Mid-week Devotional:

Week of May 10, 2026

Scripture for this Mid-week Devotional comes from the New Testament book of John 14:26

Hear the Word of God,

“26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.”

This is God’s word for God’s people. Thanks be to God. AMEN.

This week I spent a lot of time going through “stuff,” most of which were papers. By papers I am not referring to those saved on a computer or on an external hard drive. I mean papers you can hold in your hands. As a beginning classroom teacher in the mid 80’s I learned early that paper was precious. If it was possible to use both sides of a piece of paper, then that is what every teacher chose to do. There were no electronic notebooks for students to take their notes on, to take their tests on, and there was no internet open to the public. At that time students had notebooks that contained physical pieces of paper.

Among the papers I went through this week were my journals that contain my thoughts over the past 50 years. As I paged through them, I found lots of different things I wrote about including directions to where our children were living at the current time of my writing. All of them have lived outside of Texas at one time or another depending on education and employment. The journals contained comments on places we visited, and places John and I would like to visit. But the most important pieces within my journals were my “talks with God.”

Reading through those “talks with God” brought me back in time to what was happening within my life. As I read through them, I found myself remembering where I was when I wrote them physically, emotionally, and spiritually on my journey of faith and trust in God’s eternal presence.

In my 40’s I felt that I had lost the chance to answer God’s call to service when I was 14. I thought I was too old to be of any need to God. Reading through those “talks with God” written in my journals brought forth peace within me for the words reminded me that God has always been there beside me with every breath I have taken throughout my journey of faith.

Reading through those “talks with God” in my journals reminded me of feeling God’s presence, through the Holy Spirit beside me 13 years ago when I answered God’s call to serve not only verbally but also by my actions. The words in my journals reminded me how my life changed after I went on a retreat; the Walk to Emmaus. I stopped hiding my faith from the world around me. I acknowledged God’s presence beside me outward through my words and my actions. I chose to attend discipleship trainings, church meetings, and I chose to enroll in courses at SMU to become a certified lay Methodist minister. God was beside me throughout each of those experiences and continues to remain beside me 24/7.

God gently reminds me every morning when I wake up that His presence is there beside me. Before I begin the day I give thanks for the gift of life and I listen closely for God’s voice reminding me to serve those whom I meet that day with love and grace.

In the days ahead:

-I pray that you find time to stop and take a break from the hurry and scurry of life around you.

-I pray that you feel God’s loving presence beside you.

-I pray that you have a talk with God.

Peace be with you.

AMEN.