14 Apr 2026
The task of rebuilding the temple was a huge responsibility. If I were Ezra and Zerubbabel, I would have been intimidated. Let us therefore pray for others, especially for anyone God has given a special task. Stand in the gap for them so that they may succeed. This may benefit you and others. 1 Timothy 2:1-4.
Tuna Salad and the Rest of the Story
Most of them are wonderful human beings because someone gave them a leg up somewhere along the line, and they remember that. At least the good ones do. Over our 25 years, HEARTLIGHT.org has passed along the creative blessings of many famous authors who graciously shared their writing with our readers. This year as we celebrate “Shining the Light” for a quarter-century, we will highlight these special authors. Today, please enjoy one of Philip Gulley’s witty, folksy, and insightful stories. Paul Jr. wrote the introduction of one of my books. One day I was in Chicago on business with my friend, Stan. I remembered Paul Jr.’s address and decided to stop in to say hello and thank him for his help. It was lunchtime, so Paul Jr. invited us to stay and eat. “We’re having tuna salad sandwiches,” he said. “Is that okay?” My parents had taught me to eat what was put before me, so I said tuna salad was fine. Truthfully, tuna salad is not my favorite food, but since we hadn’t told him we were stopping by, I didn’t feel I should be picky. Stan said, “I really don’t care for tuna salad. Do you have anything else?” I wanted to slap him. Then Paul Jr. said, “We eat lunch with my mother and father, so we need to go next door.” I’ve listened to Paul Harvey on the radio all my life. (Few media people have been as well known and beloved for four decades as Paul Harvey. Listen below to a couple of classic and moving radio excerpts from November 1963, broadcasts concerning the assignation of President John F. Kennedy.) My father has listened to him for the past forty years. Now Stan and I were walking across his yard to have lunch with him! We went to the living room to wait for Mr. Harvey. There was a Bose Wave radio on the table. Mr. Harvey’s been telling us for years how wonderful they sound. Paul Jr. turned it on for me. We listened to a guy named Monty Vonny, or something like that. He’s not from these parts, so I’d never heard of him. The only Monty I knew was Monty Chadwick, who owned the Jiffy Carwash back in my hometown of Danville. But it was pretty music. I may save up and buy one of his CDs. Then Mr. Harvey walked into the room. He looked at me and said, “Well, I’ll be; Phil Gulley is standing in my living room. I can’t believe it!” I couldn’t believe it, either. I shook his hand and introduced him to Stan. “Is this the guy who doesn’t like tuna salad?” he asked, pointing to Stan. “The same,” I answered. Mr. Harvey asked me if I liked that Monty Vonny fellow. I told him I didn’t know; I’d never met him. Then I told him all about Monty Chadwick and the Jiffy Carwash. If Mr. Harvey ever comes to Danville, we’re going to take our cars there and get them washed. My treat, I told him. They’ve added a foaming brush that really gets the dirt off. Mr. Harvey said he’s looking forward to it. We ate in the breakfast nook just off their kitchen. Stan ate chicken salad and toasted cheese. I ate my tuna salad. They put three of those little tomatoes on my plate, but I didn’t eat them. Tomatoes make me burp, and I didn’t want to do that in front of Mr. Harvey. He told me how he got his start in radio. He is one of the kindest men I’ve ever met. After lunch, we sat around the table and visited awhile. Then it was time to go. They walked us out to our car. As we drove away, Stan turned to me and said, “I can’t believe we just ate lunch in Paul Harvey’s kitchen.” I said, “I can’t believe you told them you didn’t like tuna salad.” He said, “I can’t help it. I tell the truth without even thinking about it.” I told him it was obvious he wasn’t thinking. As famous as Mr. Harvey is, I wasn’t too nervous about meeting him. I’ve been around famous people before. I met Michael Landon back when he was Little Joe on Bonanza and came to Danville to give a speech on the courthouse lawn. I was six years old and remembered being mad he didn’t bring his horse. My cousin, Matt Griffith, once dated a beauty queen from Florida. She was Miss Navel Orange of 1972. He brought her to our house for a visit. She was wearing a sash and a crown topped with a gold-orange. She signed a Sunkist for me, but the next day my brother Glenn ate it for breakfast. Here’s what I learned about famous people. Most of them are wonderful human beings because someone gave them a leg up somewhere along the line, and they remember that. At least the good ones do. When Paul Harvey was fourteen years old, his teacher took him in hand and introduced him to the folks at the local radio station. Over half a century later, he remembers it still. None of us ever got anywhere except through the kindness of others. Sometimes we boast about being self-made, but that’s just a lie we tell ourselves to feel important. We’re all indebted to someone. Next time you’re driving by the house of someone who has done you a good turn, knock on his door and thank him. He’ll appreciate it. Who knows, you might even be offered a tuna salad sandwich. If you are, sit down and eat it. And be sure to put the napkin on your lap instead of tucking it into your shirt collar like my friend Stan did. Boy, I can’t take that guy anywhere. And, as Mr. Harvey so famously said, “Now you know the rest of the story!” Most of us who were alive on this fateful day
13 Apr 2026
The temple of the Lord was destroyed when His children were taken captive. God later commissioned Ezra and Zerubbabel to lead the efforts to rebuild it. These Israelites were surrounded by people who discouraged them. Zachariah 4:6-10.
