Author: Kathleen Moulton

james 1.

james 1.

by Kathleen Moulton

Faith and Endurance

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.  So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.  But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.  Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.  Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them. And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field.  The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements.

 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.  And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.

So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.

Listening and Doing

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.  Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.  So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.  For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.  But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.

trusting God.

trusting God.

by Kathleen Moulton

In Proverbs, the Bible says:


Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.


Two things stand out to me.


1. Don’t try to understand everything.
2. Straight paths don’t mean everything will happen the way you want.

We don’t like that.

Do you understand how the universe was formed? Or how a baby is formed in the womb? Or how birds migrate?

Yet, we want to understand the bad things that happen in our lives.

God doesn’t leave us without comfort. He promises us that one day we will understand. He promises us that he will give us comfort and strength to endure the pain we suffer in life. He promises he will wipe away every tear.

For now though, he gives us the strength to endure. The one who created the universe is able to do that.

In this instant gratification world, you are not going to understand. God makes it clear and he tells us to trust him.

I get it. You have heard claims made of God’s love and when things go sideways in life, you want to make sense of it. We even hold God accountable: “If this is how God loves I don’t want any part of him.”


Isn’t it interesting how we get on Amazon and look at all the reviews before a purchase? We research the next car, stove, and exercise equipment before buying. We try to figure everything out so everything will work out.

But this. Eternity. The most important “purchase”.

God has already created us to know eternity is real.


He has set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

We pay more attention here rather than there. When you live consistently with an awareness of eternity … trusting God will be a simple concept.

Photo by Billel Moula on Pexels.com

a thought vs. thinking.

a thought vs. thinking.

by Kathleen Moulton ♥ 2 Comments

I’ve been a Christian for almost 50 years. Committed and devoted to the scripture and the local church.

Recently, I came upon this book:

If you are familiar with the scripture about taking thoughts captive obedient to Christ, you know what this means. But has anyone told you how?

One thing I have discovered (in all my thinking) is while our churches are places of focused attention on living and serving faithfully through our understanding of the scriptures, our churches don’t have all the answers.

I can hear the gasps.

Based on these two statements I’ve been told over the years:

  1. “There is no perfect church”
  2. We walk in as much light/faith as we have been given.

… I have concluded that those two things tell me that our churches don’t have all of the answers.

Sorry, but many times we become smug in our churches and it is wrong (Just like when my son took his life and I was told that people just don’t know what to say. Excuse me? I thought we were spirit filled and had the mind of Christ and the word of the Lord? But that’s another story).

I’m not bitter. Just trying to prove a point.

Point being, I have lived for 50 years without knowing how to take thoughts captive. Until this book.

I know Christians who would question – is this author a Christian? Oh my goodness he said “mantra” and “divine power”.

Slow down. He says God, too.

Anyway, if you are a ruminator, a thinker, consider listening or reading this book. It is so simple I can’t believe it.

If you are trying to figure out how to take thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ, here it is.

“Pain and suffering is not the same thing. Pain is unavoidable but how we react to that pain is up to us. And that reaction is will dictate whether or not we will suffer.”

context.

context.

by Kathleen Moulton

I had a thought this morning.

We are not all okay.

In other words, we think this person or that person is doing well because they look happy.

Not true.

Everyone of us have something on our minds. A place in our hearts or minds that have this empty space of disappointment, sadness, loss.

Then I began to think about people who lived throughout the centuries and what kind of life they had. Particularly, I thought about the pioneers who explored and the settlers who settled. The day to day, mundane, unpredictable existence they experienced.

Their world view was limited. Each day they had purpose and found a life of contentment in what they did. How do I know this? Because it’s in all of us. The ability to be content in undesirable situations. God created us and he put it in us. Some call it human potential or resiliency because you don’t have to be a Christian to have it. Most of us have the ability to get up, brush ourselves off, and keep going.

Fast forward to 2025. Look at all we have. Now compare yourself to them.

