The Confident Prayer of a Young Girl (Humility)

 Dr. Helen Roseveare was a missionary doctor to the Congo, Africa.  The people came to love and respect her and began to call her 'Mama Luca'.

But the Congo was a seriously dangerous place back in 1953 to 1973.  (Incidently, nothing much has changed since then.) Rebels roamed and Mama Luca was captured.  She was beaten and raped repeatedly.  But the people who called her 'Mama Luca' spoke up for her and eventually she was released back into their fold.

During her time there she built two hospitals and nurses' training centers.  Both of these were destroyed by warring factions.  Finally, a third was built and that stayed.  Additionally, there was an orphanage nearby, so around the hospital there were children present.

One day a baby was born too soon and sadly, the mother died.  How were they to keep the baby warm?  They needed a hot water bottle but the one they had burst.  Mama Luca got a group together, including the orphange children, to pray.  One young girl prayed that God would send a hot water bottle and bring it by that very afternoon!

Even Mama Luca stuttered on that one.  She wasn't sure she could say, "Amen" even though she needed that water bottle so badly and did trust in God.  But, they were in the middle of a jungle, far from any pharmacy.  How could this be possible!?

But you know, God always knows best.  He knows what we need before we do.  He knows when and where we'll need it too.  Isaiah 65:24 assures us,

"Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear" (ESV).

So the confidence and faith of that young girl was justified.

Way off in far away England the Lord must have triggered a cheerful giver to add in a hot water bottle to a box of medical supplies destined for that very spot in the jungle where it was needed that day of the young girl's prayer.  Who would have thought?  A hot water bottle in a hot jungle sounds redunant, yet the Lord had nudged someone to send one along to Dr. Roseveare.

Well, Mama Luca went to her hut a short time after that emergency prayer meeting.  Lo and behold, there was a parcel on her doorstep!  She brought it to the prayer group and opened it.  You guess it, there was a hot water bottle tucked inside!

Praise the Lord.  Let us sing of the goodness of God!

The point of telling this wonderful and true story of God's grace, love and provision is to demonstrate how believers participate in the Holy Spirit, and do so even from great distances.  Younger and older ones can be involved.

Every follower of Jesus Christ has the Holy Spirit and therefore can "participate in the Spirit" (ESV) or as the NIV states, "common sharing of the Spirit".

As you read Philippians 2:1 & 2 in both versions you'll see the 'any's' and 'if's' along with these phrases.  When we have any of these 'any's' and 'if's' they will bring like-mindedness to us.  We will have this participation in the Spirit like a team member.  These are expressions of humility.

These expressions of humility were found in the jungle prayer gathering.  They each participated in the Holy Spirit as they prayed.  They showed their dependance and humility in the sight of God.

Nowadays, this still extends to the body of believers in any given church setting or wherever they gather.  Each and every follower of Jesus Christ has this privilege.  God will amaze you with the results.

Father God, again and again You demonstsrate Your love and care to us, Your children.  You even answer before we call. You are truly awesome and amazing.  Help us to be evermore dependant upon You and to grow in our humility so we can express it out to benefit others.  I ask in Your Son Jesus' precious name.  Amen.

                                               ~  ERC  January 2026  ~

Based on Philippians 2:1 & 2 ESV and NIV, and Isaiah 65:24 ESV.

Sing, What a Friend We Have in Jesus, along with Lydia Walker.

Lord's Day Devotion - Like a Candle Sacrifice

 IN this morning's Lord's Day sermon, the hearers were reminded of what a burning candle can remind us of.  As the candle burns, it sacrifices itself.

This is a little illustration of what Jesus has done for us.  Jesus, the Light of the world, gave His all for all mankind.  His sacrifice, His giving Himself for us out of love, mercy and grace can be shed abroad in our hearts (see John 8:12).

With hearts full of praise, let us give Him our adoration, thanksgiving and our all.

This Lord's Day, reach for the broken bread and drink from the cup in remembrance of what our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has done for us.

