Daily Devotions

March 16

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." - Psalm 119:105 (KJV)

It is very hard to walk in the dark safely for any distance. We may make it a few steps or even a few feet, but we risk stumbling, falling, or an even worse accident if we continue to try to move forward in the dark. Without a light to guide us, we will continue to either wander aimlessly or eventually trip, fall, and lay hopelessly injured where no one can even see us, let alone rescue us. However, God has provided the Light of his Word in the Bible so that we need not walk through this life in the dark and risk getting lost or hurt. This amazing library contains 66 different books in total, with 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament.

God's Word has been written over thousands of years and can provide us spiritual light in all circumstances. We simply have to take time to read it to turn God's light on. In this life, we will not only walk through good times but also dark days and scary seasons. But the Bible can be our light to show us the way ahead so we won't stumble or get lost as we journey forward. God's Word can reveal hidden dangerous roots of false values or destructive attitudes and guide us in the good ways and right paths where we can find peace, prosperity, and joy. When we study the Bible daily we will be able to see our way clearly enough to stay on the right paths. Stay safe! Let God's Light in his Word guide you today and every day!

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank you for the light of your Word. Help me to find ways to understand and study your word in the Bible every day. When I feel lost, light my path.

Amen.

Meditation For The Day:

God's light is never as bright as when it shines on our darkest paths.

Brief Devotions For Busy Lives: Daily Winter Renewal

by Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson | Nov 25, 2017

Used with permission of the family of the late Rev. Dr. Mary B. Johnson.

Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson, D.Min., (1942-2018)

Mary was Ordained in 1975.
She served both as a Parish Pastor and in multiple Specialized Ministry Settings.

She worked on the Clinical Staff of New England Memorial Hospital and Middleton Pastoral
Counseling Center in Massachusetts and was a Director of Green Pastures Counseling Centers in N.H.

She was a state Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor,
Nationally Board-Certified Counselor (N.C.C.), and Nationally Certified Pastoral Counselor (AAPC)
and held certification as a Clinical Member of the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (A.C.P.E.).

She received a Doctor of Ministry Degree in Psychology and Clinical Studies
from Andover Newton in Newton, MA.

Dr. Johnson also founded Good News Specialized Ministries, Inc.
This unique ministry provided education and Clinical Christian Counseling to thousands of people over the decades and trained numerous Clinical Counselors and Counseling Ministers while offering weekly non-denominational worship services to the community for more than 20 years.

I had the honor and privilege of working with Pastor Arnie Johnson
when I served as the pastor for the Richmond Community United Methodist Church

in Richmond, NH from 2019 - 2022.
I personally have been deeply touched by Mary's writings.

Her family has graciously allowed me to share them with you.

- Pastor Sharon Sargent

"I always considered my ministry at Richmond as a shared ministry. Mary had the expertise that helped me function as well as I did. I received critiques on the way home after the services. I finally realized that I may have “arrived” when one day she was pleased with my performance with no critique! That took several years! So, I would love it if you would use the picture of the two of us and mention Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson as my spouse and partner in ministry, and she continued to be until the day she died, four days before the end of my appointment at Richmond." - Pastor Arnie Johnson

Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson is the author of eight other published books including:

"Activating The Power Of Pastoral Care: A Team Approach";

"Brief Devotions For Busy Lives: Daily Spring/Summer/Fall/Winter Renewal"(Vol.1-4);

"Flying Free: Transforming Grief and Loss into Renewal";

Following The Angel Trail: In The Steps Of Jesus";

"Love In Action: The Healing Heritage Of The Counseling Ministry Of The Church";

"Visions Of Hope: Voices Of Americana";

"Healing Streams: Journeys Of Healing".

She has also been published in the AAPC professional Journal "Journeys" and in the Keene Sentinel.