<![CDATA[DEBRA TORRES AUTHOR - Simply Jesus Blog]]>

<![CDATA[DEBRA TORRES AUTHOR - Simply Jesus Blog]]>Fri, 06 Feb 2026 02:38:46 -0500Weebly<![CDATA[Finding My Patience]]>Mon, 31 Aug 2020 21:30:33 GMThttps://www.debratorres.com/simplyjesusblog/finding-my-patience

The storm was a big one, and the plants on my balcony still look a little ragged from the wear.
My potted fern had taken a tumble from a high plant shelf and still was a little squatty.
And there are leaves strewn across the wooden planking.
But for the most part – all survived.

The one thing I noticed though is that my little ornamental garden rock with the word “patience” on it was gone.

So many times, I’d looked out my bedroom window from my “prayer chair” frustrated about something – or someone – and I’d seen that little rock.

“Patience” it would whisper to me.

I would take a deep breath. You’re right God. Patience. I will wait. Again.

But now – the patience was missing.

If I crane my neck, I think I can see it peeking out from where the winds of the storm had tossed it.

As a mother of 5, I’ve needed patience more times than I can count. And can I just say that these COVID-19 days are super challenging? I don’t know about you, but it’s been a bit of a valley walk for me lately. I keep wanting things to go back to where they were. But I know that’s not how God works most of the time.

Slowly I get up from my WFH chair among the balcony plants. I move the slow-growing heuchera and a gangly coleus that’s still recovering from a topple.

Ah! There is the rock – right side up and hiding partially under the bamboo plant shelf.

I pull the spider webs off and put it back to its rightful place on the of the bamboo.

“Patience”-it still says still. Even after the storm.

Even after COVID-19, forever masks, and the loneliness that sometimes comes from too much “distancing.”

Patience.

Carefully I position the rock it so once again it’s easily visible from my “prayer chair.”

I know I’ll need that word today … how about you?

A Good Word

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. - Galatians 6:9

]]><![CDATA[How to Focus on God in a Distracted World]]>Sat, 28 Jul 2018 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.debratorres.com/simplyjesusblog/how-to-focus-on-god-in-a-distracted-world

I had asked the man if he had a few minutes to talk. Something had been bothering me and I needed a few minutes of his time. Maybe he could help me figure it out.

“Okay, I’m ready,” he said. But I could tell he wasn’t.

And as I shared what was in my heart, his eyes kept drifting back to his computer screen.

It’s okay, I said to myself. He’s giving me some attention. He can do two things at once. But there was something inside me that just couldn’t buy that.

Was he hearing what I was really saying? If I stopped talking in the middle of a sentence and walked out of the room, would he really even notice if I was gone?

I had the sneaking suspicion that maybe he wouldn’t. That what I was saying was secondary to what he really wanted to focus on. And I think that’s what bothered me the most.

I guess I felt belittled and left the conversation more frustrated than when I had started.

When my five children were little, my husband and I tried a lot of different types of parenting techniques on them. Growing Kids God’s Way, Have a New Kid by Friday, and the Total Transformation Program, were a few of our “go to’s.” Some seemed to work, while others, well, not so much.

One thing though, that I would say we used the whole way through was the "look at me" technique.

Because getting the attention of a distracted child was tough, we had a habit of saying the words “look at me” to our kids when we needed them to focus on what we were saying. Often, the words came when we were in some kind of behavior-related teaching mode.

If my son or daughter were acting out in some way, we would take a moment, often getting at eye level with them, and point two fingers towards our eyes and say, “Look at me,” before we spoke. And because we prefaced our words with this, they would stop what they were doing and turn their eyes on us.

It was an effective way to make a connection and to ensure they were paying attention.

When it comes to spending time with God, I think one of the most difficult things for me to do is shut everything else out and “look at Him.”

But when I do accomplish this, it tends to be the most rewarding part of my day. Why? Because I took the time to shut everything else out and focus just on Him. The living God doesn’t want just some of me when I spend time with Him, He wants all if me.

Just like we need full attention in a heart-to-heart conversation with someone. God deserves the same from us.