May His Light, give us light in turn, and may we give our all for the "whosoever will" (see John 3:16).

                                                       ~ ERC  February 2026  ~

Based on John 8:12 and 3:16 ESV.

Sing, Light of My World, along with Hillsong and Hear I am to Worship, along with Lauren Daigle.

Synonymous Message of Jesus (Humility)

 Here's some biblical synonyms for you.  They are taken from Philippians 2:2, 3 and 5 from both the ESV and NIV.  We find 'one mind,' 'same mind,' ('same love'), 'one accord' and being 'like minded'.   These 'one' and 'same' phrases extend from expressions of humility.  They are also what the Lord requires (see Micah 6:8 NKJV).

At church we rub shoulders with many people of different personalities.  They each have their own thoughts, ideas, and opinions.  If they put themselves first and insist on their way, there will be lots of unpleasant arguments and bad feelings that could fester for decades to come.

BUT, if they have 'one mind' to put Jesus first and honor Him, to nurture and encourage everyone to grow in their spiritual life, building and building up God's kingdom together, then they will be like minded.  If they have the 'same love,' they love God and love their neighbor with the love we find described in 1 Corinthians 13 (vs 4-7) about God's kind of love.  Then there will be believers together, in 'one accord.'  They have the same purpose and all aim for that one goal.

That sounds like a mouthful but here's a brief illustration that might help.  A particular church may plan a picnic outing on a holiday weekend.  They invite friends, family and neighbors.  They want to share food and fun abut also the love of Jesus.

The one goal is to share Jesus.  The one and the same mind is to do so with the picnic.  The same love is the love of Jesus in our hearts.

It can operate something as follows.  Some church members prepare food, others the fun and games, and still someone else a short message.  The youth group may provide the music and songs.  Someone scouts out a good picnic venue and so on.

In this way they each use their gifts while imitating Christ's humility in the fear of the Lord.  This is the 'one accord' and the showing of 'one love' among the saints, radiating out towards the friends, family and neighbors, drawing them to Christ.  As they observe this, it could become the loudest message of Jesus our guests ever recieve.

                                                    ~  ERC  January 2026  ~

Based on Philippians 2:2, 3 and 5 ESV/NIV.

Sing, The Love of God is Greater Far, along with Guy Penrod, Joy Gardner, and David Phelps.

Book Review - Shared Secrets For the Home Front Nurses - By Rachel Brimble - Publication Date 13 February 2026

 As most of this novel's potential readership has likely never lived through war conditions, this story can give glimpsed exposure into the state of  things during WWII in Britian.  It focuses mostly on the experiences of several nurses, namely Kathy, Freda, Sylvia and Veronica, their individual lives but also as a close supportive friend group of young working adults.  I believe some readers may envy what they had in this friendship.

The nurses' fears, sadnesses and joys of life and their commitment and sacrifice in helping one another, but also those touched by war, was evident.  I felt that the way they helped each other was rather noble.

Issues such as child abuse, LGBT relationships, inter-racial marriage, rape victims and returned veterans, and escaped POW's with their PTSD traumas, and how they deal with it all in the aftermath, are mentioned.

Of course there is added romance to season the tale.  One related caution for some potential readers would be the more intimate bedroom scenes referred to.  Generally speaking, this is light reading and can be read through fairly quickly, time permitting.

                                          ~ Eunice C.,  Reviewer/Blogger ~

                                                      5 February 2026

Disclaimer:  This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent to me by NetGalley and the publisher.

Read review on Goodreads.

Wrapped in Love (Humility)

 If you've ever experienced life in a Borneon village, you'll have most likely heard the gongs.  They can signal various messages depending on the way they are struck.  It could be a call to a community event such as a wedding; a more sober gathering such as a funeral, or one of alarm of impending danger.  But if the gongs are continuiosly struck for no particular reason, they could be irritating and annoying.

