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The voyage had begun rather innocuously. Fair winds had caught the sails. The ship had been hired to carry cargo for the merchants and a wide variety of passengers at the behest of the government. It eased out of the harbor and into the open sea where it was headed on a routine line to its destination.
Then disaster struck. The first indication was when the winds changed. They not only began to blow differently but also...much harder. The sailors and navigators realized that this was not just a simple storm. It was a cyclone called Euroclydon (Northeaster) which had a known pattern--and history of violence.
What could they do? They tried everything sailors know to do but then realized they would have to let the storm carry the boat where it wanted. Then things got worse. The storm continued to rage. Many days passed without the sun and many nights without the stars. Yet the storm continued.
They lightened the ship by throwing the cargo overboard--so much for the guaranteed two-week delivery service. Then most of the food was also thrown overboard. This was practical from two standpoints: it made the ship lighter, and nobody was eating anything anyway.
After two solid weeks, the captain, the navigators, and the crew determined that all hope was lost. In the midst of this turmoil, anxiety, and despair, a prisoner of the government spoke out and had the audacity to say, "I told you so."
Seriously, that's what Paul said in Acts 27. "You should have listened to me when I warned you against taking this voyage." Nobody appreciates being told, "I told you so." But when God's servant speaks, the statement does not end there.
Paul continued by telling them to cheer up. "The God whom I serve and whose I am sent an angel this night to tell me (to remind him, really) that I must appear before Caesar." If you recall, we looked at that same promise that Jesus had given Paul way back shortly after he was arrested in Jerusalem. That was why Paul had not despaired.
God had not changed his mind about Paul because of Paul's circumstances. Nor had God allowed the poor (and even disobedient) decisions of others to alter His plan. When God says, "You're going to Rome," you are going to Rome. Count on it. Depend on it.
#meditations,#walkwithgod
@LifeSiteNews My friend Tracie Shellhouse is trying to follow God's leading to write. I encourage you to give her a follow and read her thoughts.
You can read more about her two decades of labor in the Pro Life movement here:
Being “Nice” Might Win Approval—But Kindness Wins Respect and Trust
Being “nice” might win approval, but it can also hide dishonesty. Let’s not confuse politeness with integrity. Niceness may be used to avoid confrontation. Kindness tells the truth with love.
There’s a big difference between being nice and being kind. One wins quick approval; the other builds lasting respect. Niceness is smooth and polite—it often avoids conflict, plays it safe, and tells people what they want to hear. Kindness, on the other hand, doesn’t flinch from discomfort. It speaks the truth with love, even when it’s hard to say or hear.
Too often, we confuse the two. We think someone who smiles and flatters us is kind. But niceness can be a mask. It can hide manipulation, fear, or even dishonesty. Have you ever smiled at someone while silently wishing they'd go away? Or said, “Good job!” when deep down you knew it wasn’t true—just easier than being honest. That’s being nice. But it’s not being kind.
Kindness is real. It’s raw. It’s rooted in integrity. It doesn’t avoid confrontation—it embraces it when necessary, with courage and compassion. Kindness says, “You’ve got toilet paper stuck to the bottom of your shoe,” not to embarrass you, but to save you from further embarrassment. Kindness says, “This might be hard to hear, but I care too much to stay silent.”
Being nice may keep the “peace”. Being kind makes peace a reality through honest interaction. Being nice may make people like you. Being kind helps people grow–you included.
So let’s not settle for niceness. Let’s strive for kindness.
The world doesn’t need more people who smile, look the other way, and say nothing.
It needs more people who speak the truth in love and act with courage.
Can you think of a time you were “nice” when you should’ve been kind?
It's a whole lot of work to homeschool. You know that already.
Recently, my son and his wife brought our grandson for a visit. We don't get to spend multiple days of every week around him. The times when we do are precious and important. I took him outside for a time of exploration. We have things around here that he can't see anywhere else. He always has fun exploring with me.
But he's smart as a whip. (All grandparents will appreciate that assessment.) One of the many reasons that he has developed so well during his first period of life is that his parents are pouring their time and energy and knowledge into his young life and mind. My son was raised by a mother who devoted her time and energy to his development, and he has seen the positive benefit of that firsthand. It doesn't take much persuading after our children have critically examined the development of their peers with the type of education they have been given.