In the Bible, Paul commissions us to “Pray without ceasing.” I know that keeping our full attention on God isn’t always practical. And we can always pray while we’re exercising, driving, or working - whatever

What I'm really talking about is that time each day that we should be setting aside to spend time just with him. Those should be times of deep focus no matter what else we've got going on in our lives. It should be time we take just look at Him—and to listen.

Writing this post, my mind kept going to the Bethel Music song “It is Well.” I think it’s because of its chorus:

And through it all, through it all
My eyes are on You
And through it all, through it all
It is well

If things aren’t going well today, maybe God is saying “Look at Me.”

Here's What the Bible Says:

Psalm 16:8 New International Version (NIV)
8 I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Psalm 34:5 Contemporary English Version (CEV)
5 Keep your eyes on the Lord!
You will shine like the sun
and never blush with shame.

Hebrews 12:2 New International Version (NIV)
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

]]><![CDATA[Be the Change]]>Sat, 30 Jun 2018 23:20:41 GMThttps://www.debratorres.com/simplyjesusblog/be-the-change3652367

The new Schwinn sat there outside our office window for three long months. Someone bought a nice bike, carefully chained it to a trashcan, and then walked away. Leaving it there—for good.

My co-workers and I saw the bike daily and, since it sat near one of the main entrances to our building, so did everyone else.

During the last few storms of winter, we would watch the snow pile up on its seat.

And, in rain—we wondered if it would start to rust. At times when I passed it, I thought could see a little mold beginning on its nicely cushioned seat.

Speculations about the bike bounced around our office at times, as we tried to guess what happened to the owner. Were they abducted? Did they just forget where they'd left the bike? Or maybe they just couldn't fit it in their car when they left the area.

Sometimes the Schwinn would take to leaning away from the trashcan, making it difficult for people to pass. And this is when it bugged me the most. What was such a nice bike doing sitting out in the weather getting in everyone's way?

As the days wore on, the bike became an eyesore for us. And we began to think of ways to be rid of it. One of us sent a few emails to an office we thought would be able to take it. And I spoke twice to the man who emptied the trashcan, but nothing seemed to help.

One day, I looked up from my standing desk and decided that I had reached my limit with the mysterious Schwinn.

Leaving my office, I took a picture of the bike and headed down to talk to someone in person who I hoped would be able to do something. Nothing else we did seemed to help and no one outside our office seemed to notice much or care.

Sometimes life is like that. There are things that need to be done even though they may be outside of our daily responsibilities.

Recently, I finished the book of Nehemiah, and the Bible version I'm currently reading (AMP) helped bring the story home to me.

I like Nehemiah because he saw a need and decided to be the one to meet it—even though he really didn't have to.

You see there was a problem in Jerusalem. Because of their disobedience, most of God's people had been captured and taken to foreign lands. But when some returned, they came home to a broken-down city that was vulnerable to attack.

When Nehemiah, a Jew born in captivity and living in Susa at the time, found out about all this he sat down and wept. Then he mourned, fasted, and prayed.

Easily, he could have wagged his finger and said, "Not my problem."

He was living in a different city after all—and he had an important job of being cupbearer to the king. What did he care if Jerusalem was in ruins?

But, he did care - a lot. So much so that he decided to do something about it. Nehemiah got permission and support from his king and led a team out to Jerusalem to rebuild.
And under Nehemiah's leadership the city was rebuilt and made strong again.

I think about Nehemiah when I see people who are willing to take on a task outside of their job description. Or, even someone who tries to make things better right where they are.

The other day, I was outside of my office building and happened to look down the sidewalk at the trashcan. The Schwinn was gone! My trip seemed to help, and now I wish I had done something sooner.

How can you be the change today?

Read What God's Word Says:

Matthew 5:16 (AMPC)
16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in heaven.

Philippians 4:13 (AMPC)
13 I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].

Ephesians 2:10 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
10 For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].

]]><![CDATA[How Safe is It ... Really?]]>Thu, 14 Jun 2018 02:40:32 GMThttps://www.debratorres.com/simplyjesusblog/how-safe-is-it-really

by Debra Torres
There was something in the cabinet that someone was trying to keep safe. It was in a shared office kitchen, but the creamer in that cabinet wasn’t for all to use. Thus the chain, the padlock, and the paper clip.

Yep, the paperclip.

