Special Features 2022 Archives

Thankful for Our Greatest Gift

by Heartlight Team · Matthew 1:23 · Christmas

Christmas card and thank you from the Heartlight.org and VerseoftheDay.com team.

God has blessed us with many gifts, but the greatest of all gifts was God coming to us in Jesus of Nazareth!

We Are Thankful for You!

by Heartlight Team · Philippians 1:3-5

Thank you

Of God's many blessings, you are some of the most special to us!

The Paraclete

by Max Lucado · John 14

Max Lucado reminds us of the Holy Spirit living in us based on Jesus' promise and Jesus' special name for the Spirit, the Paraclete

The Spirit is a person. And Jesus calls him the Paraclete.

On the Life and Passing of Anthony Bourdain

by Grant Rampy · Exodus 20:12 · Old · Fame

Grant Rampy talks about once coveting the fame, fast life, riches, travel, experiences, and accomplishments of Anthony Bordain until realizing what he chased ended up empty and alone.

I am more grateful than ever for my comparably simple station, one that allows me both quiet time at home and the opportunity to travel — to enjoy both friends and strangers.

Posers and Pretenders

by Ron Rose · Isaiah 55:8-9 · Humility · Love · Acceptance

Ron Rose is back having conversations over coffee, and including all people and their stories in his conversations whether or not he agrees with them.

We are all damaged and divided, and there seems to be a whole bunch of us who've become professional pretenders and posers, desperately seeking to be little tin gods who want to be in charge.

Look Who Made the List!

by Ron Rose · Luke 10:20 · Inclusion

Ron Rose writes about Oskar Schindler and his list of Jewish employees saved from the Holocaust by his mercy and bravery and by being put on his list, and we are put on God's list of life!

I want to live, so His story is compelling and inviting... I want to live worthy of the cost and to never forget...

Max Lucado talks about his experiences as a baseball catcher and how the dimensions of homeplate were immutable, sacred, and in a sense holy and compares that to certain things in life that God has called sacred and holy.

Like speedbumps and curbs, these acts of holiness are meant to slow us down and keep us on the road.

God-skin!

by Ron Rose · 2 Corinthians 4:7 · Incarnation

Ron Rose is back at Black Rifle Coffee, being the available friend and pastor to folks who drop in with a story to tell, this time it's a lady who's been dumped and betrayed and Ron Reminds her of her need for God, and he will be available to be the skin

Without hesitation, no warm-up required, she told her story of betrayal and rejection.

Be an Agent of Happiness

by Max Lucado · John 13:34-35 · Joy

Max Lucado reminds us that we are God's agents of joy in our lonely planet full of discouraged people.

The people in our world can be moody, fickle, and stubborn and Jesus wants us to bring joy to them!

My One Thing!

by Ron Rose · Psalm 51

Ron Rose reminds us that the key to getting things done on our huge to-do list is to take it to God and then have Him help us to one thing, and do it right!

The God who invented time is right here with me—in the room. Sometimes I have to take a deep breath to remember that.

You Will Get Through This!

by Max Lucado · Romans 8:28-29 · Perseverance

Max Lucado shares the encouragement that we can get through our tough times just like Joseph did his.

Life is hard, but God is great at helping us get THROUGH life's toughest challenges and will never abandone us!

You Got Graced, Man!

by Ron Rose · Ephesians 2:8-10 · Grace

Ron Rose is back with his coffee and this time he is thinking and remembering and celebrating the grace a friend received that changed his life and now inspires Ron and his wife Lyn!

I had heard of grace before, but on that day I was in the middle of it.

Tired but not Done

by Tom Norvell · Galatians 6:9-10 · Servant

Tom Norvell catches himself complaining about the things he tired of in TV, in others, and in himself, and then reminds himself he is accomplishing nothing and needs to be doing good and not growing weary.

I acknowledge that my complaints prevent me from doing the good that God placed me here to do.

Jesus Comes in the Storms

by Max Lucado · John 16:16-18 · Presence

Max Lucado reminds us that we are not alone in our storms, but Jesus comes to us in the storms before he stills the storms.

Do you feel too far from the shore, too long in the struggle, and too small against the waves, with Jesus is nowhere to be seen.

Surprises and Smiles

by Ron Rose · 2 Corinthians 9:8-11 · Smile · Surprise

Ron Rose is at a new coffee place and is enjoying God reminding him of our delightful surprises can be.

At this point in life, I take each surprise as a God thing, a lesson to learn, and a reason to smile!

Red to Honor, White to Remember

by Phillip Morrison · Proverbs 31 · Mothers

Phillip Morrison offers Encouraging Words about Mother's Day and the red or white flowers we wear in honor and to remember our mothers.

What will you do to remember and honor your mother?

Nothing to Prove

by Max Lucado · Luke 4:9-12

Max Lucado reminds us that Satan will try to tempt us to be important and to show out rather than to serve, just like he did with Jesus.

Satan will tempt us to prove our importance just like he tempted Jesus.

Much More than a Day Fishing

by Ron Rose · 2 Timothy 2:1-2 · Fatherhood

Ron Rose is in the coffee shop carrying on a conversation when God shows up and reminds us of the huge difference a little time with our kids can make to their future and the world.

Stories reveal our insides, and on that day, Brook got a rare glimpse inside his dad... and he liked it!

Amazing Love!

by Byron Ware · Romans 5:6-11 · Atonement

Byron Ware recalls a memory from fifty years ago that shaped his life, his love, his family, and his understanding of grace, Jesus dying in the place of Barabbas and us.

Jesus died in the place of Barabbas. More importantly, Jesus died for you and me.

The Easter Corsage

by Ron Rose · Hebrews 13:7

Ron Rose is in the coffee shop carrying on a conversation when God shows up and reminds us what a lasting legacy of faith and service looks like.

It was 'different' — colorful and carefully glued together, all made out of pieces of construction paper, using an old pearl pin as its base.

Our 'NUT Stories' Keep Us Alive

by Ron Rose · Psalm 1:3 · Faithfulness

Ron Rose talks about God's work in growing us into something special who all began as nuts who held their ground and God grew into his witnesses with stories to tell.

We all have stories that are yet to be told, I call them our 'NUT Collection' — stories about where we've been and what we've done back in the day.

Give Him What You Have

by Max Lucado · John 6 · Ethics · Able · Enough

Max Lucado reminds us with Jesus' feeding of the crowd with five barley loaves and two fish that it is his job to make what we have sufficient for the moment.

You know the paralyzing fear that surfaces when the information is too much to learn, the change is too great to make, the grief is too deep to survive, or the crowd is too numerous to feed.

Willing 2-B-Crucibled

by Ron Rose · Romans 8:28-29 · Faith · Abba Father

Ron Rose reminds us that true faith has to go through the B-crucible to be real and lasting.

Ever notice that the most challenging madness happens right on the border of the Promised Land?

God Resists the Proud

by Max Lucado · Daniel 4

Max Lucado reminds us of the high price of our pride.

Pride comes at a high price, my friend. Don’t pay it.

Learning About Life in the Middle of Death?

by Ron Rose · 1 Corinthians 15 · Funeral

Ron Rose reminds us of the value of being family and friends in the face of death and realizing that we are learning as much about life as we are about death!