Ruby Hayes is a retired schoolteacher and widow from Lexington, Virginia. Most mornings she is up before the house, writing at her kitchen table with her Bible open and Earl's old mug full of coffee.
devotional
"I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my children are walking in the truth." — 3 John 1:4 Dan called last night, which is what Dan does. He calls on Tuesday evenings, usually around eight, after the children are settled and Beth has started whatever
devotional
"For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them." — Matthew 18:20 Tuesday morning and I am in the booth by the front window at the diner on Main Street, which is where I have been most Tuesday mornings for longer than
devotional
"Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving." — Colossians 4:2 I sat down at the kitchen table this morning and the prayer came back on its own. I do not mean it had been gone. It had not been gone. But there are weeks when
Sunday Letter
"Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." — Ephesians 3:20-21 It
devotional
"Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!" — Psalm 27:14 I was at Trinity this morning and the church was hot even with the fans going and the stone walls doing what stone walls do, which is try and
devotional
"The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them." — Isaiah 11:6 The children have been on summer break for two months now and I have
devotional
"This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." — Psalm 118:24 The morning after is always quieter than I expect. I do not know what I expect but whatever it is the morning does not deliver it and instead
devotional
"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
devotional
"You visit the earth and water it, you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide the people with grain, for so you have prepared it." — Psalm 65:9-10 I was in the garden by six this morning and out by eight,
devotional
"Pray without ceasing." — 1 Thessalonians 5:17 The prayer this morning was short and I did not try to make it longer. There are mornings when the prayer says everything it has to say in two sentences and there is nothing dishonest about stopping. I said what I
I do not write emails like this often. Most mornings I just sit down and write what is true and send it to you and that is enough. But I wanted to say something today. This table has more people at it than I ever imagined. When I started writing
devotional
"Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life." — Ecclesiastes 9:9 I have been thinking about Earl's mornings. He was up before me in every season, which is saying something because I have never been a late riser. But