That was the funny part. If you look closely at the image above, you’ll see it. The last link of the chain is connected to the padlock with what looks like a twisted paper clip.

I thought it was a funny site. How secure was the creamer, really? Who did it keep out? Probably anyone who wasn’t strong enough to untwist a paperclip.

I laughed at that and even took a picture with my phone. But the more I thought about the paperclip lock, the more I realized that I often do the same kind of thing in my own life.

And maybe you do, too.

Often, I’m so concerned about keeping the people and things in my life safe, that I set up my own kind of “paperclip locks” around them. Well, the locks might not be made out of paperclips, but compared to what could be up against them, they might as well be.

One of my biggest struggles is not trusting that God and His angels are bigger than any paperclip lock I can construct.

And not believing that God meant it when He said He will never fail me nor forsake me - that He holds me in the palm of His hand.

He actually means all that for me. And He means it for you too.

And, even though we need to do what we can to protect ourselves and our things, it’s a comfort to know that ultimately it’s the hand of God that covers and surrounds us.

And that’s way stronger than any paper clip.

Read What God's Word Says:

2 Samuel 22:3 (NIV)
3   my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
    my shield and the horn of my salvation.
He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior--
    from violent people you save me.

Psalm 91:9-11 (NIV)
9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;

]]><![CDATA[Press On and Keep Parenting]]>Sun, 28 Aug 2016 20:53:00 GMThttps://www.debratorres.com/simplyjesusblog/christian-parenting

By Debra Torres
Out of the early morning mist the deer bounded swiftly across the road far in front of our car. And I told my husband to watch so he wouldn’t miss its beauty.

But my appreciation quickly turned to alarm as I saw that the deer wasn’t alone.

Two twin fawns trailed her, and the mother obviously hadn’t factored in the extra time it would take for their little legs to get across the road.

Oncoming traffic was rapidly approaching and was almost upon the two little creatures when a car swerved and one fawn slipped and hit the pavement hard.

In a panic, the young animal wriggled itself up and quickly retreated back to the side of the road where it came from, joining its bewildered sibling.

As we drove past the two, I watched the deer standing together in a churchyard, I’m sure they were clueless about their next move. With mom on the other side of busy morning traffic, what were they going to do now?

And I couldn't help but think the near accident was all the mother's fault.

She should have had better timing.

She should have taken into consideration the speed of the oncoming traffic.

She should have ...

Yeah, I get that she's only a deer, but she's a parent and well, her plan to cross the road during rush hour could have ended in real tragedy.

Yesterday, my kids and I were leaving the library when I saw something not quite right in a parked SUV.

A curly little head bobbed just above the dash in the front seat alone in the vehicle with all its windows up.

Now the scene would have been bad enough in a cooler month, but in the middle of August, things can get deadly in a hot car fast.

Granted it was closer to evening and temperatures weren’t quite as high, but it was still warm outside. Angrily, I marched back into the building to alert a librarian.

Now I could go on and on about the parent fails I've seen, but truth be told, I've had my share of my own.

In fact the brevity of parental responsibility hit me hard the day my daughter had her bicycle accident.

She wasn't feeling well, but I encouraged her to press on. You can't imagine the number of times I've replayed her face hitting the pavement as she fainted going downhill.

Or the time there was a mix up, and my son was mistakenly left at the baseball field. His shaky voice coming over a borrowed cell phone, "Mom ... are you coming to get me?"

We all have moments we fail and maybe make us feel like the worst parent out there, but I think what separates us is what we do after a fail.

Do we give up and throw in the towel? Or, do we ask for forgiveness and press on?

Paul talks about life like running a distance race, and I think parenting might be similar. Because it's way more like running a marathon than a sprint.

I know a couple that decided not have children because they were afraid their kids would turn out bad in this awful world.

I've always thought they made a huge mistake. Can you imagine if God had started out with the same perspective when He created man?

A friend and I were sharing stories about our children the other day. She's a dedicated mom, and I know she cares a lot for her daughter.

At one point though, my friend shared about a mistake she made in her parenting.

"I've blown it," she said shaking her head.

But you know, I wasn't too concerned about my friend. I had a feeling she would learn from her mistake and do like Paul suggests and stay in the race.

