From the Home Place

A blog sharing insights, stories, and reflections on life from a Christian perspective.

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  • A beautiful thing!

    May 9, 2026

    Well, the weather man is predicting some possible rain for our area this afternoon. Hopefully the Lord will keep the rocks out of it, but even hail would be moisture.

    Yesterday, Miss Deb, Coffee and I traveled a hundred-plus mile circle to get flowers for around this outfit. One thing is for sure, Miss Deb does like her flowers. We came home with the back seat and the floorboard of the car buried under flowers. We had a dozen different colors of flowers. There were tall ones and short ones. Some are supposed to come back next year; while some will bid farewell from next Fall’s frost. Some will spread; some will stay where she planted them. Some went in pots, others in the ground. However, I must admit, the front of our ‘ol house sure looks pretty with all of those fancy flowers.

    As Miss Deb kept me hustling to fill pots, digging holes and stringing the hose to water all of the little beauties, it dawned upon me, “These flowers are a lot like people.” You know, people come in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors, yet when you get a group of them together for a celebration, they tend to bring a certain “beauty” to the situation.

    This is why, most every Sunday morning I truly enjoy going to church and seeing all of the folks with their Sunday-best on. Especially all of the ladies, young and old, tall and short, as each one brings a certain beauty to an otherwise dull looking room. The conversations that connect lives carry their own beauty as well. The music and the message add to a beautiful morning in God’s presence.

    Look around your community, I’m betting there is a certain beauty there as well. Here in Wyoming, all you have to do is drive down most any road to be able to see a variety of landscapes as Mother Nature displays her beauty!

    Yesterday, as we were planting flowers, I stopped for a few minutes to enjoy the beautiful lady that I get to share life with. As sweat dripped off her brow, both hands covered with potting soil and dirt, along with a fresh hole in the knee of her jeans, I saw a special beauty bundled up in the lady I get to call Miss Deb!

    Early this morning, as I was visiting with the Lord Jesus, I closed my eyes and envisioned what it will be like when I get to see my Savior face-to-face! At that moment, I could see His glory shining brightly. I was captivated by the grace and the splendor, by the peace and the joy, by the anticipation and the excitement of getting to be in the eternal presence of Jesus Christ my Lord! Oh, what a beautiful time that will be!

    I opened my Bible and started reading in Romans 10, a passage that speaks of trusting Jesus as Savior. There, I read these words about those who share the message of salvation in Christ with others, “How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!’” Wow! You and I get to share the most amazing story ever written, the gospel of Jesus Christ; and as we tell others of salvation in Christ Jesus, our dirty, stinky, crusty looking feet become beautiful.

    You see my friend, your feet were designed by God to allow you to move through life with an amazing message. Your feet are the tool God uses to bring your life into the presence of your neighbors and friends so that your mouth can tell them the greatest story ever told! Your feet are not beautiful because of their looks, they are beautiful because of their purpose.

    Today is Saturday, and we all have many plans of things we wish to accomplish this day; and we will use our feet to help us fulfill all of our plans. Yet may we each allow the Holy Spirit to use our feet to carry us into the presence of those who need to hear about Jesus. Whether we walk, run or perhaps even dance on our feet, may they be a tool that allows our life to cross the path of someone else’s life so that we can show them the love of our Savior.

    And then tomorrow, as our feet transport us into the present of our church family, may the Holy Spirit transport us into the presence of the One who sustains our lives! May the Holy Spirt bring new life into our feet, so that we walk with Jesus, and those around us who need to see and hear about His gift of salvation. Yes, may tomorrow be a beautiful day for each of you my friends!

    Enjoying the beauty of this life with you, Neal

  • By myself!

    May 8, 2026

    Greetings to each of you readers. I’m sorry, but yesterday’s note did not post correctly. For whatever reason it seems to have vanished into cyber space.

    Today, I would like to share with you about a time in my younger years on the home ranch. By the time I was around 13 years of age I was expected to carry a large amount of the weight on the ranch. I could fix fence by myself. I could cut and bale hay by myself. I could rope and doctor cattle of all sizes by myself. I could fix windmills by myself. I could cook and sew and keep a fairly decent home by myself, including doing laundry and ironing my own clothes. I could start and finish colts by myself. In another words, as a teenager I could manage a ranch quite well by myself.

