Trust Jesus. It’s Time.(Post 5 of 5)
When I was 8 years old, I knew enough to know that someday I would “get saved.” At the time, I didn’t know how to get saved, but I knew it…
9 min read
Stephen De La Vega
Stephen De La Vega
Align with God(Post 4 of 5)
What would happen if the pilots of the United States Navy Blue Angels fail to follow the command of their Flight Leader? I will not ve…
8 min readAm I Always Right?(Post 3 of 5)
I’m a faith blogger. I develop and lead Bible studies. I published 2 small group study guides and I’m working on a Christian non-fiction i…
7 min readDo We Value Others?(Post 2 of 5)
Violence Rage Manslaughter Murder Trafficking Slavery …
8 min readThe Most Important Life Pursuits(Post 1 of 5)
I’ve been a Christian for 40 years and I was not always productive. I put time and resources into things that were not that important. I sho…
8 min readEmbrace Difficulty in the Promise of Christmas
Christmas may be a little different this year. The Christmas season may always be hard for some of us, but this year that may be true …
6 min readThankful In 2020 (God Is My God)
2020 has been a year of change, difficulty, loss, and unrest. Thankfulness is not in that list, but we are thankful – we try to be, anyway…
7 min readI Had COVID-19
COVID-19 hit us like a giant brick. Its presence changed the world. It disrupted our lives. Many of us were hit hard. How can our everyd…
11 min readShaking Ground
“Life is a mess.” “Things are spiraling out of control.” “We’re at our wit’s end.” “Nothing we’ve tried seems to work.” These are phra…
7 min readLive Justified
Last week I wrote about injustice and anger that boils within. Today, I share a story about justification that was framed from injustice. I…
5 min readI'm Boiling. May I Erupt?
I started writing this post before the killing of George Floyd . We were still grieving Ahmaud Arbery’s senseless murder . We cry, “Enough i…
8 min readJohn Chapter 2 and 3, A Rhyming Paraphrase
I enjoyed how my rhyming paraphrase of John 1 told the story of Jesus in vibrant yet plain language, so I had to continue rhyming John …
6 min readWe Thrive with Jesus
Aspen trees are possibly my favorite trees because of their picturesque trunks and delicate leaves. In most of Northern America we c…
5 min readGoliath!
We are fearful. Our hearts are heavy. We face real issues. There are legitimate threats – perhaps monumental threats. This is the…
10 min readA Not-So-Typical Family Vacation
It could’ve been a trip like any other, but Shauna and her family didn’t take the usual vacation. Instead, they assembled their family a…
8 min readDrive Beyond the Crossing of Hope and Holiness
God’s gift of eternal life is worth celebrating. Our freedom from the leash of sin is better than any other freedom. The love and ador…
8 min readJesus Died on the Cross. It Matters.
I recently heard about heretical teaching from an evangelical pulpit. The preacher taught that Jesus didn’t really die on the cross…
10 min readA Gift for Jesus (A Short Poem)
Hi friends. Enjoy this short poem. Jesus deserves the best gifts. Share your thoughts in the comments below. A Gift for Jesu…
4 min readOwn the Road. It Was Paved for You.
I’m excited and honored to be a guest blogger on One Lost Coin. One Lost Coin is a blog for those who have questions about their fait…
4 min readDetails Beg Us to Go Deeper
God didn’t simply create water. He created water that expands and contracts when the temperature changes, and sometimes it boils a…
9 min readThe Narrow Gate Is Worth the Cost of Admission
I took a few major road trips with family this year which included visits to 21 different National Parks in 8 different states. That’s…
6 min readDrifting (A Short Poem)
Hi friends. This is not my typical blog post but I want to share it because I’m sure God helped me write it. It’s a short poem. Simp…
4 min readHonoring Authority within God’s Big Picture (Part 3):God Adds Texture to Our Portraits with Visions of a Masterpiece
When we contemplate the canvas of life, I hope we recognize that God is the Master Painter. He determines the colors, the backgroun…
10 min readA Whole New World Awaits
Disney has done it again. Perfect casting and memorable songs brought to life in the newest of live-action reboots, Aladdin . I wasn’t …
5 min readHonoring Authority within God’s Big Picture (Part 2):God Frames Ever-Changing Hues along the Path Toward Honoring Him
Sometimes on a hike or long drive we notice changes in the landscape. Lush. Dry. Wooded. Massive. Rocky. Beautiful. Meh. (That …
9 min readHonoring Authority within God’s Big Picture (Part 1):God Paints Our Responsibilities onto the Canvas of Life
We need explanations. No, we demand explanations. We want equality and justice. We want life to be fair. Well, maybe not fair as mu…
8 min readGetting Off on the Wrong Two Feet
Two arms, two legs, ten fingers, ten toes. Perfect! All is good in the maternity ward. Or so it seemed… When will …
6 min readPa Rum Pum Pum Pum and a Smile in the New Year
I recently read Scripture at a friend’s wedding. It was an honor for me to proclaim God’s Word to the wedding party and guests. I …
8 min readChristmas is About Joy!