So if you've had a "deadbeat" parent moment like most of us, ask for forgiveness and press on.

Jesus can help you finish and finish strong.

Scriptures to Build Your Faith:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Hebrews 12:1-3

]]><![CDATA[That Blue Balloon]]>Sun, 07 Aug 2016 02:31:43 GMThttps://www.debratorres.com/simplyjesusblog/that-blue-balloon

By Debra Torres
It hung there in the dead tree across from our balcony all metallic and shiny.
A forgotten balloon half deflated stuck just high enough to be out of reach for all eternity it seemed.
And I hated it.
When I sat out in my balcony looking out into the lush green in the spring and summer there it would be for me to see.
And in the winter, when the trees were bare, it would be there still. Silver on one side, blue on the other. Ready to distract my eye during my prayer time.
Sometimes I would spend my time in the balcony thinking about how I could get the balloon down. And a number of schemes would play through my head.

I would stand on one of the cars parked in our lot and wield my loppers.
Or, I would get one of the kids to throw a ball at it- breaking the branch.
Or, I would call a maintenance man and tell him to bring a ladder.
None of my ideas seemed practical though, and I could just hear myself calling our apartment office and saying:
"Uh hello, well you see there's this balloon, and it's really bugging me..."
After nearly two years of living in this apartment complex, I looked out not long ago and noticed something missing.
The blue balloon was gone. It was no where to be seen. No longer would it distract my prayer time with its annoying swaying or pitiful, deflated sag.
Ha!
When I think about that balloon though, I'm reminded of annoying things in my character that bug me and need to go.
I have a friend who has a faith different than my own. She doesn't call Jesus her Lord, but walks a different path.
If truth be told, I've always been a little afraid of my friend.
I guess I've been afraid that she will turn my heart away from Jesus.
Recently, I realized something pretty big about myself.
I'm no longer afraid.
I can be around my friend and not have that niggling feeling that I wrestled so much with for years.
Nothing big and monumental happened to take it away that I can think of, but I'm guessing that God has been hard at work in a vulnerable area of my faith.
And as a result, my shield is stronger making me less prone to attack.
Author Neil Anderson says this happens every time we memorize a Bible verse, listen to a sermon, or participate in a Bible study.
Through these things, we help our shield grow large and protective.
So I'm guessing it's one of those things that strengthened my faith and cut the strings to that fear.
Just like my blue balloon, it was gone.
Thank you, God.
I guess the benefits of growing closer to God shouldn't be such a shocker to us.
I like what Jan Karon, one of my favorite fiction authors, said in her latest novel:
"Funny how people are surprised when prayers are answered."
Have you got a blue balloon in your life?

Scriptures to Build Your Faith:

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Ephesians 6:16

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:8

Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Romans 12:2

]]><![CDATA[Will You Dance?]]>Fri, 04 Jul 2014 19:56:59 GMThttps://www.debratorres.com/simplyjesusblog/tragedy

By Debra Torres
It was a perfect time for a bike ride. The early evening air wasn’t too hot and the sky was still a bright blue.
I took two of my children on the ride and slowly we made our way up and down our rolling Pennsylvania hills.

There was one hill though, that I wish we had never attempted to go down. One hill that, in hindsight, we should have quit on and turned back.

But I guess it was a path that we were supposed to take. One God would use to teach me a painful, but important lesson.

My son made his way down the incline at breakneck speed. Enjoying, I’m sure, the smooth sense of “flying” you can get that comes with a good hill.

But my daughter wasn’t so fortunate.

She hadn’t been feeling very well on the ride, and we’re not sure if she fainted on her way down or simply lost control of her bike. Either way ...

... because I was bringing up the rear, I had full view of the worst fall I’ve witnessed in all my 20 years of mothering.
As we waited for the ambulance to respond to our 911 call, I tended to my poor, broken little girl the best I knew how.

I kept her awake by helping her remember the events of the day. I answered her questions the best I could about the extent of her injuries and why she was lying in the road.

Mixed into that traumatic experience of shock and horror, something welled up within me that obviously needed to come out.

It was an overwhelming, almost tangible love for my daughter.

Everything, all the stuff and worries of life disappeared out there into the country air and endless acres of land.

And I was struck with the incredible value of relationship.

