Quill’s Blog

Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these do?” He replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” … Jesus said a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” … Jesus said a third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that Jesus asked him a third time, “Do you love me?” and said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” John 21:15-17

New English Translation

Continue reading “Be Mine?”

“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” Jesus said to him, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40

New English Translation

Continue reading “What Is Love?”

My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything. James 1:2-4

New English Translation

Continue reading “Growing Pains”

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, because you know that we will be judged more strictly. For we all stumble in many ways. If someone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect individual, able to control the entire body as well. And if we put bits into the mouths of horses to get them to obey us, then we guide their entire bodies. Look at ships too: Though they are so large and driven by harsh winds, they are steered by a tiny rudder wherever the pilot’s inclination directs. So too the tongue is a small part of the body, yet it has great pretensions. Think how small a flame sets a huge forest ablaze. And the tongue is a fire! The tongue represents the world of wrongdoing among the parts of our bodies. It pollutes the entire body and sets fire to the course of human existence—and is set on fire by hell.

For every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and sea creature is subdued and has been subdued by humankind. But no human being can subdue the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse people made in God’s image. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. These things should not be so, my brothers and sisters. A spring does not pour out fresh water and bitter water from the same opening, does it? Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters, or a vine produce figs? Neither can a salt water spring produce fresh water. James 3:1-12

New English Translation

Continue reading “Words Matter”

Thomas replied to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are the people who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:28-29

New English Translation

Continue reading “Believing Without Seeing”

Now Jacob cooked some stew, and when Esau came in from the open fields, he was famished. So Esau said to Jacob, “Feed me some of the red stuff—yes, this red stuff—because I’m starving!” (That is why he was also called Edom.)

But Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.” “Look,” said Esau, “I’m about to die! What use is the birthright to me?” But Jacob said, “Swear an oath to me now.” So Esau swore an oath to him and sold his birthright to Jacob.

Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew; Esau ate and drank, then got up and went out. So Esau despised his birthright. Genesis 25:29-34

New English Translation

Continue reading “The Worst Trade”

There are several reasons that your heart can hurt. Maybe you’ve recently lost a loved one. Maybe things are just a little rocky right now. The options are limitless. Don’t be discouraged, though, because sometimes my heart hurts, too. You’re not alone, and we can find healing in the same spot. God.

Continue reading “When Your Heart Hurts”

It’s crazy to realize that 2025 is already upon us. My journal and I are still getting used to it as I catch myself dating my entries with a 2024 every other day! Before we dive into scripture, I wanted to encourage you to approach this year wholly for God and the purpose of honoring Him. Everything changes when He is in the center of everything.

Now, onto the scripture!

Continue reading “Don’t Give Up”

But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even though we were dead in offenses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you are saved!— and he raised us up together with him and seated us together with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, to demonstrate in the coming ages the surpassing wealth of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his creative work, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we can do them. Ephesians 2:4-10

New English Translation

Continue reading “A Gift Worth Keeping”

David consulted with his military officers, including those who led groups of a thousand and those who led groups of a hundred. David said to the whole Israelite assembly, “If you so desire and the Lord our God approves, let’s spread the word to our brothers who remain in all the regions of Israel, and to the priests and Levites in their cities, so they may join us. Let’s move the ark of our God back here, for we did not seek his will throughout Saul’s reign.” The whole assembly agreed to do this, for the proposal seemed right to all the people. So David assembled all Israel from the Shihor River in Egypt to Lebo Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim. David and all Israel went up to Baalah (that is, Kiriath Jearim) in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord, who sits enthroned between the cherubim—the ark that is called by his Name.

They transported the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab; Uzzah and Ahio were guiding the cart, while David and all Israel were energetically celebrating before God, singing and playing various stringed instruments, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets. When they arrived at the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to take hold of the ark, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord was so furious with Uzzah, he killed him, because he reached out his hand and touched the ark. He died right there before God. 1 Chronicles 13:1-10

New English Translation

Continue reading “Good Intentions Aren’t Enough”