Similary, if one is in the midst of a Chinese community during Chinese New Year (CNY), the sounds of drums and cymbals can clang ad nauseam.  The cymbals of the unicorn dance is especially aggravating.  Clang! Clang!  Noise, noise, noise!

When one is trying to sleep or read a book in peace or listen to ones own preferred music, you will understand the infuriating feelings in reaction to such noise pollution.

In "The Love Chapter' (1 Corinthians 13), we learn that doing all sorts of good for people, even using our own gifts and resources, or even speaking,

"...in tongues of men and of angels but have not love" (see vs 1),

that all that presumed goodness is nothing but ...

"... a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal" (vs 1).

Love is an expression of humility.  We need to put God's love into action.  When you read 1 Corinthians 13 you'll see the characteristics of God's love.  It is patient, kind, doesn't envy or boast; it isn't arrogant or rude and so much more.

As we serve the Lord among our brothers and sisters in church, we need to do so with loving humility.  This is the one love we need to encapsulate ourselves in because it comes from God through Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit who indwells us.  This is the more excellent way.

Let's ask ourselves,

 "Do I love those I interact with at church?"

Lord, it's true what You say in Your word.  At times we are all noise and action but we forget about action wrapped in Your kind of love.  Your kind of love is often lacking in our hearts and therefore in our actions.  I'm sorry for my bad attitude.  I do need to learn to be more attentive to this more excellent way.  Thank You for Your words of correction.  In Your name Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen.

                                                     ~ ERC  January 2026 ~

Based on 1 Corinthians 12:31 and 13:1-3 ESV.

Sing, Love Will Never Fail, along with Leslie Jordan, Integrity Music.

Book Review - Bianca's Cure - By Gigi Berardi - Pulication Date 10 February 2026

 Besides decades of romance between Bianca and the Medici prince, there were decades of meticulous experiments and documentations of her findings.  Bianca was determined to find a cure for malaria, especially for her Prince Francesco, but also for the others in the world of Florence.  The setbacks and frustrations and overt hostilitiy towards her as a woman in the 1500's, dabbling in 'brews' would have been enough to halt a person of lesser caliber, but not Bianca.  She forged through relentlessly.  I liked her strength in this aspect.

This work of historical fiction has been based on real pepole (as reflected in the main characters).  Of course as this is fictional, there are the added 'salt and pepper seasonings'.

I mostly enjoyed the narrative but did find it somewhat draggy.  Perhas there were too many descriptions.  Overall, it felt long and drawn out.  However, this could be the cleverness of the author to mirror the long years of Bianca's scientific work in progress.  If so, it surely gave me, the reader, the 'feel' for that slow pace of the whole process she had had to work through.  Either way, I felt impatient, waiting for the story to end.

This could be just me though.  Other potential readers may find it thoroughly fascinating especially with the descriptions of the plants and leaves and distellations as Bianca created her medicines.

Just so you know, for those who are adverse to initmate bedroom scenes, there are plenty of them in this book.  This is the one other caution I'd have for this narrative.

                                         ~ Eunice C.,  Reviewer/Blogger ~

                                                      January 2026

Disclaimer:  This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent to me by NetGalley and the publisher.

Read review on Goodreads.

Book Review - An Unconventional Lady - By Sarah E. Ladd - Publication Date: 10 February 2026

 

Historical fiction from the 1800's interests me very much.  And as this narrative is set in that time frame I really enjoyed this story.  The dynamics of women having to marry for convenience to set up alliances with another family or to secure an inheritance or legacy are issues explored in this book.  

Phrenology, a pseudoscience, that was discussed, dissected and explored in those days, features largely in this tale.  Repercussions, lies and deceit snarl around Ella, her father, Gabriel Rowe, Phoebe and the Society.  I'm also happy when an author addresses abuse of women, which Sarah E. Ladd has done in this book.  

Overall, I found the story to be pleasant and I was favorably satisfied with the storyline.

                                               ~  Eunice C.,  Reviewer/Blogger  ~

                                                           November 2025

Disclaimer:  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are honest and completely my own.

Read review on Goodreads.