Author Archives: Ellen

Snickerdoodles

My sisters and I used to make these simple cookies when we were young and try to sell them in our neighborhood.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened.
  • 1-1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs, beaten.
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2-3/4 Cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 3 teaspoons cinnamon

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. In bowl of mixer, cream butter and 1-1/2 cups sugar thoroughly, then add eggs and incorporate thoroughly, mix in the vanilla.
  3. Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.
  4. Add dry ingredients into butter mixture and mix well.
  5. Chill dough, and chill 2 large ungreased cookie sheets for about 10-15 minutes in the fridge.
  6. Meanwhile, mix 3 tablespoons sugar, and 3 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl.
  7. Roll dough into small balls about 1 inch in diameter and drop into sugar-cinnamon mixture.
  8. Coat by gently rolling balls of dough in the sugar/cinnamon mixture.
  9. Place on chilled ungreased cookie sheet, and bake 10 minutes – 20 minutes. This varies due to the pan you choose and whether you cook one sheet at a time.
  10. Remove from pan after they cool slightly.
  11. Yield approx. 4 dozen.

I overloaded my cookie sheets and put two pans in the oven at the same time so it took a full 20 minutes for them to bake. Make sure to leave a good amount of space between the balls of dough.

Truth for Today #175

Friday January 9th

On Fridays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s continue to dig deep into God’s truth.

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you! 

Hebrews 12:1-2

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

From Vera:

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

From Gail:

Genesis 50:19-20

But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.”

From Dianna:

And those who know Your name will put their trust in You,
For You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.

Psalm 9:10

From Cindy:

John 14:2,3 – My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 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.

From Cheryl:

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.

Titus 2:11

Daily Reading 2026

Morning is my best time for Bible readings before the noise of the day begins.

My daily reading choices for 2026 are pictured in the collage above. I’m using a 4 part Bible Reading Plan that has the Bible broken up with daily sections in the Psalms/Wisdom Literature, Pentateuch/History of Israel, Chronicles/Prophets, and Gospels/Epistles. Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening is my second daily reading, a section in the morning and a section in the evening before bed. My third choice is going to stretch my brain, Daily Doctrine ~A One Year Guide to Systematic Theology, by Kevin DeYoung.

Here’s an excerpt from day seven: “Ad Fontes is a Latin phrase meaning “to the sources,” or literally “to the fountains.” It comes from the Vulgate version of Psalm 42:1. The Vulgate was the Latin Bible used almost exclusively in the church for a thousand years, until men like William Tyndale and Martin Luther began to translate the Bible in the common language of the people. During the Reformation this little phrase, ad fontes, became a rallying cry for those who wanted Christian learning to go back to the sources, back to the original fountains, which meant back to the Greeks and the ancient writers and ultimately back to the Scriptures themselves.”

Thankfully each day’s reading in this book is short and hopefully I can retain what is important.

In all these daily readings, “The beholding must make us more like Christ.” I was inspired to write that down in my journal but don’t know if I read that thought from Spurgeon or another source. It’s a good reminder of why we read the Bible and other works filled with Truth from the Bible. Not just an exercise but a way to learn more about our Triune God and to love Him more. We love because He first loved us.

This past Sunday in our Adult Sunday School time our pastor talked about Progressive Sanctification and referenced 2 Corinthians 3:18; “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” Earlier in this chapter we learn that only through Christ is the veil removed. “But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.” When that veil is removed God begins His sanctifying work in our lives from one degree of glory to another. He gives us the desire and the way to become more like Christ and to glorify Him forever. It happens by steps, by degrees, until we see Him face to face.

This is the first book I’ve finished reading in 2026. It is an older published book and was an easy read with some side stories about Begg and his experiences in Scotland and how he ended up in Cincinnati. I’ll add one quote from the book; “We must ask ourselves, Who am I trying to please? The worker endeavors to please his boss. The child, his parents. The pupil, his teacher. But for the believer, underpinning all that must be a heartfelt commitment to be able to say with Paul, “We make it our goal to please him” (2 Corinthians 5:9).