We get caught up with the cares of this world don’t we? Where’s the money coming from for that bill? Did I make a good impression on my boss or client? Am I getting too fat?

It’s all in our face, sometimes pulling us down and making us forget what’s most important. What really matters – who really matters.

A few years ago, I watched the movie “Courageous” with my family. It was a wonderful Christian movie about some dads who, through a series of events, decide to make a covenant to take their fathering responsibilities seriously.

In one scene, a dad’s daughter asked him to dance with her. I remember that they were on a curb next to a road. And the dad was embarrassed to dance with his daughter in public.

You know what kinds of thoughts probably ran through his mind, right? “Dance? Are you crazy? I’m too busy and plus, think about all the people who will see me out here dancing and looking like a fool. Dance … no way!”
It’s not that the man didn’t love his daughter, you know that, it was just, well, the stuff of life had his focus.

Not dancing with his daughter that day, however, becomes a huge regret for this father because soon after that she is tragically killed in a car accident.

Tragedies are painful and difficult, but if we let them, they sometimes can wake us up to what’s really important in life.

In a tearful scene at the end of the movie, the dad returns to that curb alone. He takes himself out of his vehicle, goes to a grassy spot and slowly … he dances.

Looking up to heaven, he says something like: “Can you tell her, God? Can you tell her I did my side of the dance?”

Oh, I know that as responsible adults we need to bring in money and put food on the table.

I get that.

But now, more than ever, I’m going to try to embrace the preciousness of each relationship God has placed in my life.

How about you - will you dance?

Watch the dance scene in the movie Courageous:

Here are some Bible verses that'll help you on your journey:

Isaiah 40:11 New International Version

11 He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.

Psalm 127:3-5 New English Translation

3 Yes, sons are a gift from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb is a reward.
4 Sons born during one’s youth
are like arrows in a warrior’s hand.
5 How blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!
They will not be put to shame when they confront enemies at the city gate.

Mark 10:13-14 New Living Translation

13 One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.

14 When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.

]]><![CDATA[Be Contagious]]>Sat, 28 Jun 2014 02:48:10 GMThttps://www.debratorres.com/simplyjesusblog/-be-contagious

By Debra Torres
The little doctor in his spotless white med coat surprised me with his big personality as he skillfully tended to my daughter’s broken finger.

We had never met this doctor before, and at first impression I quickly judged him to be quiet and soft spoken. And when he left to go look at some x-rays I let my eyes survey his examining room.

You can tell a lot about a person by looking at their stuff I think. And I was surprised when my eyes landed on a neat display of “Our Daily Bread” devotionals on his sink counter.

When the doctor came back in, our talk easily turned to God. While the man diligently worked on my daughter’s hand, he shared his testimony with me and we spoke about church and what it meant to be a contagious Christian.

Churches that are exploding with people have it right, he told me.

It’s all about building relationships. Often in evangelism, he said, we sit across from someone and say, “I’m holy and you’re a sinner.” That’s not the way to bring someone to Christ – it’s by making friends.

I loved listening to that doctor. It was like finding a flourishing spring in the barren wasteland of life. And the fact that I didn’t expect it, made our conversation, well, a little contagious for me.

The doctor said that he had led a class on evangelism a while ago using a book about the contagious Christian. And when I looked it up, I found out that “Becoming a Contagious Christian” by Bill Hybels and Mark Mittelberg was an intriguing faith-sharing tool.

Its purpose is to help Christians take everyday situations with everyday people and use them as evangelism opportunities.

“In their heart of hearts, I think all true followers of Christ long to become contagious Christians,” say the authors. “Though unsure about how to do so or the risks involved, deep down they sense that there isn’t anything as rewarding as opening a person up to God’s love and truth.”

I talked about my conversation with the “contagious” doctor the other day when I was speaking to a few young adults in our college-age Bible study. I had noticed that one of my young friends had a Bible verse on the back of her cell phone and told her and the others how the “Our Daily Bread” devotionals on the counter had sparked my conversation with the doctor.

“You won’t believe how many people comment on that verse,” my friend said smiling. And she even told me about some others that she wanted to purchase for her cell phone so that she could switch the verses out.