Deep Roots
What kind of legacy are we leaving for those around us? Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper (Psalms 1:1-3 KJV). Another tree fell at our church this week. Her name was Mrs. Virginia Beasley, known to her church family as Miss Beasley. For the past 15 years or so, I have sat behind Miss Beasley every Sunday at church. Her white hair has been the focal point of our side of the church. To me, her hair looked like soft, white cotton candy. I don’t know how she felt about it, but I thought it was beautiful. Miss Beasely was known as the candy and gum lady at church. She brought a baggie full of goodies every Sunday and passed it out to the children who sat around her little ones and very big ones. They loved her for it and I know they will miss her just like I will. What We Sometimes Forget I’m sure you probably have a Miss Beasley at your church, too. Someone who sits in the same spot every Sunday. Never misses a service. Loves people and children and sharing what they have with others. What we sometimes forget about these church members is that growing deep roots in our faith doesn’t guarantee an easy life and Miss Beasley didn’t have one. In 1996, Miss Beasley’s daughter, Jo, was taken from her home by someone she knew, driven to a barn and brutally murdered. It was the day before Jo’s birthday. As I sat behind Miss Beasley in church I often wondered how she got past that horrific event. I suspect that like most traumatic events in our lives she didn’t get past it, she just learned to live with it, but it had to have been incredibly hard. Miss Beasley had a necklace with her daughter’s picture on it that she wore frequently. One Sunday, I commented about what a good picture it was of Jo. Her eyes teared up, “Why don’t people ever talk about Jo?” She asked. “It’s like they don’t remember her.” That broke my heart. Of course we remember, but we were trying to spare Miss Beasley more pain, which seems foolish because a mother’s heart can’t know more pain than the death of a child. Even though others may never have mentioned Jo’s death, I know she never stopped thinking about it. In fact, the night Miss Beasley died was 2 days before the anniversary of Jo’s death. I’m sure she went to sleep thinking about her daughter. She died peacefully in her sleep, thus being spared reliving one more time the anniversary of her daughter’s death. The Difference One day last week, my son and I took his 8 year old daughter for a walk on our farm. We stopped to show my granddaughter one of the largest trees I have ever seen. It’s a huge old oak tree. This tree is so big that our arms won’t reach around it. Abby, my granddaughter, was fascinated with this old tree, so I snapped a picture of her hugging it. Now when I look at that picture, I am reminded of Miss Beasley and others like her. These great old souls didn’t waver when the storms of life came. The shadow the oak tree casts is huge. The sphere of influence that a strong Christian shares when they stay firmly rooted in their faith is even bigger and more influential. The hard thing about a large tree with deep roots is that when it falls, it leaves such an empty, vacant space. And every time we see that spot, we ache for the tree that was there. That’s how I feel with the empty spot where Miss Beasley used to sit. I ache for her presence and miss her. Yet the empty spot on the pew in front of me also serves as a reminder of two important realities: I need to continue growing deeper roots to be an influence for good and for God! God wants me to stay busy planting more trees and nurturing them to grow deep roots! I want to be able to proclaim like the old African American spiritual, “I Shall Not Be Moved!” Glory hallelujah, I shall not be moved,Anchored in Jehovah, I shall not be moved;Just like a tree that’s planted by the waters,I shall not be moved! In His love abiding, I shall not be moved,And in Him confiding, I shall not be moved;Just like the tree that’s planted by the water,I shall not be moved! I shall not be, I shall not be moved,I shall not be, I shall not be moved;Just like a tree that’s planted by the waterI shall not be moved! Follow these links for full lyrics or Johnny Cash YouTube video. About the author: Teresa is an accomplished author, speaker, mother, and grandmother. Teresa has been married to Bill for a lifetime of family, faith, and love. They are members of Pleasant Hill Church of Christ in Kentucky. They have 5 children and 4 grandchildren. Teresa is also the author of the popular women’s blog called “NanaHood”!