Are we any different? Obviously, we have amazing advancements in medicine and technology. And certainly, that has impacted our physical and mental compacity to not only have knowledge, but solutions, and the ability to exceed in ways that our predecessors never had.

Yet, inside, we are the same. We experience all of the emotions to life’s challenges.

That is context.

All of my life, I have taken a step back to consider the men and women who suffered throughout the centuries. It has given me inspiration, courage, and perseverance. What God has put in all of us can only be enhanced by knowing him through the promises of the scripture.

It reminds me of Hebrews 11, often referred as the faith chapter; a list of men and women who endured suffering. They endured because they saw things in context – that their suffering and ultimate death was not the end. They knew that God promised what was waiting for them in eternity.

Then Hebrews 12:1:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us; fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Not only does remembering the bigger picture step us out of our small thinking, exasperated by our tendency to be overly focused on ourselves, but it gives us the reason for context: there is an end to the story.

Get context.

it’s all i’ve got.

it’s all i’ve got.

by Kathleen Moulton ♥ 2 Comments

There are no words for what happened in Kerr County, TX, last week.

No words of comfort.

No words of closure.

No words that will stop the hemorrhaging or heal the shattered hearts.

In recent months, I was finally beginning to understand what God thinks about me. Maybe it has been a series of events of being abandoned that has taken me this long. I don’t dwell on that but I’ve spent a lifetime searching for meaning. All I know is I was beginning to relax in knowing that God really does value me, really does love me, and will not abandon me.

I was finally coming to a place of reassurance and peace. And then came this. The little girls ripped from their beds, carried away in horrendous fear, and ultimately, death.

Jesus loves me, this I know? Why didn’t he stop it? What is this thing Christians believe?

I am still in the process of trying to figure this out. I want so desperately to comprehend. I am frustrated because there is nothing that makes sense.

I ask God the question: how can I trust you? How can I believe that it is you who are helping me through life’s confusion and difficulties? How can I really believe that you are in tune with my life and that you hear my prayers? Obviously, the parents who left their little girls at this camp prayed for them – among other things – their safety.

And then of course, the triggers of emotions buried within me. I uttered these words so quietly: and you betrayed us. The tears welled up in my eyes of losing him 20 years ago. Tears that cannot fully come because I’ve cried so many there is nothing left. I want to cry. I can’t. But I feel it churning inside.

I remember when the disciples were confused and Jesus said to them, “Will you leave me, too?” And Peter piped up and said, “Where will we go? You have the words of life.”

You have the words of life.

Peter was right. No matter what we face in this world with all of its disappointments, sorrow, and confusion – where do we go? We can find temporary solutions but that is the problem. They are temporary. And we wake up the next morning with a hangover or guilt from the night before and what do we do? We go back for more.

You have the words of life.

But I can’t see you, God. And even though my mind tells me that I am seriously limited in trying to understand, it still hurts. 

I know people have suffered since the beginning of time. I know people are suffering today. But this. This hit me hard.

The Bible says God’s ways are not our ways and that his thoughts are not like ours. If we step back and believe he created the universe and everything in it, how can we possibly believe we can understand the why’s of suffering. It’s far too easy to say there is no God if he allows us to suffer. I cannot go there because then, I will find solutions elsewhere and honestly, there is nothing that will help. Every human solution I can think of often makes things worse.

All I have is this:

God says he will keep us in perfect peace when we trust him.

He says to trust him with our whole heart and not try to understand.

He  promises to fix it all someday by wiping away every tear we’ve cried.

That’s all I’ve got.

And Christians throughout the centuries – that’s all they had, too.

Photo by David Bartus on Pexels.com

in the context of things.

in the context of things.

by Kathleen Moulton

Have you ever thought about what life was like 100 years ago? 200? 50?

Perhaps there is no other time in history when we have we been so privileged – in the United States and other developed countries. (Although, there are people who live with far less access to wealth and opportunity who are reported to be content).