A young man in our group said that he initiated conversations about God by having Bible verses written on the menu board at his restaurant.

“People come in and see that,” he said, “and some of them give me a weird look, but others start a conversation with me about it.” He then told us about an ongoing talk about God he was having with a regular customer because of it.

While shopping the other day, I noticed that the man on the other side of the counter had tattoos everywhere I could see and something in his earlobe that looked painful. And his eyes held a certain nothingness that told me that he had long since given up on getting any joy out of life.

When I looked at him, I thought of my own sons and how I often prayed that someone else besides me would speak the truth of the gospel into their lives.

And so, I decided to be a bit contagious.

Armed with a little gospel tract our pastor had given to us a few Sundays back, I shared it with him.

Probably, it wasn’t the best act of friendship evangelism like spoken about in the “Becoming a Contagious Christian” book, but since my time was limited with the young man, I decided to be the best short-term friend I could be and give him the gospel.

And, whatever Truth I was carrying that day – I pray he’ll catch it!

Are you contagious?

Matthew 9:37-38 Living Bible

37 “The harvest is so great, and the workers are so few,” he told his disciples. 38 “So pray to the one in charge of the harvesting, and ask him to recruit more workers for his harvest fields.”

Mark 16:15-16 New International Version

15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Acts 1:8 New English Translation

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth.

Who is God? Our God is worth the share. Building relationships with others can help create the trust that is sometimes necessary for effective evangelism. Someone told me once: "Make a friend, be a friend, tell a friend about Jesus." Who can you share Jesus with today?

]]><![CDATA[This Little Light of Mine]]>Tue, 17 Jun 2014 16:18:15 GMThttps://www.debratorres.com/simplyjesusblog/this-little-light-of-mine

One thing I pray for my children is that they would be salt and light to those around them.

My heart’s desire is that others would see a difference in them – that somehow, in some dark moment, my kids would shine the light of Christ’s love into someone else’s life.

Light is something I think that we tend to take advantage of when we have it. But when we don’t, well, often we can be lost in the dark.

I remember once when my boys were small and we took them on a “night hike” offered by an area park. At nearly dusk, a small group of us set out with a seasoned guide.

My young boys each sported green plastic lanterns that made cricket sounds when the switch was turned on.

The hike leader pointed out some amazing things that I ...

would have missed had I taken the walk myself.

I remember that night learning to identify poison ivy, spotting whirligigs in the pond and practicing a pretty good impression of the great horned owl.

And when darkness began to descend on the park, we flicked on our flashlights and lanterns to help guide our way to further adventures with our amazing guide.

We saw a copperhead slither past, listened to our guide tell tales of hearing bobcats screaming in the night and in the end, sucked on the Wint-O-Green LifeSavers he passed out so we could see sparks fly when we bit into them.

But the most memorable part of that hike for me was the feeling of being in such absolute darkness.

It was only our flashlights and lanterns that kept us from being completely swallowed up by it. I remember walking with the group in our small bubble of light and looking behind me to see the darkness literally enclose us from behind.

It was the light that made all the difference for us that night.

A few weeks ago, our Sunday School teacher, Rich, highlighted different ways we can bring light into a person’s life. He brought up a variety of lights and their functions and figuratively explained the way that each could be used to shine the light of Jesus.

He told us that we could be beacons, spotlights and candles.

A beacon, he said, is “something you line up with,” a spotlight “illuminates a specific area,” and a candle “is used in a soft setting - a light that influences.”

Wow. I had never thought about the uses of different kinds of lights the way Rich explained that morning. And I especially liked his description of candlelight –maybe that’s why I favor soft light.

Each type of light is significant though.

Sarah Young in my “Jesus Calling” devotional highlighted the beacon recently: “You had a darkened mind before you sought Me wholeheartedly. I chose to pour My Light into you, so that you can be a beacon to others. There is no room for pride in this position. Your part is to reflect My Glory. I am the Lord!”

Once when my sons were older, they took me to an abandoned railroad tunnel. Trekking through, it was an amazing feeling to be in the middle of that tunnel with one dot of light on one end and one dot of light on the other.

It was so dark there in the center of that tunnel, a place that never saw any light except for what those passing through brought with them.

We traversed over the gravelly path avoiding pitfalls and completely depended on our light to bring us through.