    Because of my extremely introvert temperament, I actually preferred to pretty much live by myself although I shared a home with Dad, Mom and two sisters, all who liked to be around people. So, on most occasions when there would be a crowd of people around our outfit, I would saddle a colt and go check pastures if the weather allowed. If the weather was nasty, there was always work to be done inside a barn. Yet, if I had to, I could stay in the house and play cards with others, but being by myself sure enough didn’t bother me on most days.

    Well, with one exception. As I have stated before, it was the practice of our family to go dancing most every Saturday night. We would all make a run through the bathtub, put on our “good” clothes, with boots polished and shined, load up in the ‘ol Chevy pickup and head for a community dancehall, usually somewhere within a couple of hours drive.

    When we would reach our destination and get inside, Dad and Mom would dance the first dance together. Both of my sisters were pretty enough and social enough it wouldn’t be long before they too would be gathered up by some young cowpoke and off to the dance floor they would go.

    As I’ve mentioned before, I was expected to dance with several of the ladies in the room before the night was over. But by the teenage stage of my life, I could usually get away with dancing with just a few of the other ladies there, allowing me to spend most of my evening dancing with one of the young gals that I knew.

    You see, most other ranch families had the same habit as ours, Saturday night was made for dancing. So most everywhere we would go, there would be a young lady that I knew well, who was a good dancer, and who would carry 90% of the conversation. After all, a teenage boy dancing by himself just wasn’t allowed back then. So, for one night most weeks, I would fill my social calendar plumb to the top, allowing me to enjoy being by myself the rest of the week.

    However, when Miss Deb entered the picture there was only one consistent dance partner on Saturday night. Why, she even taught me how to have a conversation that was longer than five words. Yep, Miss Deb did her best to “socialize” me. Yet, as they say, old habits die hard. That is until Jesus gets ahold of a feller’s life.

    Today, I enjoy visiting with most anyone who crosses my tracks. In fact, there are days that Miss Deb just plain wishes that I would zip the lip and be quiet. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy my solitude, but I have learned to be social as well. You see my friends, it is rather difficult to share the story and the love of Jesus in solitude. If a person is going to follow Jesus’ example, you have got to learn how to be around other folks, talking and listening.

    Speaking of listening, how well do you listen to the Holy Spirit. In today’s culture, our lives are so full of voices that it is often difficult to decide which ones to listen to. Yet, there is one voice that we should always be listening to. You see, the Holy Spirit usually won’t yell over all of those other voices in our lives; on the radio, television, internet, I Pods, and conversations, so we have to listen carefully to hear Him speak.

    And that my friends, is where my past of being by myself is extremely helpful. As the old hymn states, we all need to take “time to be holy.” We need to learn to step away from all of the noise of this world and listen to the “still, quiet” voice of God. He speaks though your Bible, your prayers, your conversations with other believers and through your circumstances. That being said, it is a good practice to daily take time to examine each of the methods of conversation with the Holy Spirt.

    Today, take a few minutes all by yourself, read a Psalm, pray about your circumstances and then just listen for Him to speak into your life. It is in the quietness of life that we learn to communicate the best! First, be a good listener, then you are ready to have meaningful conversations. You see, being by “myself” isn’t a bad thing at all. Being alone actually prepares us to be around others, while it teaches us how to listen to the Spirit’s voice.

    Taking time for “myself” with you, Neal

  • Priority!

    May 6, 2026

    Good morning! It’s a whopping 16 degrees out there – no apples on our tree this year. Today’s high should be around 53 degrees, and if the prediction is correct, no more frost until Fall???

    Allow me to jump back upon yesterday’s soap box for a tad bit longer. God does not ask us to “submit” because He doesn’t trust or like us. He commands us to do so, “Why?” May I suggest:

    In 2 Timothy 3:16 we read, “All Scripture is inspired by God…” The Greek here gets really tricky, the word translated “All” literally means “All!” It doesn’t mean some, it doesn’t mean the parts in Red, it doesn’t even mean most, it means that “all” of Scripture is “inspired by God.” As such, you have often heard me say that the best proof text for understanding a portion of Scripture it the rest of Scripture. (That which is “inspired by God,”) cannot, will not, contradict or conflict with itself! As such, I ask you to grab your Bible and go on a journey with me.

