Monthly Archives: June 2026

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES: JUNE 30, 2026

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Today’s devotional time has been quite remarkable. Yesterday late afternoon I started a small group of men going through the curriculum called Every Man a Pure Warrior. It specificially addresses sexual purity for men. It is the finest work I’ve yet used. These men going through it with me are ones who have been coming for individual counseling and they agreed to go through this material together. I’ve had my own struggle with this topic every since internet porn became available to me 25+ years ago. Because of this I’ve been passionate about helping men to not let Satan’s evil ways drive the beauty of God’s gift to us into this evilness called porn.

As I was journaling this morning I was writing about this topic and getting these men started on this journey. I asked Jesus what He wanted me to know from Him for today (I do this daily) and He reminded me of the words to His followers in Matthew 16:24. Here He says we are to take up our cross and follow Him if we are to be disciples for Him. What stood out to me were the words–take up our cross. For 60 years I’d tried to hide my cross so I COULD follow Jesus thinking He’d never want one of His followers with a past like my own filled with sexual abuse. Yet today, just like yesterday late afternoon, I can speak openly about my cross letting it be used by God. All these years He wanted me to understand this truth of taking up my cross. Jeuss goes to tell us that “…His yoke is easy and His burden is light….” Matthew 11:28-30.

What I feared my entire life for 60+ years was a fallicy of Satan to me. Today there is no burden in sharing this past of mine. It is a humble honor to use what I feared to honor my Savior and Lord now that I have taken up my cross to follow Him. If you are one who stuggled as I did, don’t wait a lifetime to finally believe God’s truth to us in His Word. Satan wants us to believe the shame we feel IS our identity. God on the other hand, wants to prove the truth of His Word by having us trust His Words to us and use our cross for His Glory. There is no shame in this. Instead, there is a humble gratititude for what God’s healing work does within each of us.

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES: JUNE 3, 2026

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This morning as I began to journal I was struggling with some heaviness in spirit.  Two of my grandkids are dealing with some issues of late and some of the ones I counsel are heavy with their own burdens.  In each of the cases finding confidence in their walk with Jesus seems next to impossible.  Part of the heaviness I was dealing with related to my own struggles not so many years ago. 

As I was writing out these issues to Jesus and asked Him what He wanted me to know from Him, this is what He said, “Son, My son, do you now see yourself as My son?  Yes, you were brought into this world by Harold and Opal—flesh–but your creator created this pathway due to sin.  This is why adoption became critically important.  You have the characteristics of flesh but you are adopted into the family of Spirit which is pure and holy—US—God our Father, Myself, Jesus Christ and the most Precious Gift-The Holy Spirit Himself.  The wealth of Our Family is yours, but you only rely on your own resources for they are more tangible for you.  The more you learn to live in Spirit just allowing your flesh to be fed by fleshly means, the more you’ll begin to better live like your words of Mother Teresa.  (I had just yesterday written how much I admire Mother Teresa’s trust/faith in her walk with God).  So you now see Earnie, My son, yes, you are the son of Harold and Opal, but greater far than this—you are My son.  I adopted you when you chose Me as your Savior and Lord.  Are you worthy of this in your mind?  NO, but to Me you’re a great treasure worth more than any words or wealth could put a price tag on.  You cannot unadopt Me for I won’t participate in such a thing.  I rejoice in you and you in Me so lets live this out together!”

I have known much of this message for years.  But, today, as I was given it I could do nothing but believe it as real for it hit the very core of me.  Our youngest daughter is adopted and living through her struggles believing we love her in spite of any and all her struggles is tough for her.  So, as Jesus was speaking to me this morning, I could easily relate to where He is coming from.  Today I am inspired more than ever to help others not just know this about Jesus, but to believe the truth in it for themselves at their very core.