 An Encouraging Word- The View From the Window March 15, 2026 Author’s Note: I wrote this devotional in May 2024, but it came back to my mind this past week when i saw the daffodils blooming at my house again and along the roadside. I so enjoy seeing them on my drive home in the evening. Just a little reminder from God to enjoy the little things. (MB) -------------------------------------------------- The last few weeks the early spring flowers have been coming up all around my house. In March and April there were daffodils all over the place. They came up around my mailbox and on the hill where I can look out of the window and see them when I am doing dishes. They are coming up behind my house and filling the old horse field in white and yellow ribbons . The past two weeks the resurrection lilies have been coming up too. When the flowers started blooming in late March and early April, I thought about cutting them and putting them in vases several times. I even went out with scissors a few times and was going to start cutting them to make arrangements. I stopped myself because I realized they made me happy to see them blooming on the hillside and in the yard when I came home from work at night. All of my beautiful daffodils have finished their blooming cycle in the past week or so and have dried up. It has been sad not to see their cheery yellow petals when I come home at night. Yesterday was kind of a heavy work day for me. I had a lot on my mind as I drove home and was praying for some people in my life. I pulled into my driveway and happened to see a flash of purple out of the corner of my eye. I was surprised to look over on the edge of the hillside and see one purple iris plant full-grown, all bloomed out. A beautiful sight, really. I stared at it for a long time and was reminded , again, how God can bring beautiful things into our lives right when we need them. Kind of a little reminder- hey don’t give up. Keep going. I am here with you. I shared a picture of the flowers with my mom last night and we were talking about her parents, my grandparents. They are gone now, but I live in their house. All the flowers that come up in the spring around the house were planted by my grandpa. He strategically planted them so that they would be in places that my grandma could see. Flowers she could see from her sitting room. Flowers she could see from her back porch swing. Flowers she could see from her kitchen window as she cooked or did dishes. Flowers on the hillside and yard that she could see as she sat on the front porch. It was always important to him that he showed her in little ways how much she meant to him. How much he loved her. He knew how much she enjoyed flowers and he made sure she had a yard full of her favorites. He did not always say “I love you”, but he showed it in many ways, especially in the view from the window. I thought about that last night awhile. I am enjoying something beautiful that my grandpa did for my grandma. How many times has God shown us His love in the same way? A beautiful sunrise. A smile and hug from your child. A kind word from a stranger. A forgiven offense from a friend. Finding something that was lost. Enjoying a good meal with friends. Laughing at a good joke. An answered prayer. Comfort in times of distress. Peace in our heart. Watching Him put someone back together again. All around us we are surrounded with reminders of His great lovingkindness. Pause and reflect on your many blessings. Even in times of trouble, there are still signs of loving kindness too. The shoulder to cry on. The person that sits with you and holds your hand. The ones praying for you that you do not even know about. Sometimes we just need to take a moment to enjoy the view from our window too. Truly our loving Heavenly Father has planted seeds of beauty in even the hardest times, just to remind us- I love you. You are my child. Don’t give up. Keep going. I am here for you. Scriptures to Dwell On: Romans 5:1-11, English Standard Version “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” Matthew 6:25-34 , English Standard Version (Jesus speaking) “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Jeremiah 31:3, English Standard Version “ I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.” Songs To Encourage You: Make Everything Beautiful, Rebecca St. James and For King + Country (from the motion picture Unsung Hero) this song really means a lot to me right now https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FIB9obdax0 Consider the Lilies, Claire Crosby https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSDTJRLpV28 Jesus Does, We the Kingdom https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baz5tuV7X2Q Psalm 84 (I’m Home), Shane & Shane https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEPAKmwHhdg Praying for you today! You are loved beyond measure! Photo 1: Purple Iris at my house last night Photo 2: My grandparents, Pierce and Nellie Hensley (about 1949) Photo 2: My family with my grandpa. I am the little girl and my brother John is on the pony. Melissa Boggs Christian Life Academy Superintendent  