Jury Duty
When can a conviction lead to an acquittal? I had jury duty this week and was very happy that I was “excused and thanked” after one day of service. The case, on which I almost served, sounded like it would have been a frustrating and boring experience for me. We had all been questioned for a particular criminal trial and I was relieved when the jury was sworn in. Then, they decided that they needed to pick four alternate jurors. When I was seated in the box, I was hastily dismissed by the defense attorney. Believe me, I didn’t take it personally. I guess it was something that I said during my interviewing process. I certainly empathized with the attorneys in their effort to seek jurors who would perhaps be lenient toward their client. This experience reminded me of growing up with an attorney in the house – my father. Daddy, now age ninety-eight, finally retired from his law practice at age ninety-three, or thereabouts. He had been an attorney in private practice during the early part of his career. He was then appointed to the office of County Attorney of Grayson County, Texas. He was subsequently elected twice after that – serving for approximately twelve years. After his time in public office, my father returned to being a defense attorney. He has always joked that he was a “country lawyer,” but don’t let his modesty fool you. He has handled many cases in his long career – wills, estates, probates, taxes, divorces, and even a murder trial or two. He also used to joke about the first case that he ever handled – a divorce. He successfully got the divorce for his client, and right after that, they remarried each other again. My father served as an elder at church for thirty-nine years. It was remarkable that he not only handled that responsibility very well, but also his coinciding duties as County Attorney. My father had the reputation of being such a good attorney – defense or prosecution – that he could take either side of a case and still win. However, Daddy faced a difficult situation when he had to try a murder case. Without getting into a “hot button” issue, I’ll just tell you what he did because of his own moral, Christian convictions. My father’s job – as an elected official – was to convict the man accused of murder. However, because of his moral and religious feelings about this particular case, he didn’t believe in the death penalty. What was he to do? My father did his duty as a paid official and won the case – convicting the man of murder. He felt badly about it, called a local minister who then studied the Bible with the prisoner. The prisoner was then baptized into Christ. My father helped facilitate a conversion out of a conviction! It was a long time ago, and I don’t know whatever happened to the man after that. However, it’s a true story of a man who was not only convicted of murder, but also of his sins – a lesson that I’ll never forget for the rest of my life! I guess you could say that he had to face one jury that helped him avoid the ultimate jury. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. (John 5:24 NAS) Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. (Acts 2:37-41) About the author: Katha’s small town upbringing in Sherman, Texas was slow paced, with loving parents, lots of down home cooking, and church attendance. Katha graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in English and continued graduate studies in English at Abilene Christian University. Katha was an editor at a publishing company and has done freelance for businesses as well as writing devotional articles for Power for Today. She and her husband have two grown children and a granddaughter. Katha enjoys reading, crocheting, yoga, and singing in groups and as a soloist.
Reclaiming Our Lost Identity
What does God do with those times in our lives we’d like to forget? V.R. Roskam of Wheaton, Illinois, visited Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, three years ago. He and his wife, Martha, were browsing at a souvenir stand. They spotted a wicker basket with a number of items – 37 as it turned out – that looked familiar. They were dog tags lost by U.S. soldiers during the 1960s and ’70s. Roskam, a 75-year-old Korean War veteran, knew immediately what he had to do. He bought them all. For the past three years now, he has been returning them to their rightful owners. So far he has tracked down nine, and he has personally gone to each one to present him his tags. As you might expect, this mission of respect has triggered powerful emotions in all the parties involved. Some people who served in Vietnam have spent decades now putting that chapter of life behind them. Others have been stuck in them and unable to move on. Many bear scars from that time – not only on their bodies but especially in their psyches. Denzil Messman lost his tag when he jumped from a helicopter into a firefight. He was still a teenager when it happened. The Roskams went to Jefferson, Texas, to return his small, thin piece of metal designed to tell a medic a wounded soldier’s blood type or, if he didn’t make it, a chaplain his faith. “This big burly guy just wept when he held it,” Martha Roskam said. “It’s kind of hard to explain,” said Messman, retired at 55 from the postal service. “Them dog tags is a piece of your person. They become you.” Another veteran who received his dog tag from the Roskams wrote them a touching note. “It has been 30-plus years since my return from South Vietnam,” said Regiland Gay, “and no one has said thank you!” Bad memories, good memories, things appreciated, things not, things you barely remember, things you’d give anything to forget – all are part of your life story. Some are whole chapters. Some short paragraphs. Some mere footnotes. One way to think of redemption is in terms of authentic human identity. God doesn’t want to sell you “fire insurance,” but to help you make sense of every step along the path we call life. So he celebrates triumphs, forgives failures, and gives hope for the future. He calls us into community for the sake of learning to treat one another as we would all like to be treated. And his kingdom is among us. You can’t change the past. You can’t un-ring a bell. You can’t recapture lost time. But you can trust God to work everything to the good of those who love him. We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28) About the author: Rubel Shelly preached for decades and served as a professor of medical ethics, Bible, and philosophy at multiple universities. He was a former president of Rochester College and Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Lipscomb University. He was the author of more than 30 books and hundreds of inspirational articles. His commitment to a non-sectarian presentation of the gospel touched countless lives.