With all of our advances in science, medicine, and technology, are we much different than people who lived without it? Certainlly, we have it far easier. Even people who live below the poverty level seem to have a cell phone and can afford McDonald’s. It might not sound like much, but it would mean something to people who lived 100 years ago.

I think the context in which we live has an impact on our world view. People who lived 200 years ago did not have the abundance we have now. While there has always been the wealthy, for most people, I imagine there was more motivation to do all it took for survival. Time was spent working to that end. There was no television, Tik Tok, or Door Dash to waste the day away, putting off thinking about things another day.

Am I the only one who thinks about the suffering on the Mayflower? The colonists? The pioneers? People like you and me, hoped for something beyond here and now.

As little as 60 years ago, people sold their home in order to pay medical bills. I know of one person who said his father got up every morning at 4:30 am to take various modes of transportation, including walking, into NYC to work in a factory. This was common. People did what they had to do and I can only imagine the resiliency and perseverance factor was off the charts.

Humans suffered throughout the centuries and humans are suffering today. Perhaps the suffering is different but suffering is suffering no matter how you look at it. Suffering for one might be extremely difficult compared to another. Bottom line, no matter when we live, human suffering is with us.

There are times to fight against it and we should. But then there are times when there is nothing to be done but to accept. Not with a fatalist mindset. With hope.

When there is death of a loved one, there is suffering. I do not contend that people who lived 100+ years ago dealt with loss more easily than we do today but they experienced more of it. I think there was an acceptance of the inevitable since diseases were prevelant and life spans were reduced compared to today.

I think we take things for granted because we have so much available to us. It’s not really our fault. We are a product of our environment.

But I do think we are responsible for our responses to suffering. I think we have to expand our thinking beyond the four walls of our mind and looking at history is crucial.

Some of us look back into history, consider the challenges, and learn from it. If we compartmentalize history with the mindset of “that was then and this is now”, without considering our make-up is really not different than our predecessors, we will be missing something that is meant to help us.

When we lose a loved one, does it help us to consider how our ancestors processed it? Even though wearing black and spending a specific amount of days in mourning occurred, they felt what we feel today.

There is no amount of medical, scientific, or technological advancements that can change the pain. However, today, we have access to help through those entities with medicine, understanding the brain, and access to online resources to help us.

I think one of the best ways to look at death is to consider those men and women who lived throughout the centuries and remember we are “surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses“. There is something about connecting with people that understand. We are strengthened and even comforted.

I believe spirituality is a major component available to us. In the Christian faith, there are promises of hope, comfort, and eternity of being reunited with our loved one. Without this hope, what do we have? We can’t change the fact that if we are honest, we do wonder about life after death.

The Bible says that God has written eternity on our hearts. That means we are hardwired to wonder. What we have to do is respond to it in some way – or not.

Some people get angry at God for allowing bad things to happen. For me, it is very difficult when Christians have a good outcome of prayer and believe God will always give good outcomes. That is not always the case. Some people miraculously survive a car accident while other people do not. We have to do something with this fact. We either ignore it or accept it.

It’s more than just “taking the good with the bad”. We can’t survive only on that thinking. We were created to dig much deepr than that and only God can help.

Why is there suffering? I don’t know. I only know that God promises that one day he will fix it all. He will wipe away every tear and there will be no more sorrow or death.

We were made to look ahead. It doesn’t stop at death.

It begins there.

Photo by Francesco Ungaro on Pexels.com

Gallery

we don’t have glory yet.

by Kathleen Moulton ♥ 2 Comments

I have always been able to see beyond the moment.

In terms of my faith, I am well versed in living with a view of eternity. In fact, the Bible tells us in 1 Thessalonians 4 to “encourage each other with these words”.

That’s because we lose sight of that day when God makes everything right.

This sermon from Grace Road Church in Rochester, NY, explained so much to me this morning. I am always thinking and trying to figure things out. It’s been difficult to understand the “whys” in life when we know we have embraced the Lord and the scriptures and worked hard at doing what he tells us.

