Life
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Another Troubling Sign For Humanity
There was a time in America when a man knew what day it was. He might not have known the capital of Vermont, the square root of 83, or why his muffler sounded like a popcorn machine on steroids… but he knew what day of the week it was. Now, thanks to the marvels of… Continue reading
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The Wonderfully Weird Ways We’re Made
I’ve always been surrounded by people with quirks. Some are endearing, and some are…. mildly concerning. But all of them make life much more interesting and entertaining! There’s my buddy – Steve the Sniffer. He can’t buy anything without smelling it first. Candles? Of course. That makes sense. He’s also been known to spend hours… Continue reading
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An Ode to Coffee
If coffee had been around 3500 years ago, I’m convinced Moses would’ve been the first in line at Starbucks. Forget waiting on the manna – he’d be waiting for his grande dark roast with two shots of espresso. And the Israelites might’ve made it to the Promised Land in three days instead of wandering for… Continue reading
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Your Past Doesn’t Equal Your Future
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. – Isaiah 43:18-19 Have you ever thought about how God might be using you? If not,… Continue reading
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Real Men Carry Handkerchiefs
Jesus wept. – John 11:35 Time seemed to stop in its tracks. I stood there, completely paralyzed, not knowing what to do. With a heart that had never felt more heavy, a tear rolled down my cheek. For the first (and only) time in my life, I saw a side of my father that I… Continue reading
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What Year That Was!
Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established. – Proverbs 16:3 Well… I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to stepping into a brand new year. And not because 2024 was a year to forget. It was, however, a year of dramatic change for me and my family. My… Continue reading
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What is Your “Field”?
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.– Matthew 13:44 There’s something about a treasure hunt that captures the imagination. We picture maps, riddles, and the thrill of… Continue reading
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The Ultimate GPS: God’s Positioning System
There is a way that appears to be right,but in the end it leads to death. – Proverbs 14:12 Have you ever made a decision that seemed perfectly reasonable at the time, only to later discover it led you down the wrong path? Proverbs 14:12 warns us about this very thing – a way that… Continue reading
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Making the Most of Our Days
“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12 It’s easy to lose track of time. We get caught up in work, chores, the needs of our families, and our routines, often forgetting how quickly the days pass. Psalm 90:12, which is attributed to Moses, encourages us to… Continue reading
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Just Say Yes
Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” – John 4:10 There were a lot of reasons why I justified my alcoholism. Anxiety, depression, fear, failure, loneliness, insecurity, unworthiness… alcohol just seemed to be… Continue reading
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You Get What You Give
“Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” – Luke 6:38 (NLT) The first time I heard the song You Get What You Give… Continue reading
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Winning it All
The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. – Romans 8:34 (The MSG) Imagine that your favorite sports team won the championship last year. You recorded every game, and now you’re going back and replaying the entire season… Continue reading
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In His Own Good Time
As I was reading the account of Jesus bringing his friend Lazarus back to life in John 11, I was reminded once again that Jesus waited two full days to make the journey back to Bethany after hearing the news that Lazarus was gravely ill. Of course, Jesus knew that Lazarus was already dead by… Continue reading
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New Mercies Each Morning
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness! – Lamentations 3:22-23 Most of us wake up each morning with thoughts of what awaits us for the day ahead. The first order of business is getting a cup of coffee.… Continue reading
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He’s Always Closer Than We Think
“My complaint today is still a bitter one, and I try hard not to groan aloud. If only I knew where to find God, I would go to his court. I would lay out my case and present my arguments. Then I would listen to his reply and understand what he says to me. Would… Continue reading
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A New Lease on Life
In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.” Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to… Continue reading
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Doing Little Things Well
I’ve noticed something profound over the years: whether or not I’ve made my bed first thing in the morning has a greater influence on my attitude for the day than choosing which side of the bed to get out of. There’s just something about having already done something productive that gives me a sense of… Continue reading
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How do you spend it?
“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” – Psalm 90:12 Imagine there is a bank account that credits your account each morning with $86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day. Every evening the bank deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during… Continue reading
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A Man on the Run
The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked Jonah, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?” He replied, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon… Continue reading
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The Day After: Reflections on Greatest Yorkie That Ever Lived
“How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”– Winnie the Pooh It is truly incredible to possess such a profound connection with someone or something that the mere thought of bidding farewell becomes an arduous task. The emotions that arise, a mixture of gratitude, appreciation, and reluctance, are a testament… Continue reading
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There May Be A Few Speed Bumps Along the Way…
… but in the end, it all works out the way it’s supposed to. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28 Joseph experienced a lot of bad things. He was rejected by his brothers,… Continue reading
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Pain Management
As a sober, recovering alcoholic, I have found incredible value in going back in my life and recalling the day that my life hit bottom. I was all but dead. I had just lost my father; I had lost all but a remnant of my sanity; and I was on the verge of losing every… Continue reading
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But For the Grace of God
“Our very lives, as ex-problem drinkers, depend upon our constant thought of others and how we may help meet their needs.” ~ Alcoholics Anonymous p.20 It was getting late in the evening and all I wanted was a few minutes of personal time to enjoy my favorite tv program. The day had been busy, but… Continue reading
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Love Doesn’t Keep Score
“I, yes I alone, will blot our your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.“ ~ Isaiah 43:25 NLT I reached for my wallet to pay for dinner. “Put that away,” he said. “You paid the last time. Today it’s on me.” For many, paying for someone’s dinner may seem… Continue reading
About Me
Welcome! I’m Scott (aka Former Blackout Artist), and I’m so happy you decided to drop in! I hope you find the content here spiritually enlightening and uplifting. Most of all, I hope that my love of Christ is revealed through my writing and that it encourages you in some way today. Thanks for stopping by!
Former Blackout Artist 