These, above and below, are all books we ordered in December that are waiting for us to read. We need another bookcase!

With a whole year ahead it shouldn’t be too difficult to read through these books.

What is on your bookshelf that you want to read this year?

Hello 2026 Hodgepodge

A new year for Wednesday Hodgepodge.

Here’s to aiming higher in 2026!

Starting off the first Wednesday of 2026 with a new set of questions that Joyce From This Side of the Pond wants us to ponder.

1. What are three words you would use to describe your 2025? 

Feet: In January I developed Plantar Fasciitis for the first time in my life so a lot centered around my feet and getting around the pain. Purchases of shoes, socks and inserts were contemplated. I did not do any walking trails, hikes, to speak of in 2025.

Plans: Lots of plans for travel and parties and carpooling and gifting in 2025. A lot of those plans are for 2026, too. I keep sane with my lists.

Yo-Yo: Up and down and up and down and up when it comes to my weight…again. I’m working on the down trend as I type.

2. I ask this question every January, and I always get comments about how we shouldn’t be banning words. This is fun and games so just play along : ) 

Every January 1st since 1976 Lake Superior University has published a list of words they’d like to see banished from the Queen’s English. Words may be banished due to misuse, overuse, or just general uselessness (go here to read about how the words are chosen). Here’s the list for 2026- 

67 • demure • cooked • massive • incentivize • full stop • perfect • gift/gifted  • my bad • reach out 

Which one (if any) do you use most often? Which one of these words/phrases would you most like to see banished from everyday speech and why? Is there a word you think should have made the list? 

I did a word search on my blog to see what if any of these words I used. Since I talk about the Lord Jesus Christ on my blog and share verses and hymns that center on Him there were a lot of posts with the word perfect in them since He is the only perfect person that has ever lived on this earth. It was not the same kind of perfect people use these days, though. Just this last week I got a response to a text message that said ‘perfect’. When we’ve made restaurant choices the wait staff have responded with ‘perfect’. That’s not the form of perfect that I’ve used.

Gift and gifted have popped up in my blog posts, too, but they are appropriate to what I was expressing.

I have talked about what was cooked but again I don’t think that’s the ‘cooked’ they are talking about here.

I vote for 67 getting the ax.

3. What are your nightly rituals? Is that different from your ‘ideal’ nightly ritual? If so what’s your ideal? 

If you talk to our grands, they’ll tell you (even though they don’t spend evenings with us) that we sit in front of the tv eating ice cream every night. They might not be too far off.

Ideally, I’d like to read more and be done eating by 6pm.

4. January 6th is/was National Bean Day. Do you like beans? Which one is your favorite? Last thing you ate made with beans? 

Yes, I do like beans. Pinto is probably my favorite and the kind I have most often since Mexican food is comfort food for us. We had refried beans with our Mexican meal on this past Sunday.

5. Are you easily embarrassed? Elaborate. 

Not unless I’m caught naked! 🙂 I’ve done embarrassing things in my life that I’m ashamed of. I have been forgiven for those things. I’ve learned over the years to avoid embarrassment whenever I can. In general, I’m not easily embarrassed.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I was impressed with the way our daughter-in-law, her mom and our grands started out the New Year. They walked the Rotary Trail. Check out that temperature!!

I also need to share this sweet embroidery that our grandson JJ completed and his mom made into an ornament for me. I love it!

Birthday Party x Four!

Saturday the 27th, the girls arrived home from our Tea Party in Idaho to the aroma of ribs cooking on Bayles Mountain. Dan was in charge of dinner for our birthday x4. There was a happy birthday sign up and a helium balloon for each of the 4 along with presents for each. Laura and I got busy decorating the little bundt cakes that were baked the day before. Each cake had it’s own unique twist.

Applesauce Spice cake for Katie who turned 40 on this epic day, the 27th of December.

Jamie’s birthday will be the first of 3 family birthdays in January. Her cake is lemon with lemon frosting.

