion of mine.               I always was a people pleaser of sorts and I don’t understand where that came from, other than perhaps my desire to be liked.   That said, I tended to do what someone else thought was a good idea for me to do, rather than what my heart was telling me to do, so I have found that I don’t like my life very much and I don’t truly know who I am.   Perhaps I...

I’ve been thinking today a bit about compassion, especially in how it relates to God. If you look it up in the dictionary, you’ll see that compassion is defined as: a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering. You’ll also see that compassionate is defined as” 1. having or showing compassion or 2) to have compassion for; pity.  Now, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that little true compassion is found in the world today. Sure, there are a few agencies in operation that claim to be showing compassion and they are no doubt doing the best that they can, but I have to wonder just how many are operating out of true compassion. I think the best place to find out what true compassion is, is to read about in the Bible and how it relates to God and who He is. Let’s take some time out and read Psalm 103. You will see in verse 2 of Psalm 103 (NIV) that we are reminded to not to forget G...

      This morning, I was corresponding with an old friend from high school, and we were discussing many of the people who we had been in school with.  It was amazing to both of us just how much we’ve all changed and how much life has impacted each one of us in various ways.  Some have been seriously injured in accidents; others have not aged the best and even others have died in the years since we graduated high school.       As I was reflecting on this, for whatever reason, I got a thought of how many of us spend our lives chasing after things that are nothing more than a waste of time, a waste of life, a waste of our energies and so on.  Then the thought hit me that not only do we chase after the wrong things, but we go after them “full-tilt”.       If you know anything about the medieval times when knights of all sorts were in the world, you’ll know that the word “full-tilt” comes from that era, when in joisting compe...