    Back to yesterday’s two primary Scriptures, Romans 13:1-2 and Ephesians 5:22, both speaking of submission. Let’s use the Ephesians 5:22 passage to shed some light upon the Romans 13 verses for us; hopefully better understanding and obeying both before we finish today.

    Ephesians 5:22, “Wives, be subject to your own husband, as to the Lord.” Remember, proper order is the priority. So now, using other Scripture to help us understand the passage before us at the moment, turn to 1 Peter 3:1, “In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands, so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives.” First, Ephesians 5:22 was penned by the Apostle Paul and 1 Peter 3:1 was penned by the Apostle Peter, both writing under the influence of the Holy Spirt. And you thought that being under the influence was illegal! 🙂

    As I have mentioned before, to understand 1 Peter 3:1, you have to first read and understand 1 Peter 2:21-25, revealing to us how Jesus submitted Himself to the headship of the Father. And then the Spirit states, “In the same way, you wives.” Once again, proper order is priority!

    Don’t allow personal opinion to overrule Scripture. For as God the Father asks “wives” to submit by following the example of Jesus Christ, He also asks all Christians “to be in subjection to the governing authorities,”(1 Pt. 2:13) whether that is within a governing body in our nation, state, town or church, by following the example of Jesus Christ. We are also told to submit to employers.

    Before your blood pressure reaches an all-time high, look at the second half of 1 Peter 3:1 where it is clearly stated that if a wife does her part, God will do His part by changing the heart of her husband. Could the same principal apply to Romans 13? If we Christians would submit “to the governing authorities,” could it be that God would change the heart of said authorities? Yes, it will take an act of God to bring about such an act of Congress, but we all know that God is faithful all of the time.

    Please, let’s be careful not to limit God’s power to transform by our unbelief, or our political preference. When God determines to bring about change, change will take place! That does not mean that I will always like the process, but God will bring about the changes He knows to be the best for the advancement of His kingdom! Which by the way, is always the best.

    As I have often said, “the condition of America has little to do with who is in the White House, and everything to do with who is in God’s house!” Oh yah, one more Scripture, when “My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” Proper order is priority!

    Once again, God lovingly waits for His people to make the first move, and “when” we do, “then” He does His part. This seems to be a true principal with most all things except salvation; God made the first move there and now we get to do our part.

    So, wives submit, Christians submit, Americans submit, first to God, and then watch what He will do! Remember, proper order is priority, submit to God first, and then to those “in authority.” Obedience leads to blessing, not the other way around.

    Keeping things in proper order with you, Neal

    Oh, by the way, submit does not mean surrender, you still have a voice. Just make sure that your voice matches with God’s word; then watch what you can do! “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13)

  • “Obey”

    May 5, 2026

    Good morning. And a good morning it is, there is moisture falling from the sky! At 4 a.m. it was snowing nicely, most of it melting as it hit the ground. The thermometer read 37 degrees, but the wind chills that down to 27 degrees real feel. All I know is that Coffee said it’s cold and wet out there. Oh, we thank You Heavenly Father for this great blessing of moisture! It sounds like south of us could get measurable snow fall, perhaps we should keep praying?

    Keep praying for more moisture to come to the many areas of extreme drought. Pray for the Spirit of God to reign within His church. Pray for our national leaders as the war in Iran seems to be ramping up instead of cooling down. Pray that Washington D.C. will stop playing politics and actually provide truthful leadership. Pray that we the Church, will also provide truthful leadership as we live biblical lives that reveal the light of Christ during these dark days.

    Because today is a very important election day, allow me to grab a can opener and to slice open a real can of worms. I have always marveled as to how so many folks who call themselves “Christian,” have a real dislike for Romans 13, evidentially because it does not fit their political views and agenda. Yet the Bible clearly states that “all Scripture is God breathed,” not just the parts we agree with.