Dan’s follows the day after Jamie. His cake is Applesauce Spice cake.

Three days after Dan comes Joshie’s birthday. He is our firstborn. His cake is chocolate with chocolate frosting.

Lots of birthday love all around.

Our birthday girl with dad.

After dinner and before cake we had each one open their gifts. Josh is reading a hilarious card he received from Andrew and Katie. We were all laughing.

Photo Fail: I did not get photos of each of the birthday kids sitting in the birthday gift chair.

The brothers got matching jogging suits. The girls were each treated with a very special gift from Tiffany’s from Josh and Laura. Fortieth birthdays are treated with special flare in our family and I’m sure in other families, too. There were other gifts for the four like, hoodies, coats, a massage certificate, and a Buck Skinning knife. There is one other special event planned for our two fresh forty year olds, a trip to Maui in October of 2026. There will be 12 of us making that trip, Lord Willing, our ten and Jamie’s mom and granny.

The four with their individual cakes and balloons.

When it was time for the oldest in the group to go home, another surprise was lit!

We all went on the front porch for some unknown reason and there to our surprise was an epic fireworks display preplanned by Dan! What fun that was. I wish I was able to share the video here.

It was a wonderful day from beginning to finish.

After all our birthday celebrations on Saturday we were all in church taking a full row for the last Sunday of 2025. Addy played a special number, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, on the piano.

Addy does not have that common fear of performing in front of a crowd. It will be interesting to see how that plays out in her life.

The last sermon of 2025 was excellent and we all were challenged and encouraged.

After the service, Andrew and Katie started their long drive home. The rest of us gathered again on Bayles Mountain for the day. Table games, Prime rib sandwiches for lunch, hearty soup for dinner that the two oldest of the crew had ‘to-go’.

The Grands helping gramps get up off the couch. He made it more fun by being a ‘dead weight’!

On Monday morning after Josh and Laura left for home, I changed up the table linens and pulled out this puzzle gift from Josh and Laura.  I finished it on New Year’s Eve. It was a fun one to put together.

The last days of 2025 at our country bungalow were quiet with little accomplished and that was okay.

New Year’s Eve we spent at home. We got a photo of our local kids enjoying the fireworks in town.

Those sun roofs come in handy!

Moving on to 2026 and trusting God for what He has in store for us.

For-Tea Birthday Celebration

Back in November, Laura threw out the idea for a special tea to celebrate Katie and Jamie turning forty. I concurred and the Tea Room that would be available for our party of seven was in Post Falls, Idaho. The tea was planned for the actual day that Katie turned forty. Even though Jamie does not turn forty until the middle of January this was the opportune time to celebrate since we’d all be together at Christmas time.

On Saturday morning, December 27th, our two vehicles started our drive to Post Falls at 10am. It was a 90 mile journey. Our vehicle spent some of the time having Katie try to recall her forty birthdays. She did incredibly well remembering almost all of them. Greg and my three children are now all in their forties!

Jamie’s mom, Katie, Addy, Jamie, Jamie’s Granny, Laura and me.

The birthday girls.

Four generations strong.

Me and our youngest, Katie.

Katie and Laura.

Our most wonderful daughters-in-law. It brings tears to my eyes to see how God has brought us all together and the deep friendships our ‘girls’ share.

Addy had a special seat because her servings would be a little varied from the adult servings. She was quite pleased.

Ready for our soup course, which was a surprise part of our tea along with an Amuse Bouche.

A pinkie finger photo collage.

Addy got a pot of hot chocolate besides some herbal tea.

Amuse-bouches are small, single-bite dishes meant to “amuse the mouth” and offer a glimpse into a chef’s style before the meal begins. We actually enjoyed these bites before the soup course. The one in the center was for Addy, a mac&cheese bite.

Her soup portion was in a smaller cup than ours.