Today’s Verse – Luke 9:23-24
Jesus said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.” —Luke 9:23-24 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… “I’ve just got to get away and find myself.” If that is our goal, we must know it won’t ever happen. We do not “find ourselves” or “find our life” by pursuing it (Matthew 10:39). We find life, true and lasting life, by losing it for something and someone greater than ourselves. We find our lives by losing them to Jesus, to the work of his Kingdom, and to the grace of blessing others and bringing them to Jesus (Matthew 16:25). My Prayer… Master and Maker of all that lives and breathes, take my life and make it yours. Use my every breath for your glory. Holy Spirit, I trust your transforming work to make me more like Jesus, more JESUShaped. LORD Jesus, I pray that my words and actions are pleasing to you and consistent with the way you lived while on earth. In the words of your servant, David, I pray: May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14) Through the mighty intercession and authority of Jesus, we offer you this prayer and our praise, O God. Amen.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – 1 Peter 2:24
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. —1 Peter 2:24 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Jesus bore our sins. He didn’t just carry them to the cross; he also suffered the penalty we deserved for those sins. His anguish was our healing. His suffering was our righteousness. How can we ever think of going back to sin after he suffered so much to bear its penalty? So, let’s begin each day declaring, “Today, O God, with the help of the Holy Spirit, I die to my sins and live for righteousness! Please help me live up to my commitment by the transforming power of the Spirit to make me more like Jesus, more JESUShaped each day” (2 Corinthians 3:18; Colossians 1:28-29). My Prayer… Holy God, how you could stand to see your precious Son under the weight of my sin, along with all the sin of human history, I will never understand. Thank you for such great love and for being such a gracious God. None, not in heaven, not on earth, not in the spiritual realms, is comparable to you, O God. Your greatness is beyond imagining, and your love beyond my dreams. I choose, and commit, to live today to your glory because of Jesus, who bore my sin so I could be your righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21; Colossians 1:21). In the precious name of your Son, I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
There’s More to Come
It’s Friday, so how do you really feel about things? In the year 1815, Napoleon gathered his French forces at Waterloo to battle against the Duke of Wellington. Of course, history informs us that Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo, but how did the people living in 1815 learn of the news? To carry the news of the Battle of Waterloo to England, an English ship signaled to a man on shore, who then relayed the word to a man on another hill, and so on across England. The first word that was signaled was “Wellington.” The next word that was signaled was “defeated.” Then a fog rolled in, and the message stopped. As you can image, all across England people wept and were disheartened by the two word message, “Wellington defeated.” But when the fog lifted, the message continued with two additional words, “the enemy.” Hope arose out of despair! Now here’s my point. What do you think the world and even the disciples of Jesus thought when they saw the events that transpired on the Friday of the crucifixion? But, Friday contained only a portion of the message. The rest of the message was shared on Sunday through an empty tomb. Hope arose out of despair! [Jesus] said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered over to human hands. He will be killed, and after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it (Mark 9:31-32 TNIV). About the author: Steve Higginbotham is a native of West Virginia. His father also preached. Steve serves the Karns Church of Christ in Knoxville, TN and is an instructor in the Southeast Institute of Biblical Studies and an editor for Think Magazine. Steve & Kim have four children, Kelli, Michael, Matthew, and Anne Marie.
Today’s Verse – Romans 5:6-8
At just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. —Romans 5:6-8 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Jesus did not die for us because he had some high hopes for who we are. He certainly didn’t die for us because of what we had done in the past that merited his sacrifice. No, he died for us because he knew exactly who we are and where we would be without him. Praise be to God; we are now God’s righteousness because Jesus took our sin upon himself and gave us God’s grace and righteousness in place of our sin (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. He now chooses to call us his friends and his family (John 15:15; Hebrews 2:10-14). Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… Holy God, thank you for Jesus, my Savior. No words are adequate to express my love and devotion to you for such an incredible and gracious gift! Through him, I give and live all my thanks to you. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.