Author Archives: Julianne Winkler Smith

“And if your hand or your foot is causing you to sin, cut it off and throw it away from you; it is better for you to enter life maimed or without a foot, than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye is causing you toContinue reading “go to extremes”

Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near Jesus to listen to Him. And both the Pharisees and the scribes began to complain, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”  ~Luke 15:1-2 My husband came home from his men’s group the other day and shared a simple, yet profound, phrase someone had mentioned almost offContinue reading “the power of a preposition”

Let all the earth fear the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.   ~Psalm 33:8 It’s been a week since we’ve been launched into 2025. That said, how are those New Year’s resolutions going so far? Are they losing their appeal? If not, studies show that, sadly, most of us will dropContinue reading “resolve to awe”

And Jesus answered and said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance, but sinners.” ~Luke 5:31-32 “I don’t go to church—it’s full of hypocrites.” You’ve likely heard this statement (or something similar) before. Maybe it wasContinue reading “church is for sinners”

For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. ~Isaiah 9:6 It’s Christmas! And as I was flipping through the Bible to contemplate all the many Old Testament prophecies that point us to theContinue reading “Christmas paradox”

And I heard the angel of the waters saying, “Righteous are You, the One who is and who was, O Holy One, because You judged these things; for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. They deserve it.” ~Revelation 16:5-6 Studying the book of Revelation is a wild ride. It’sContinue reading “they deserve it”

Listen to my words, Lord, Consider my sighing. Listen to the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God, For to You I pray. ~Psalm 5:1-2 I was recently talking with my sweet stepmother about our respective ongoing physical woes. She recently injured her back and has slowly and steadily been on the path back toContinue reading “pray for me”

“These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”   ~John 15:11 I was just looking at some photos from a couple of years ago when my husband went skydiving for his birthday. Just viewing the series of 179 images brought me through aContinue reading “the Christian life is like…skydiving?”

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the powerContinue reading “do you have a reservation?”

For those who are in accord with the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are in accord with the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.   ~Romans 8:5 My dog Bella had surgery a few weeks ago—I will spare you the gory details (puke emoji here). But since that time, sheContinue reading “cone head”