We've reached that third generation in our family. The payoff really exists. Keep teaching. Keep up the good work. Push through the disappointments and the barriers and even the red tape. The flourishing of your grandchildren will be worth it.
I'm happy to do so because this is the first Gab post by one of my friends and a sister in Christ. Tracie has served many years in the Pro Life movement and has fought for the unborn at the national and international levels.
Please, welcome her to Gab.
@a @gab
Are kindness and niceness the same?
I see stickers, signs, memes, and t-shirts everywhere that say, "Be Kind." Sometimes, the messages go further and intone that there isn't a cost for being kind--"Be kind, it's free." As I have pondered what it means to be kind, I have decided that not everyone shares the same understanding or definition of kindness. I would even challenge, that many people have kindness and niceness confused or that they have conflated the two into one definition. While kindness and niceness can appear to be the same action or character trait, I believe they are not synonymous, interchangeable terms.
What does kindness mean to you?
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That was what I asked my daughter not too long ago.
Teaching your children about the fact and reality of human trafficking can be difficult. But we live in a world where such evil exists at all levels of society and even government.
As part of my daughter's 52 Godly Mentors experience, I had her meet with a lady whose ministry is helping women who have survived and escaped human trafficking. When I dropped her off to spend the day, I told the woman that I wanted her to explain not just what she did but the background about why she was having to do it. That included the details of what human trafficking is about.
It's not that I couldn't have that conversation with my daughter. I've had plenty of "challenging" conversations as a parent. But one of the many benefits of a program like 52 Godly Mentors is that people who are experts in a field or discipline can speak into the lives of my children with so much more experience than we as parents ever could.
In the follow up time with my daughter on the drive home, we discussed the topic some more, and I shared with her how the daughter of one of the pastoral staff members at a local church had a near miss with two people arrested for trafficking just days after she had encountered them in a store. (She got strange vibes from them and did her best to avoid them. That's the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer who is willing to heed the voice.) But now my daughter is more educated and could, potentially, help her friends recognize the dangers around them.
If you have not yet even considered using mentors in your child(ren)'s development, pick up a copy of my book Nurturing Your Child with Mentors. It's for parents, and I talk about the many benefits we've seen by doing this program multiple times.
Those companies were left with trying to salvage whatever they could. Imagine having an apiary that large and having a storm turn over boxes, blow boxes completely away, deluge the hives with more water than you care to imagine, and then trying to figure out what pieces can be salvaged.
Bees need 3/8" to get in and out minimum. The larger the entrance, the more their air traffic controllers can get in and out at one time and, thus, the logistics of supporting a larger colony.
Many people use privacy fences for 6' high to prevent neighbors from seeing (and thus worrying) about having bees in their neighborhood. Your creativity is the limit. But at the end of the day, you need to be able to easily work a colony. Presumably there is nothing stopping you from building a small shed with walls and a roof and an always-open access for the bees.
I know people who have worked in this kind of industry in the past and can make almost anything out of styrofoam:
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=hardcoat+styrofoam+props+trees+and+rocks&t=h_&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images
I don't find government officials to be incredibly smart or energetic .... so I'd try to replicate a real hive and hide them in plain sight.
I wonder if they're still fasting and refusing to eat anything?
You know who I'm talking about, right? The 40+ Jews who bound themselves under a horrific curse (or oath) that they would not eat or drink until they had killed Paul. They conspired with the chief priest and his cronies to have Paul brought down from the garrison under the pretense of "just asking a few more questions." (Acts 23)
The problem with their plan? God always has the right people in the right place at the right time. Paul's nephew became aware of the plot, and he came and told Paul who then referred him to the leader of the garrison. Paul was sent out of Jerusalem the same night under cover of darkness and with the protection of almost 500 Roman soldiers (including horsemen).
That's why you should never fear the threats and plans of the wicked against you as a child of God. Can they do bad things? Certainly. That's part of wicked people having a will and a choice. Do they get to call all the shots for a child of God living in the will of God? Absolutely not.
Never forget this simple truth: "God rules in the affairs of men."
(See Dan 4:17)
So, what happened to them? Are they still fasting? Did they starve themselves to death in adherence to their oath? Or did they admit defeat and break their fast with a plate of crow? I suspect hunger overtook their devotion.
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