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 A Word of Encouragement For You Thank You For Giving To the Lord (3/7/2026) Author’s Note: Nothing we invest into the work of the Lord is ever wasted. Nothing. As parents, we need to be reminded of that often. The investments into the lives of your children will affect them, their children, and their grandchildren. You are creating a legacy with your family memories, family traditions,and family values. . Don’t forget to create a legacy of faith for your family too! A legacy of faith can carry your child through their entire life. It is an eternal investment into them. Families- you are some of the most important and influential people in the lives of your children! Never stop encouraging them to follow the truth and never stop praying for them. I shared this story over and over and it still gets comments from people that knew my brother Joe and have known our family for a long time. Joe passed away in an accident in 1996, when he was 12 years old and in grade 7. Today, March 7th, is his birthday and he has been on my mind this week. I am happy to honor his memory by sharing this story with you . His life and his story have touched thousands of people. I originally wrote this devotional in 2021 and would like to share it with you again. (MB) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In church tonight the lesson was about salvation and how we should understand the impact the testimony and witness of others have had in our lives. The speaker encouraged us to write a letter to those that have helped us make a decision to follow Christ, and to thank them. I can’t write a letter to either of these people but I can share on here about them . I went for a long walk after church tonight and that is always a good time to think. While I was walking I remembered a very sweet story about my brother Joe Morgan. He passed away when he was 12, but he loved Jesus and he loved people. He had a very soft spot in my grandmother’s heart. She could be gruff and was not someone that was easy to talk to about the Bible. She had a fast temper and would shut you down pretty quickly in any religious discussion. That didn’t stop Joe though. He just kept plugging right along talking to her anyway. I think she admired his spunk, which was a lot like hers . My grandfather would pick him up from preschool at CLA and when they got home Joe would share the Bible story from class with my grandparents. This was something that my grandmother began to look forward to every day. My brother Joe’s last Christmas he wrapped up his own Bible with a card telling our grandma he loved her. When he gave her his Bible he said “ I want you to know who Jesus is”. He died 9 months later in a tragic accident. Our entire family was so heartbroken but my grandmother mourned deeply. She always kept his Bible in a box beside her chair in her sitting room. I was visiting her at her home a few years after Joe passed. She handed me the box and asked me to open it. I did and was surprised to see Joe’s Bible and his card to her. She didn’t look at me when she told me this story, but with tears running down her face said,” I prayed and asked Jesus to be in my life because of Joe. And I read that Bible of his- all of it. It means so much to me.”. Now, I have Joe’s Bible and card. It’s in my office at school . Sometimes I share that story in chapel services with my older students. Sometimes I just open his Bible and read and remember a sweet kid that loved Jesus and his Grandma Nell a whole lot, and I am challenged to love people the same way. Our grandma was able to know forgiveness and restoration in her life because of a little kid that just loved her enough to talk to her about Jesus and the Bible every time he could. Our lives do have impact on others- even after we leave this Earth. Our testimony does matter and our sharing the Gospel does change lives. I am Thankful for that reminder tonight at church. My Brother Joe’s Favorite Bible Verse: 2 Corinthians 5:17 “ Therefore , anyone that is in Christ is a new creation. The old has passed away and the new has come.” Two of My Brother Joe’s Favorite Songs: Thank You For Giving To The Lord , by Ray Boltz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtD8EBvFecM Heartland , By George Strait and his son (we played this at my brother’s funeral, but it was a good description of how he lived his life- with thankfulness and joy) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6-7j948l6M --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My prayer for you today is the same that my brother prayed for our grandmother- that you would allow Jesus to be your Redeemer, your Restorer, your Healer, and your Savior. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 6:2 , ‘Today is the day of salvation’. Don’t shut your heart to the voice of your Savior calling to you. Stop running. Stop thinking you are not good enough. Just stop. Listen. Hear the words of the Lord and let them heal your life. Come home and be restored. What are you waiting for? Happy Birthday in heaven, Joe! You are not forgotten. Thank you for your obedience to the Lord. Love you and praying for you and your family every day, Melissa Boggs Christian Life Academy Superintendent   A Word of Encouragement- Glimpses of His Loving Kindness
March 2, 2026 Author’s Note: I originally wrote this devotional in November 2023. At that time both of my sons Hayden and Thomas were deployed with the US Army. Now, three years later my sons and daughter in law are still serving in the military. Any military family understands that watching the world news can cause a lot of anxiety. Will my loved one be deployed? Will they be in danger? I am finding myself praying for my sons and and my daughter in law throughout the day with many whispered prayers for God’s protection , for His hand on their lives, for them to draw close to Him and to feel His Presence greatly in their lives every day. In Hebrew the word chesed is used to represent the loving-kindness or incredible mercy of God. It describes the deep, enduring love of God that has been lavished upon us. The Bible uses the word chesed over 190 times in the original texts. This devotional is about an experience that I had with the loving-kindness of God in my life the last time that my sons deployed. Praying that you can experience this beautiful Presence of our God in your life today too! Seek Him and He will be found (Isaiah 55:6). As our world is facing another scary