Stephen De La Vega

I started writing this post before the killing of George Floyd . We were still grieving Ahmaud Arbery’s senseless murder . We cry, “Enough is enough.” We wonder when this wretched devaluing of life and livelihood will end. And we are justifiably angry. I don't normally mention people or current events in my posts. 'Always relevant' is my aim. But this is critical. It's serious. And it is, indeed, always relevant. I had planned to write about this topic before either of the two murders had occurred, so this is even more awakening for me as a writer. This is what I hold fast to and what I conclude from God’s sacred Word:   Everyone has value. Everyone is somebody. God cares about everyone. We should, too. When we hear about heartless killing, we get angry and we might even rise up and do something about it.   There’s a story about Jesus in John 2 where we imagine Him in a fit of rage. We imagine Him trashing the profiteering exploits of the wicked people who set u...

Sometimes I get distracted in my service to God. He placed me in some clearly-defined ministries during this phase in my life, but I negotiate plenty of competing priorities and distractions. Many times, the ministries take second place. I lead 2 Bible study groups, I’m a faith blogger, and I write Bible study guides for small groups. My primary spiritual gift is teaching and these ministries make up the road God paved for me. Besides the typical daily distractions, even other ministries could steer me away from the path God laid out for me. I can do other things that He may not have reserved for me. I could teach in other ways, like helping out in Sunday School. Or, in lieu of direct teaching, I could support leaders of a variety of care ministries. I could also join the choir and participate in church musicals. I’d really enjoy that. I can do these other things in self-sacrifice for God and people, but they may not be what God wants me to do. They would be parenthetical – th...

Hi friends. This is not my typical blog post but I want to share it because I’m sure God helped me write it. It’s a short poem. Simple, yet earnest. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.  Drifting I'd live, I'd laugh, I'd hone my craft And smile in the mirror But life and laughter Fade to after As fantasy turns to clearer Living and fun Are done when done And God longs to be dearer So, thrive with joy Cast off decoy Let God be God and nearer     If you want to know more about God and His desire to be nearer to you, please email me at authordlv@att.net. Read more blog posts here .