These beautifully illustrated, refreshing devotionals cover a myriad of moments in our life journeys, with the up times and the down times. Even more, they are about the goodness and faithfulness of our God in any - and all - circumstances. '

  - Sally I. Kennedy,
     Author

Sample devotionals from '52 Little Parables from Ireland':

• The Voice
• In the Night
• Listen to the Quiet
• Roots

Week 48: He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.. He goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. John 10:3-4

The Voice

We were sitting around rehashing ball games, slumber parties, teachers, and who went steady with whom. Yup, we were getting ready for another class reunion. How do they come around so often? Every 10 or 20 years; doesn't seem like they ought to crop up so "often!"

The last reunion, I remember thinking that the guys had definitely changed more than the girls had, especially in the hair department! I recall looking at the Yearbook picture name tags; how memories came flooding back.

One thing stands out most in my mind from that reunion. Although most of our appearances were drastically different from high school days, one thing had not changed one iota. That was our voices. I discovered I could identify people when I heard them speak, even if I didn't recognize them from the way they looked.

How interesting. I thought of what Jesus said: the sheep listen to the shepherd's voice, and they follow him because they know his voice. They will never follow a stranger, because they don't recognize his voice.

How great to think that as we listen to the voice of our own shepherd, Jesus, and follow him, we wonÕt get mis-led or go off in the wrong direction.

He is speaking, and we know His voice. It is Love, and it never changes. That is good news.

Prayer: Father, thank you that your voice is Love. Thank you for allowing me to recognize it, at all times and in all circumstances, especially as you speak to my heart. In JesusÕ name, Amen.

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Week 22: God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

In the Night

Lucy is one of my husband's favorite relatives. She is a gentle person. Exactly the kind of mother,grandmother, aunt, or neighbor you would want. Her hair is white and curled, and patted down to cover the balding thinness. She walks bent over from the great hump on her back from osteoporosis.

Lucy always has a ready and listening ear. She always has something kind and encouraging to say. You just feel better being around her.

She stays busy with friends and family, but lives alone. Her husband and best friend of 45 years, died. I asked her, "How are you really doing?" She paused, then said, "It's hardest in the night. Everything is worse at night."

Lucy's peaceful and pleasant demeanor covers her real feelings of ongoing loneliness and anxiety. In the book of Samuel, in the Bible, it says we look at what we can see, but God looks at the heart.

Sometimes we look all "together" when really we are in our "night." God alone sees into our deepest heart of hearts. He knows what is written there.

He is always about the business of comforting us. He actually provides us with His very presence. That word of hope is real good news. Especially in the night.

Prayer: Oh God, reveal yourself today in a very real sense. Comfort my heart, Father, for the secret hurts there. Thank you, Lord. In JesusÕ name, Amen.

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Week 26: Be still, and know tht I am God. Psalm 46:10

Listen to the Quiet

When the electricity went out recently, I was impressed with how quiet it was. We live with continual background noise. Indoors we have the sounds of air conditioning units, washers and dryers, tv's, computers, telephones, computers, fax machines, answer machines, stereos, and kids. Outdoors are lawnmowers, leafblowers, trains, airplanes, insects, birds, animals, cars and cell phones.

We have all kinds of noise inside our heads, too. Past tapes, what others have said and done, things we have done or told ourselves. And what about the noise our hearts make? They laugh, cry, remember, and talk to us too!

I don't think of myself as somebody who leads a fast-paced, jet-set life. That is until I notice how long it takes me to relax and unwind. Getting quiet doesn't happen quickly for me. Sometimes I even have to consciously work at it. Even David, songwriter extroadinaire, wise warrior, and anointed King of Israel, needed to be reminded by God to Be still, and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10)

It's a noisy world. And we all need a quiet place in the midst of all the noise. A safe place, where we can BE STILL, and hear the Lord. He very much wants to tell us how much he loves us, and how unique and special we are to him.

Ask him to help you find a safe place, a place where you can go and listen to the quiet. Thank God he provides places for us, whether inside our mind and heart, or in a physical spot. Journey there and see what wonderful surprises Jesus has planned to share with you in this brand new day of Today that you've never seen before.

Prayer: Thank you, Father, that I can come to You anytime, pray, and be in communication with You. Lord, thank you for the peace and direction I get from simply being in Your presence. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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Week 40: So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him,rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7

Roots

The roots on our 'eyeball tree , as my precious five year old granddaughter, Taylor, calls it (elephant ear philodendron) keep shooting out. They are strong and fibrous, thin and flexible. When they get long enough to reach down into the decking, I wrap them around the trunk to prevent their rooting in the earth under the wood deck.

Aren't we like those roots? Springing up and reaching out, waving in the breeze, always turning toward the sun. Isn't God always there, gently turning us downward so our roots can be firmly and deeply in Him. He is continuously and gently doing this, even though it is barely noticeable.

It is necessary, though, in order to steady the large, heavy top growth of the plant - the visible part. Then when the storms come, we will not topple, but stand firm, rooted deeply in Him.

Thank you, Lord, for faithfully taking care of rooting us, even though we are not aware of it.

Prayer: Father, help me to not get top-heavy by doing things that you can just see. Help me to grow deep, sturdy roots in You, through communion in prayer with You each day. Thank you, Father. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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