Addy got her own two tiered tea offering and she thought that was very cool. Her sandwiches were peanut butter and Jam, Ham and Cheese, and a Cucumber Cream Cheese Christmas tree sandwich. (The Peanut Butter-Jam sandwiches were her favorite)

The other three tiered offerings were shared between two of us.

The sandwiches and scones are always my favorites. I think we all especially enjoyed the Chicken Salad Croissant.

The snickerdoodle scones were also a favorite!

Since this was still part of their ‘Special Christmas Tea Time’ the bread for the cucumber tea sandwiches were Christmas trees.

It is a good thing that the sweets are small portions.

The tea hostesses did all the tea pouring. There were two bells on the table and if there was anything we wanted or needed we could ring the bells to let them know.

There were several tea table areas besides ours and this one, above, is the only other one I took a photo of.

We had a lovely time being served and celebrating our girls in this special way.

I need to mention that the temperature on this day was 28 degrees and there was also a biting wind!

On the way home we took advantage of the lower gasoline prices in Idaho and filled up our vehicle before crossing into Washington State.

The drive back to Bayles’ mountain was smooth sailing and we got ready for our next birthday party for Katie, Jamie, Dan, and Josh! The Bayles Birthday Bonanza finale was epic. That will be another post.

Lo! He Comes With Clouds Descending

Lo! He Comes With Clouds Descending

Lo! He comes with clouds des­cend­ing,
Once for fa­vored sin­ners slain;
Thousand, thou­sand saints at­tend­ing,
Swell the tri­umph of His train:
Hallelujah! Hal­le­lujah! Hal­le­lu­jah!
God ap­pears on earth to reign.

Every eye shall now be­hold Him
Robed in dread­ful ma­jes­ty;
Those who set at naught and sold Him,
Pierced and nailed Him to the tree,
Deeply wail­ing, deep­ly wail­ing, deep­ly wail­ing,
Shall the true Mes­si­ah see.

Every is­land, sea, and mount­ain,
Heav’n and earth, shall flee away;
All who hate Him must, con­found­ed,
Hear the trump pro­claim the day:
Come to judg­ment! Come to judg­ment!
Come to judg­ment! Come to judg­ment!
Come away!

Now redemp­tion, long ex­pect­ed,
See in so­lemn pomp ap­pear;
All His saints, by man re­ject­ed,
Now shall meet Him in the air:
Hallelujah! Hal­le­lu­jah! Hal­le­lu­jah!
See the day of God ap­pear!

Answer Thine own bride and Spir­it,
Hasten, Lord, the ge­ne­ral doom!
The new Heav’n and earth t’in­her­it,
Take Thy pin­ing ex­iles home:
All cre­ation, all cre­ation, all cre­ation,
Travails! groans! and bids Thee come!

The dear to­kens of His pas­sion
Still His daz­zling bo­dy bears;
Cause of end­less ex­ul­ta­tion
To His ran­somed wor­ship­ers;
With what rap­ture, with what rap­ture,
With what rap­ture
Gaze we on those glo­ri­ous scars!

Yea, Amen! let all adore Thee,
High on Thine eter­nal throne;
Savior, take the pow­er and glo­ry,
Claim the king­dom for Thine own;
O come quick­ly! O come quick­ly!
O come quick­ly!
Everlasting God, come down!

Charles Wesley

Creamed Corn

This Creamed Corn Recipe has been around in our family since the 70’s. It originally came from a restaurant in Southern California called Gulliver’s. I still have the recipe card they were happy to hand out to patrons of the restaurant. This restaurant is still in existence. It makes a great side dish for Prime Rib or steak. I realized I hadn’t posted the recipe on my blog. This will help next Christmas when I search for this dish that I only make once a year!

  • 32 ounce package of frozen corn
  • 8 ounces whipping cream
  • 8 ounces milk
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 6 teaspoons sugar

——————

  • 2 tablespoons soft butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 pinch of White Pepper

 

  1. Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile blend the flour, butter, and white pepper together.
  3. Add the flour mixture to the simmering corn and stir and watch carefully as the mixture thickens.
  4. Serve and enjoy.