Listen to this sermon about the parable of the wheat and tares. I hope it helps.

j.s.bach

j.s.bach

by Kathleen Moulton ♥ 2 Comments

Throughout my life, I have been inspired by Christians in history who have endured suffering.

Today, it seems like everyone has a therapist. I’m not against therapy. I only know how the stories of people who did not have access to therapy, but had access to God, has helped me.

I came upon this story of Johan Sebastian Bach. Stories like this tell me if he, along with so many others throughout history can come through loss because they trusted God, I can, too.

“Did you know? Johan Sebastian Bach lost his little daughter and then three sons and then his wife. Then he remarried and then he and his second wife, Anna-Magdalena, lost four more daughters and three sons. Eleven beloved children.

Many researchers have wondered: how Bach managed to handle these losses? How did he not stop breathing, how did his heart not stop? And most importantly, how could he continue to write music? Kantati, cello suites, masses, concerts… The most beautiful music the world has heard. Do you know how he did it?

At the end of the his music, he always wrote “Soli Deo gloria” (Glory to God alone) and in the beginning, “Lord help.” Therefore, you can pray during Bach’s music because the music itself is prayer. You could, then, consider Bach’s music a conversation between man and God. How do you deal with pain? Worship is the best solace.” – Karl Bastian

sin.

sin.

by Kathleen Moulton

There was a time when my world view was pretty blissful. 

It wasn’t because I was sheltered from pain. It was because my personality was to accept and move on. 

I believed doing good would reap good. This is often true. But life is not so neat and tidy like that. Because bad can happen to anybody at anytime for no particular reason.

That’s because of sin. That’s because the world is broken. We are broken. There is a kind of physical “law” in place which our world is immersed in: the effects of sin. God promises not to keep us from it, but to be with us in it.

We should certainly avoid sin at all costs. The Bible guides us in this. We make choices everyday to do wrong or right. Yet, we will fail and it can cause us trouble.

But other people fail and it can cause us trouble, too.

After losing my oldest adult son 18 years ago to suicide, my heart and everything I thought I knew was shattered. He, along with my other children, were raised in a family centered church. We were first generation Christians who wanted to see our children anchored to their faith in God and living their lives better than we did. I once taught a class on praying for your children – and believe me – I prayed constantly for them.

How can these things happen when you’ve covered all the bases?

Because-

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55

We walk in as much light as we have. We may not do everything correctly as we follow the scriptures the way we understand them. But once God shows us how we are thinking is wrong, we must step back and trust we don’t have all the answers.

The scriptures that I thought was having faith gave way to the scriptures of what real faith is. Even though others around me were still doing their “prayers of faith”, believing for “complete healing” and such, my prayers of faith took a u-turn and I went a different way.

While the church was singing “I Surrender All” one Sunday, I wanted to say, “Do you? Do you really? Do you know what that might mean?”

Growing in faith when you have good outcomes is one thing. Growing in faith when you don’t is another thing.

Maybe it’s our western world culture. We are conditioned to grab hold of the shiny object we want when we should be grabbing the hem of Jesus’ garment. Either way, there is room for both. We can ask God for good things. But we have to be ready when the affect of living in a sinful world will knock us off our feet.

I found comfort in the scriptures of God’s protection. Until I realized it doesn’t necessarily mean from suffering but in suffering.

But there’s more.

The affects of sin is far greater than I thought. It touches every human being in some way. And I think when we have a greater understanding of this, we are more able to forgive (that’s for another day).

We are all prisoners to this world of sin. Yes, we see God’s presence in all the beauty around us. But we also have loss, sorrow, and death. 

For now, the world is locked into its present state. But that’s not the end. 

One day, God will break the hold of sin on the world.

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

When we are suffering because of sinful humanity in a sinful world, we should remember this promise. We have centuries of believers who have suffered greatly and endured.

We can, too.

help for a confusing life.

help for a confusing life.

by Kathleen Moulton

Help for a confusing world.

“So that genuinely, horrible thing that we experienced … will shrink relative to eternity.” -Kevin Maloney