    Romans 13:1, “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.” Did you see it? Stuffed within this verse is perhaps the most controversial word of all of the Bible; the word “subjection” is almost a cuss word in many circles today.

    We find different forms of this word used in different places within the Bible. Look at Hebrews 13:17, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.” This verse is directed to those of us who sit in the pews on Sunday mornings. We are to “obey,” “submit” to, the leadership of the local church in such a way that it is a “joy” for them to guide the church through today’s turbulent waters. As individuals within the church, to not “submit” to our leaders is “unprofitable.”.

    Speaking of “unprofitable,” we read, “and what will it profit a man if he should gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” Then there is the much-dreaded verse of Ephesians 5:22, “Wives, be subject to your own husband, as to the Lord.” Could it be that this verse contains another hidden gem? It would appear that a “wife” is to submit to her husband in the same way as she has first submitted “to the Lord.” Do you see the order revealed here, submission is first “to the Lord” and then second to the husband, and just like all of God’s decrees, it doesn’t work when we try to mess with the order!

    I would suggest to you that for each of us that our level of subjection to the Lord is the primary influence toward my view of government. You see, if I do not have spiritual subjection, then I will not have political subjection either. Oh my friends, I would suggest that the greatest example of subjection was when Jesus Christ allowed the Roman “government” to nail Him to the cross. A government that was totally corrupt all the way through. A government that was far more interested in caring for its wealth than for the wellbeing of the people under its authority. A government that was far more concerned with control than with liberty. (Does any of this sound familiar to you?)

    Yet, to this very corrupt government, Jesus Christ submitted Himself. How did He do that? By first submitting Himself to the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane. And that my friends, is exactly what Romans 13:1 and Ephesians 5:22 ask us to do, submit to God first and foremost, and then the other forms of submission become possible.

    Well, let’s stuff the worms back in the can and allow Scripture to speak for itself as we read Romans 13:2, “Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.” The word “ordinance” literally means “direction.” God’s word is a book of directions to help us live our lives in full subjection to God, and then to those who have “authority” over our earthly existence. Remember, proper order is everything!

    Submitting to God with you, Neal

  • Home!

    May 4, 2026

    Good morning friends! Yep, we are finally back home. After 14 days of travel over some 4,300 miles we were so glad to sleep in our own bed last night. Even Coffee slept better in her own house, rather than in some unknown motel with lots of scarry sounds outside our door, and sometimes in the room next to ours. Yet, we praise our Lord for safe travels, a car that ran well and Miss Deb’s great navigational skills.

    With all of the challenges, it was great to spend some time with our family in Florida, especially that new great grandson! I know it’s not proper to brag too much, but he is such a handsome lad, and GiGi (Miss Deb) loves his snuggles. I suppose the next time we see him; he will be walking. And his big brother is almost two-years old now. He was just a baby the last time we saw him, now he is running, climbing, jumping and throwing, yep, he’s a boy!

    On the way home, we stopped in Baggs, Wyoming and filled in for Pastor Josh as he was presiding over a wedding in Lusk. It is exciting to see what God is doing in Baggs as the Taylors are planting Battle Mountain Community Church. We were greatly blessed to get to speak into the lives of some of the dear folks who live in that area!

    Today, I’m up at 4:30 so that I can write this note. Hopefully Miss Deb and Coffee will both sleep in a bit before we all start a very busy day of getting caught up on several chores around the home place. Yes, it was great to get away for a couple of weeks, but it is also very nice to be back home.

    You see, as Christians, we too are all on a journey through this thing called life, and one of these days our Heavenly Father will call us to come home to heaven. I imagine that when that moment comes for each of us, we will be most grateful to get “home!” Though I wanted to get back to our home in Lusk, it will be more exciting to get to our home in heaven. But far more important than what heaven is like, will be Who is there.

    Yes, there will be friends and family there; and it will be great to see them once again. Much like how great it was to see our Florida family! But when we get to heaven, there will be one person who trumps all other faces we will see in heaven, we will finally get to see Jesus face-to-face!

    As the Apostle Paul stated, now we see dimly as in a mirror, but when we enter heaven, we will get to look into the gentle eyes of our Savior! I believe that we will be so extremely overwhelmed with joy that we will immediately bow in the presence of the King of kings! We will truly worship Jesus!