Note: Instead of 8 ounces of whipping cream and 8 ounces of milk, I most often just use 16 ounces of Half and Half.

Boxing Day 2025

On Boxing Day (just a week ago)

After our traditional Swedish Pancake breakfast, the kids gathered at the Rotary trail for a walk. Greg, who is half Swedish, does the honors of cooking the pancakes at every special family gathering.

We all look forward to his Swedish Pancakes with Little smokies. They are enjoyed with sour cream and real or not so real Maple syrup plus fruit syrups, especially boysenberry which has been impossible to find in recent years!

Lots of stray golf balls were found in the brush.

Later that evening it was taco night at our country bungalow.

The dish washer was going full speed ahead for several days!

Arthur Pink ~ New Year’s Comfort 1943

Glory to God in highest heaven,
Who unto man His Son hath given;
While angels sing with tender mirth,
A glad new year to all the earth.
~Martin Luther

С новым годом!

This is a long but encouraging message for believers from Arthur Pink, an English Bible teacher written in 1943 which was a very troubling period in history during World War II.  Arthur Pink (1886-1952)

“As we launch out into another year, there is little visible prospect of a smooth and pleasant voyage. To the natural eye, the clouds are dark and fierce storms seem imminent. The very uncertainty of what the morrow may bring forth, fills many with uneasiness and trepidation. But how different should be the state of God’s children—an all-sufficient Object is presented to the eyes of their faith, from which unbelief derives no comfort. If the poor worldling is concerned with what lies before him, it is the blessed privilege of the believer to be occupied with Who goes before him—the One who is his Captain, his Guide, his Forerunner. “The Lord! HE it is who goes before you” (Deut. 31:8). What a difference that makes! O that writer and reader may be enabled to lay hold of this grand Truth as we enter another period of time and keep it steadily in mind throughout the coming days!
~
1. The Lord has gone before you in the grand decree of His PREDESTINATION. Last year was one of suspense and sorrow, of trial and trouble—and perhaps you tremble at what this one has in store. Well, here is solid comfort. Your future has all been marked out for you! You shall not tread a step which is not mapped on the grand chart of God’s foreordination. All your circumstances have been Divinely ordered for you. Ah, Christian reader, what an immense difference this makes that you are not a child of chance, that your lot is not decided by the caprice of fickle fortune. Infinite wisdom and infinite love have arranged everything. You will go nowhere during 1943—but where God has decreed, His “goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2), planning your path, your life. A predestinating God has appointed “the bounds of your habitation” (Acts 17:26). You may be thrust into the furnace of affliction—yet you will not be deserted. You may be brought low—yet it will be for your future blessing. You may be chastened—yet the rod is in the hand of your Father.
“Your times of trial and of grief,
Your times of joy and sweet relief,
All shall come and last and end—
As shall please your heavenly Friend.”
~
2. The Lord has gone before you in the preparations of His PROVIDENCE. “My God shall supply all your needs” (Phil. 4:19), full provision has already been made for it. Jehovah does not have to improvise. No unexpected emergency can overtake Him, “known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world” (Acts 15:18). Therefore is it written, “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer” (Isaiah 65:24). Before we reach a place, God has provided for us wherever the road leads, all has been made ready. “He went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents in” (Deut. 1:33); and He will not do less for His people today. Canaan was fully prepared for Israel long before they arrived there, “The Lord your God will soon bring you into the land he swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is a land filled with large, prosperous cities that you did not build. The houses will be richly stocked with goods you did not produce. You will draw water from cisterns you did not dig, and you will eat from vineyards and olive trees you did not plant” (Deut. 6:10, 11). Here is comfort for the preacher too, “The Lord, He it is who goes before you,” to prepare hearts for the message, for the reception of the Truth.
~