At Christmas time we celebrate the birth of Jesus. It’s not only a declaration of, “It’s a boy!” It’s the coming of a Savior – the on…
4 min readSunshine Blogger Award 2 (and 3)
I’m happy to announce I was nominated again for this Sunshine Blogger Award , this time by 2 different fellow bloggers whom I a…
14 min readConstructive Construction (A Normal Christian Life)
This is the framing of the lower floors of a planned 24-story office tower that will open its doors next year. It will boast dramati…
8 min readServe God with the Matchless Wisdom of Solomon
[This post originally appeared here with the title: Wise As Solomon . I wrote it as a guest blogger for Liz Petruzzi. Be sure to …
7 min readSunshine Blogger Award
This blog post is a little different. It’s unplanned and not my regular, biblically-based writing. I’m happy to announc…
8 min readOur Master’s Voice: Comfort Outside the Comfort Zone (Animal Instinct Trilogy, Part 3)
[If you’re able, read Part 1 , then Part 2 , then this post. This trilogy includes some extraordinary but true animal stories…
8 min readHe Put the Ocean in the Shells
We’ve all listened. We put our ears to a sea shell so we could hear the ocean. Of course, what we really heard is the resonance of the…
5 min readRun Faster. Run Farther. Breathe Deeper. (Animal Instinct Trilogy, Part 2)
[This is Part 2 of Animal Instincts Trilogy. Also read Part 1 and Part 3 .] I stepped out of my comfort zone one day and walked…
8 min readTulips, Transformation, and Team Blogging
Call us tulips. I claim the dark one. Yeah, I know it’s pink, but it’s the one that’s different, and I feel a little differ…
7 min readDo We Appreciate the Many Colors?
We see colors when light refracts. That’s God’s design. He also designed each of us differently. Do we appreciate the colors …
6 min readFreedom: Unleashed for a New Master (Animal Instinct Trilogy, Part 1)
Patrick Henry had the right idea when he stood before the Virginia Convention and said , “Give me liberty or give me death.” He wanted…
5 min readCelebration of Life and Legacy
3 weeks ago I attended my aunt’s memorial service. We call it a “celebration of life” because of the life she lived on earth and becau…
10 min readStone Cold Truth about the Grave, Grace, and Honor
We may not think of Jesus’ tomb as a tomb of honor, but it was. It was prepared with honor, it was sacrificed with honor, and Jesus was…
7 min read'Going Postal' Is Unwise and Counterproductive, and It Doesn't Actually Characterize the Postal Service - Have Patience Instead
I used to think I was very patient. Any offense was water off my back. If things didn’t work out, no big deal. …Then my patience wa…
9 min readThe Christmas Story Began with a Forerunner
Alternate Title: Why Did We Hear from John the Baptist Before We Heard from Jesus? As I enjoyed Thanksgiving, I looked forward …
10 min readJohn 1, a Rhyming Paraphrase
To help ring in Christmas, I hope you enjoy this paraphrase of John 1. I wrote it in Seuss-like meter so it might help engage the kids…
6 min readWhiter than Snow
Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Psalms 51:7b Many of us love snow, at least visiting and enjoying it for a while. It offer…
5 min readA Clarification: Do We Stick It Where It Suits Us?, Part 2
This article is a follow up to my previous post called Do We Stick It Where It Suits Us? It’s a response mostly to alleviate my own r…
11 min readDo We Stick It Where It Suits Us?
Many of us fail to honor and respect those who hold positions of authority. We are sometimes more interested in how they and their o…
17 min readHow Can We Forgive When We Just Can't?
True forgiveness cannot happen until we move the nurturing off of ourselves and onto those who offend us. Forgiveness is really about…
12 min readFood Is Good, but Jesus Is Better
Have you ever tried fasting? I mean fasting as an intentional step toward a deeper relationship with God or greater dependence on Him….
5 min readArms of Love Never Let Go
“I didn’t do anything that any of my co-workers wouldn’t have done.” That’s what the Bridge Tender said about his act of heroism when he…
7 min readDig Deeper, Draw Nearer, Grow Fonder
That’s my son with me in the picture. My hope for him is that he will continually: 1. Dig deeper into the study of God’s W…
3 min readEven on Garbage Day, God Loves Us
Its garbage day but I hardly noticed when I left the house this morning. A rainbow overshadowed the trash bins. It was a delightful ra…
4 min read