    So, if you know Jesus Christ as Lord, today is not just another day of life here on earth, today is another day of traveling across this ‘ol ball of dirt, headed for home. After all, there is no place like home, and we are getting closer to our destination each day. When Miss Deb and I drove into Lusk yesterday evening, we both praised Jesus for getting us back “home” safely, a picture of how awesome it will be when we get our eternal home, praising Jesus for getting us safely there!

    Enjoying the journey with you, Neal

  • Riding toward the Son-rise!

    April 26, 2026

    Good morning my friends. The time is 2 a.m. in Lusk, Wyoming. For the past hour I have laid in bed, recalling my personal journey called life. It truly has been a great ride. Today, marks 73 years on my life calendar. Allow me to share a bit of that if I might.

    I was born on this date in 1953 to Tuffy and Daisy Hughes. Our mailing address was out of Glendo, while our electricity, banking, groceries and several family members were out of Lusk. I attended a one-room country school during my first three years of school; we were then bused to Sunrise for my fourth-grade school year and then to Guernsey to finish grades 5-12, graduating in 1971. You see, I really did grow up in the middle of nowhere!

    In 1970 I started dating a beautiful young lady who would become the love of my life; and in 1972 she agreed to be my wife. At that time I was attending Eastern Wyoming College in Torrington. After finishing my formal training there, we moved to Fort Morgan, Colorado where I did an internship as the yard vet in a feedlot where we kept 25,000 head of cattle on feed.

    After finishing my degree at EWC, we moved back to Wyoming to work for a local rancher and then on to become an equipment operator at a rock quarry near Guernsey. Over the next six years I started working at Sunrise Mine as an equipment operator; and Miss Deb would bring three beautiful children into our lives. Life was good.

    And then, my dad died suddenly from a massive heart attack; his funeral was held on my twenty-third birthday – April 26, 1976. My world turned upside down. All of my life, I had lived to make my dad happy and now he was gone. Before long, Miss Deb, our three little ones and I moved out to the ranch, while I continued to work at the Mine. We had to try to pay for ranching somehow.

    On March 17, 1982, while miles apart from each other, Miss Deb and I both accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior. That moment in our lives would set us upon a whole new journey. No longer did I live my life to please my earthly father, now I lived to serve my Heavenly Father! It wasn’t very long before our little family was headed for Phoenix, Arizona where I would receive a degree in Pastoral Ministry. Let the fun begin!

    Quite often, Miss Deb and I will comment, “We’ve had a great ride!” Serving God these last 40+ years of our lives has been such an amazing blessing. Oh, for sure, God has allowed enough trials to keep up humble, but He has far outweighed those trials with blessings.

    Today, Miss Deb and I praise God for His amazing gift of 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, via our three children. We both praise Him that our three adult children have each been blessed with a great life-partner and a beautiful family.

    Speaking of family, many of you are a part of that family as well. Because of God’s calling upon our lives, we have been extremely blessed to get to impact hundreds of lives while serving His kingdom. But here is how we view those years of service, we have not impacted your lives nearly as much as you have impacted ours. The blessings we have received far out ways any blessings we have given.

    So, here I sit early in the morning, thinking of 73 years of life – “It really has been a great ride!” I have been blessed to ride some of the best horses to ever walk across this ‘ol ball of dirt (you knew I had to put that one in here.) I have been blessed to spend this life with the love-of-my-life, and to enjoy a great family! I have been blessed to get to serve so many people over these years of ministry. Yet, most of all, I have been blessed to get to know my Heavenly Father who has promised to “never leave, nor forsake,” me, even when death knocks at my door.

    If God will allow, I pray for several more years of loving family, loving friends and loving God with all that I have and all that I am. I pray that He will allow me to enjoy the best years of ministry that are still ahead of me.

    “Lord Jesus, I praise You for salvation and service, both a gift from You. Lord Jesus, I ask of You that You may grant me this request, ‘That the day I stop living and the day that I die, have the same date.’ Jesus, please keep our ‘crew’ safe and secure within Your loving arms and Lord, bless those around us who make this life a great living. Heavenly Father, thank You for teaching us how to invest a life into the lives of others. Lord God, I thank You for the 73 years behind me and I request of You that there may be at least a few more years to serve Your Kingdom in front of me. I praise You in the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord, Amen.”