Sounds just like life, doesn’t it?

Here are some Bible verses that'll help you on your journey:

Matthew 4:16 English Standard Version

16 the people dwelling in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
on them a light has dawned.”

John 8:12 Living Bible

12 Later, in one of his talks, Jesus said to the people, “I am the Light of the world. So if you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, for living light will flood your path.”

1 John 1:7 New International Version

7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

]]><![CDATA[Maybe Today Lord]]>Fri, 30 May 2014 19:23:58 GMThttps://www.debratorres.com/simplyjesusblog/maybe-today-lord

By Debra Torres
The young ladies and gentlemen in our high school’s prom court looked strikingly regal in their long gowns and tuxedos.

Standing on raised platforms up on the stage, they created the

perfect picture for the on-looking crowd of parents, relatives and friends.

I’ve been to a few promenades now, and I know the routine. The presentation of the prom court is always a nice finishing touch to the event.

But things went a little off schedule this day. And something happened that I think I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

You see, midway through the presentation of the court, the principal interrupted the speakers with a special announcement.

He named one of the young ladies on the prom court and said she had a new escort who had just arrived. And turning to see who it was, the young lady burst into tears as she watched her father walk onto stage wearing his military fatigues.

He had just returned from 6 months of deployment overseas and held in his arms a special bouquet for his daughter.

The girl stepped down off the platform and a long, tearful embrace followed while the crowd stood to its feet and applauded.

Good thing I always carry a Kleenex.

It was an honor to get to experience this powerful moment of return and restoration with them. And the scene came back to me the other day as I was thinking about Christ’s return and a sermon our pastor gave on the subject just a few weeks ago.

You see, I’ve always been a bit apprehensive about Christ’s return.

To be honest, I’m the one who’s always wishing that God would take his time.

It’s not because I’m living a wild life and want to have a few more laughs before I straighten out. For me, it’s because I’ve always wanted to experience all that life has to offer first, and what if Jesus decided to come back before I get to do it all?

I’ll miss out on something. I just know I will.

But our pastor helped me look at the whole thing a new way during his sermon and even said, “We are to be in a relationship with God where our hearts are longing for his return.” Slowly, I’m starting to look at the reality of Christ’s upcoming return with new, expectant eyes.

In Hebrews 9:28 it says that Christ will appear a second time to save those who wait for him eagerly.

And Matthew 24:44 says that he will come at an unexpected time.

And I guess it helps to not know the day. That way, we can invest our time in making sure we’re ready for him it at any moment instead of putting off our preparations for a later date.

Bob Deffinbaugh from Bible.org says that many of us approach the end times with the same type of procrastination we have with our gas tanks, “… those who run out of fuel are those who wrongly suppose that they still have plenty of time to get it later. We know when our gas gauge is low. Good grief, we can see the flashing lights on the dash.

“But we lull ourselves into thinking that there is still plenty of time to deal with the problem. There will surely be another gas station ahead, and not too far. This false confidence has gotten many people into trouble.

“Those who think they will have other chances to come to faith in Jesus are making a very dangerous assumption. The coming of our Lord will be sudden and unexpected, and when He comes, all chances of changing our course have been forfeited. The coming of our Lord ends our opportunity to turn to Him in faith, and it seals our doom.”

Now more than ever, I’m understanding that we need to determined to be ready with our attitudes and our life choices.

What a beautiful time it was, for that young lady to receive her father while she was onstage at prom court. She was in the right place at the right time to fully enjoy his return.

“If the skies opened and the trump blasts, would you be ready?” My pastor asked us that Sunday. “Or, would you be crawling under your seat, (saying) ‘not today, I’m not ready. I’ve been living for myself.’”

Let’s be ready today so we say together: Maranatha. Come Lord Jesus.

Here are some Bible verses that'll help you on your journey:

Matthew 24:29-31 New American Standard Bible

29 “But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. 31 And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

John 14:3 New International Version

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

Matthew 24:44 English Standard Version

44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

Who is God? Christ will appear a second time to save those who wait for him eagerly. And Matthew 24:44 says that he will come at an unexpected time. We need to invest our time in making sure we’re ready for him at at any moment instead of putting off our preparations for a later date.

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