time of conflict, let’s not forget to pray for our leaders, our military serving at home and around the world, for our military families, and for each other. Original Devotional from Nov. 2023: Almost a year ago was the last time my children and I were altogether in the same room. My sons have chosen to be in the military and with that comes long separations, lots of moves, and deployments. My oldest son , Hayden , was deployed to Poland in January and my youngest son, Thomas , was deployed to Korea in June. The last day we were able to spend together was in late December 2022. Two very special things happened during that visit. The first was that my sons gave me the car they had shared in high school and told me to trade it in so I could get my first new car in twelve years. My son Hayden went with me to the dealership and asked all the hard questions, asked for the Carfax report, and when we took it for a test drive made me pull over so he could pop the hood and check out the engine. When we came back to the dealership he talked shop with the dealer , and made sure I got a good price. The second thing that happened was that one night I came home and it sounded like Niagara Falls in my basement. I knew as soon as I got out of my car what had happened. Yep, my water pipes had burst in my basement. When I opened the door I saw at least an inch or more of water already on the floor. I tried and tried but could not get it to stop. My son Hayden came in the middle of the night to help me. He was able to shut off the water and helped me for the next two hours to sweep the flooded water over to the basement drain. At one point I laid my head on my washing machine and cried . Hayden just came over and hugged me and said, “I’ve got this mom. Don’t worry about it. It will be ok.”. The next day Hayden came back and fixed all my pipes as good as new. When my boys had to leave after Christmas to go back to their bases in Texas it was a tearful sad day. I was praying for all three of my children and reading in the Bible. This beautiful Scripture jumped out at me from Jeremiah 31:16-17, “ Thus says the Lord; “Keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears, for there is a reward for your work. Declares the Lord, and they shall come back from the land of the enemy. There is a hope for your future, declares the Lord, and your children shall come back to their own country.”. This Scripture was so impactful for me. In that moment, the gentle peace of the Lord surrounded me and comforted my heart. All I can describe it as is loving kindness. I knew this was going to be a very hard year, but I knew that the Lord would be with me through it all. I hung this Scripture up on the wall in my office. I read it every single day. I held onto it as a promise that God would help me through every situation I was facing (and He did!). I held onto it as a promise that God would reward me for my work (He has!). I have held onto it as a promise that God would bring my sons back from the land of the enemy! Today I pulled it out of my desk drawer and read through it again. Again , I felt that special loving kindness of the Lord in my heart and I remembered how God used His Word and His Presence to pull me through some major challenges in 2023. Friday my daughter in law called me to let me know that my son Hayden is coming home from his deployment! He should arrive on US soil Tuesday at 4:30 am in Texas! Although I won’t be able to be there in person, I have felt such relief to know that he is going to be home safe. Now, just a few more months and my son Thomas will be home in the US too. How fitting that Tuesday is our Veteran’s Day Program at school , where we will honor our military service members past and present. While I am helping our students honor and celebrate our service members, I will also be celebrating that my son Hayden is home! All I can say is “Thank You God!” . All weekend I kept thinking of Proverbs 13:12, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.”. The Words of the Bible can be a great comfort in both the good times and in the hard times. They are truly a treasure that we should hide in our hearts and minds. I thank God for this hard year- the good and the not so good . He has drawn me closer to Him, closer than I have allowed myself to be in a long time. He has helped me learn to trust Him more, how to love Him more, how to step out in faith more than I have in a long time, and how to let him become my everything. There were times I did not know if I could make it, if I could keep holding on. Then I would go back to my promise and I would read it over and over again, holding onto every syllable. Oh how much strength and hope it gave me to keep holding on. I am so thankful that I have seen the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! If you are in the struggle , just hold on. Hold on to the promise of God. Hold onto your faith. Hold onto hope. He is there with you through it all! Surely His goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives. Scriptures to Encourage You: Psalm 27:13 “ I remain confident of this , that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” Songs To Encourage You: My Portion (Shane & Shane) I love this song so much! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55Q33MX9XmE Hold On (Katy Nicole) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s3k8aUaFqk I Will Carry You (Ellie Holcomb) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IziBz0d5yOk Psalm 23 (Phil Wickham & Tiffany Hudson) https://youtu.be/q25xEFyTHFY?si=lXOY8lTTpnav2uvD Love You Dearly! Melissa Boggs Christian Life Academy Administrator |
AuthorMelissa Boggs is the Superintendent of Christian Life Academy and attends Good Shepherd Wesleyan Church. 
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