3. The Lord has gone before you in PERSON. The path which He calls you to tread—has first been traversed by Himself. None other than the Lord of Glory became incarnate, entered this world of ours and tabernacled here for thirty-three years in the flesh, that He might be the Captain of our salvation (Heb. 2:10). “When He puts forth His own sheep, He goes before them” (John 10:4). Are they required to tread the way of obedience? Well, their Shepherd has Himself preceded them therein. Are they required to deny themselves and take up their cross? Well, He Himself did nothing less. Are they called upon to be buffeted, not for their faults but when they do well, to be persecuted for righteousness’ sake? Well, “Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow His steps” (1 Peter 2:21). What comfort is there here—that the trials we endure for the Truth’s sake, that the unkind treatment we meet with from professing brethren because we dare not compromise are an essential part of the process of our being conformed to the image of God’s Son! Shall we be called upon to pass through the valley of the shadow of death? Well, the Christian has nothing to fear, for Christ has gone before Him and extracted the sting of death.
~
4. The Lord has gone before you in the directions of His PRECEPTS. “Your Word is a lamp unto my feet—and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105), revealing the way of peace and blessing through this dark world. Especially is that true of its preceptive portions, for they make known the paths of righteousness which we are to tread. Ignorance of God’s will concerning the way we should go is inexcusable, for He has already clearly and definitely made known His will. The highway of holiness does not have to be made by us—it is there plainly enough before us in the Word and it is ours to walk in it. “You shall guide me with Your counsel—and afterward receive me to glory” (Psalm 73:24). A “guide” is one who goes before us, directing our course and the “counsel” of our Divine Guide is contained in His prohibitions and commandments and according as we heed them shall we escape the dangers around us and be kept in the narrow way which leads unto Life.
~
5. The Lord has gone before you in the provisions of His PROMISES. What are the Divine promises, but so many anticipations of our varied needs and guarantees, which God stands pledged to supply. They are so many proofs of His omniscience which foresaw what would meet our requirements. They are so many tokens of His loving-kindness to manifest His tender concerns for us, long before we had any historical existence. They are so many evidences of His faithfulness, that He will withhold no good thing from those who walk uprightly. Whatever tomorrow may hold, the Divine promises assure the Christian that the Lord has gone before and made every provision for him. No dire situation, no pressing emergency, no desperate peril can possibly arise, but what there is one of the “exceeding great and precious promises” (2 Peter 1:4) exactly suited to our case. Their value lies in the fact that they are the word of Him who cannot lie. “This God is our God forever and ever—He will be our Guide even unto death” (Psalm 48:14).
~
6. The Lord has gone before you into PARADISE. Did He not expressly announce before He left this scene, “In My Father’s House are many mansions—if it were not so I would have told you—I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2)? Not for Himself, but for His redeemed—nor would He entrust this task unto the angels. How it tells of the love of the Bridegroom for His Bride! Christ has entered Heaven on our behalf, taking possession thereof in our name, “where the Forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus” (Heb. 6:20). His entry, ensures ours. “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world” (John 17:24).
“The Lord, He it is who goes before you” (Deut. 31:8). Here, then, is real substantial comfort—and what shall be my response thereto?
~
First, my eye should be constantly fixed upon Him, “looking unto Jesus” (Heb. 12:2), looking away from all else, trusting none other.
Second, then it is my business to follow Him—for what other purpose is a Guide? “When He puts forth His own sheep, He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him” (John 10:4). And as they do, so they find that He makes them to lie down in green pastures, that He leads them beside the still waters. Ah, who would not follow such a Shepherd! O that the Lord may say of us as He did of Caleb, “he has followed Me fully” (Num. 14:24).
Third, then fear should be entirely banished from my heart. And will it not be so—if faith really lays hold of this, “The Lord, HE it is who goes before you, He will be with you, He will not fail you, neither forsake you; fear not, neither be dismayed” (Deut. 31:8).
~
That does not mean that all will be smooth sailing. It did not mean that for the Apostles, as the book of Acts shows. But it did mean that they were not left without a Pilot. HE not only went before them but gave assurance, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20). That is the grand consolation of this writer. May it be yours, too!“
~ Arthur Pink, “New Year’s Comfort” 1943