    Enjoying the ride with you, Neal

  • Ouch!

    April 24, 2026

    At 3:30 this morning, the temperature is 30 degrees with a light shot of snow. There could even be a couple of little tastes of rain this afternoon! It will be a cool one with 40 for a high, along with winds out of the NE gusting to a pleasant 24 mph.

    Last night was zoom meeting. Oh my, how my young friends are getting attacked by the enemy. It is so difficult to deal with an enemy you cannot see. As the Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 6, “for our struggle is against…the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” The word “wickedness” is translated as “evil” in other translations, but it literally means “malicious.”

    As such, our spiritual enemies have no scruples, no boundaries that they will not cross in their attack against God’s children. Their intention is always to destroy anyone who professes to walk with Jesus Christ. It is only by God’s amazing grace and by standing firm in our faith that we are able to withstand such evil attacks.

    Before I became a “believer,” I walked in the ways of evil. My attitudes and actions were influenced by Satan. But, when I committed my life to Jesus, I scorned the devil, making him my number one enemy, and war was declared!

    I think that most of us have heard the saying, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” Well, the Greek word translated “wickedness” here in Ephesians 6 is in the “female.” Indicating that our spiritual enemy is like that “woman scorned,” the worst of evil, wanting nothing but revenge. Now hear me clearly, I am not saying that women are evil! In fact, it is the female of our society who shows us the gentle, caring, nurturing side of God our Father. She is the crown of all creation; she is her Father’s blessed child. But when her heart is crushed, all she wants is an extremely painful revenge. That is the word “wickedness” here in Ephesians 6.

    And that, my friends, is the kind of enemy who would like to attack each Christ follower every day. As Paul writes in verse 13, “Therefore, take up the full armor of God.” Our loving Heavenly Father has provided us an armor of protection against such “wickedness,” but we have to put it on daily.

    As such, may I suggest that you set to memory Ephesians 6:14-18 and that you learn to prayerfully put on this armor each day before you get out of bed. Don’t just pray the armor upon yourself, but for other “saints” as Paul mentions in verse 18.

    Allow me to close our conversation with Ephesians 6:13, “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” As you daily put on your armor, trust in God’s power to protect you and “stand firm,” unmovable, against “wickedness.”

    As my group of young men can tell you, the “attack” is real, the “enemy” is real. I will tell you honestly that “the full armor of God” is also real. Just like salvation is an individual choice, so is putting on the armor an individual choice. Neglect it, and there will be “hell to pay” because Miss Wickedness will have here revenge!

    Standing firm with you, Neal

  • Amazing replacement!

    April 23, 2026

    Good morning dear friends! Our Lord has painted a great day for us to enjoy. I love watching the sun come up as the promise of a new day. We never know exactly what each day holds, but we always know Who holds each day. We should all be grateful for the ones He decides to share with us.

    Today’s high of 52 will encourage you to cover your hide with a light jacket before you head outside. Sounds like there could be a little snow in the mountains, maybe some of it will even reach the lower elevations. That would be great!

    Here’s one for you. My oldest sister was killed in a trucking accident several years ago. Her birthday was April 22. Well, several years after Lolly’s death, God placed another lady in my life, her name is Beth. When we moved back to Wyoming in 2016, the first lady we met at our new home was Miss Beth. It wasn’t very long before she became very dear to us. Well, in that journey, Beth we were talking about ages and discovered that Beth is four days older than I am, making her my “older sister.”

    So, here’s the twist, Beth’s birthday is the same date as my older sister Lolly’s birthday, April 22. God replaced my much loved sister Lolly with my dear sister Beth, both born on April 22! You see, quite often when God removes something from our lives, He fills that vacancy with something, or in this case someone just as special.

    Sounds like salvation doesn’t it. When God asks us to yield our life to Jesus for salvation, too often we hesitate to surrender all to Him. Yet when we come to the point of allowing Jesus to be truly the Lord of our life, He replaces the bad attitudes and habits with good ones.

    What is it that God asking you to give to Him? May I encourage you to give Him whatever He wants, because He wants to replace it with something way more special. It seems to me that most often the replacement comes in human form. Oh my, the dear people God has brought into my life as a result of me allowing Him to have more access within my life. You see loved ones, we can never out give God, but I do dare you to try! Give it all to Him and watch what He does!

    Giving to the great Giver with you, Neal

  • Right under your nose.

    April 22, 2026

    Another nice day in Wyoming, but moisture would make it a beautiful day! The long-range forecast is that we will have little probability of receiving any rain the rest of April, so much for May flowers???

    I just completed a great visit with our middle son-in-law. He is the administrative pastor for seven different churches in Florida. We both spoke of how difficult it is to find young men who know they have been called to full-time ministry. It seems to both of us we have a real shortage of young men who possess the greatest gift for a pastor: that thing called humility.

    For whatever reason, most of the young men of today want the position, the power and the pleasure of being a pastor, but they have little desire to work their way into a community. It’s almost like they have an attitude that any community would be blessed to have their presence. And teachability, they have a piece of paper that says they have been taught, now it’s their turn to teach, so they think.

    For my son-in-law and I, you just can’t top humility, drive and people skills when looking for a new pastor. The three qualities that appear to be void in most of our bible college and seminary students of today. But every now and then, there is such a young man who possess all three of these qualities. If you have been blessed to find such a man, stop and praise God for His gracious gift to your church and your community!

    Because of the void of humble young men accepting the call to be life-servants of the Most High, it seems to both of us that churches are going to have to start training their own pastors from within. After all, where will you find a pastor who knows your community any better? Where will you find a pastor who has close connections within your community? Where will you find another pastor who is any more teachable than a young man who realizes that his church community is willing to invest in his education and preparation to live among his people, in his community?

    And by the way, we need to start training these young men when they are in grade school, continuing up to the time that they receive a call to serve their home church as full-time pastors! Yes, it’s going to be a long process, so choose wisely, pray fearlessly, and invest heavily.

    Think about it, he may not be the greatest preacher to ever bless your pulpit, but I know many churches that would love to have a pastor who loves their community and the families who call that community their home! After all, if he is humble, called and teachable, he can always learn how to be a better preacher. As I’ve often said, “Give me a man with a heart for God and people, and I will train his hands and head.”

    Looking for the next generation’s pastor with you, Neal

  • Perspective!

    April 20, 2026

    Starting today at 30, headed for 80 as today’s high. Hot, dry and windy makes for an “elevated fire risk.” We are all praying that the Lord will stop any fires.

    Yesterday was an amazing day at the CMA church here in Lusk. We are studying our way through the book of Ephesians and did a quick overview of Chapter 3 as our lesson. Three times within this chapter, the Apostle Paul mentions that he was a “prisoner of the Lord.” For the past five years, Paul had lived in a jail cell..

    It would probably be good to mention here that jail in Paul’s days was nothing like jails today. For Paul the first two years of jail was in Jerusalem, like our county jail. The next three years he was in a Roman jail, like our federal prison. Paul is in the “big house.” As such, the government provided nothing except a 6 X 6′ cell carved in a rock ledge. Paul’s food, clothing and bedding all had to be provided by a friend, relative of church family member.

    For the last 5 years, at the time of writing Ephesians, Paul has lived in terrible conditions. Yet he writes that he is “a prisoner of the Lord.” Though Paul was originally arrested because a powerful group of Jewish religious leaders didn’t like his message, Paul did not say that he was a prisoner of the Jews. Though Paul was now a prisoner in Rome because he had appealed to Caesar about his case, Paul did not say that he was a prisoner of Caesar. No Paul trusted God to always be in control of every situation, we call that the sovereignty of God. As such, Paul said that he was in prison as a result of God’s plan for his life.

    So how about your circumstances? Will they be the result of someone else’s decisions, or a result of your decisions, or will your life circumstances be the result of a sovereign God? As I mentioned to the folks yesterday, we much never measure God by our circumstances, but that we must always measure our circumstances by God!

    Keeping our eyes upon Jesus with you, Neal