W.I.S.E. Bible Study

    “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 In the winter I spend time making sure my fishing gear is set. I hate getting out on the lake and having problems with my line or pole. I go through my lures seeing if I need to replace anything. In the winter, I do this for planning other projects. I have time and it gives me something to look forward to. The trouble of this world is just that trouble of this world. I know that with faith I can walk as someone who could overcome. It is like winter planning for future adventures. Strengthening my faith provides me with security on future troubles. Jesus has over come this world. Today think about ways to know what you believe and why. Like I tell my students, you must know why to your believes…not because Dr. Beth says so..but what do you believe and tell me why you believe that on the path…

  Some people suffer from a specific form of depression in the winter months. Winter can be a difficult time. I like winter because I find solace with the sleeping land. Wintry weather reminds me of summer days and this too shall pass. Mostly though, I find beauty in the contrasting colors of snow and the barren landscape. Winter, though is a time when I need to coach myself to get outside, brave the elements. It is a time when I have to remember to exercise and eat right. People liken life to seasons and the winter of someone’s life is the end and brings up negative thoughts. However, it doesn’t have to. Winter brings wisdom, and pure realization that we do not need to hide under layers, we are who we are. Don’t liken your life to seasons. For I have found that in any given time, the seasons are present and cycle through a day. Today, I wanted to remind everyone of Isaiah 40:29: “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” The diseases are inevitable to sp...

“I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.” John 21:3 This time of year, I look out my window at work, close my eyes for a couple of minutes. There I am, on the water. I stand and target where I want my cast to land amongst the reeds. An eagle over head, and loons swimming near by. I feel the tug, and the fight is on…yes, sometimes to refocus I think about being on the water, whether just paddling a canoe or fishing. Even though the apostles didn’t catch a fish, they knew the activity would reset them. The verse goes on to find Jesus there that morning. He tells them to put the net out again, they catch fish. When we do Jesus’ will, we will be productive…we will catch fish. For me the image of water and fish takes me to lakes I have fished on and can’t wait to get back to…remember if you cast your bait or set your net today, if it is Jesus’ will for you, then you will be...

  “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God” Matthew 5;9 Headlines of Hope. For me, news is giving me information that includes both sides of the story. The facts: who, what, when, where, why and how. I listen to my 84-year-old dad sometimes frustrated by what he hears, and he is misinformed and therefore confused or upset. Hope is found when fog is cleared, when cluttered is organized and truth is not one sided. What is at the heart of the issue? What has been misinformed or misinterpreted or even cloud? We have seen people being led down the rabbit hole by guru’s and leaders. We are all called to be peacemakers. We can by making sure we get to the core of the issue, not just outcomes. We can make sure that we know both sides of a story. We don’t have to agree with either side, but we need to learn what makes each side tick. Today, be a peacemaker by finding facts, not distortions; by finding the cores of issues, by finding ways that will bring about cha...

 “Look to the Lord and his strength; see his face always.” 1 Chronicles 16:11 I think we all need strength at times. Strength enables us to push through the difficulties we face. I like winter. The pace slows down, and we even have days when we are told not to go outside. Strength helps us when we are building a new future or facing illness. Do I need strength today? Yes, just the strength to stay focused. Changing our venue, our purpose, and our view can be difficult. I contemplate the next chapter God has for me, and what is God’s will in that. Snow-covered grounds, laced with cold winds, speak to me. This is the time to rest, gather strength for the days ahead. I am reminded that when I look towards God, his strength and his face will always comfort me on the path…

  Tears of Mary. Did you ever wonder if you met the Mother of Jesus, if she would look upon you with tears of joy or tears of sorrow? Would Mary rejoice at the person you are becoming? For me, I believe that if I treat myself as sacred and those around me as sacred, Mary would cry tears of joy. Life is sacred and to be cherished. When Jesus therefore saw His mother and the disciple standing by whom He loved, He said unto His mother, “Woman, behold thy son!” John 19:26. A reminder today: you are sacred and so are those you meet. Let tears of rejoicing flow today for the sacredness of life on the path…

  “  Fear not, for I am with thee: turn not aside, for I am thy God: I have strengthened thee, and have helped thee, and the right hand of my just one hath upheld thee.” Isaiah 41:10 Who doesn’t like to hear the words “fear not”? They are words of comfort and strength. There is strength in numbers, and don’t forget you are always in the presence of the Trinity as they walk with you. It has been snowing, so my “Uber” driver (husband) will take me to work. I like driving with him. I can relax, and we get a quiet moment to talk and pray. I hope you have people to travel with. My children would be with me on a moment’s notice, as would other family and friends. I feel blessed. Today, bring forward in your mind the blessings you have as you continue on the path…

Samuel 1:10 “The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”   Speak Lord, for I am listening. Listening to God during a noisy world can be difficult. However, we must find a way to tell the Lord to speak, and we will listen. My husband and I prayed for several family members that are going thru challenging times, and we lit a candle and put it in the Mary grotto. Sometimes we need to know that we should put ourselves in the path of people to listen to. I had a chance when I was at Cardinal Stritch to go and listen to Coretta Scott King and Martin Luther King Jr.’s sons. I also had a chance to go to Marquette to listen to a Muslim speaker who defined Jihad and other misunderstandings. In many ways, I realize that these too were moments with God. There are are people to which we should listen to and those we should not. Sifting through the noise is difficult. Growing up, there as this speaker w...

  “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” John15:11 Prior to this verse, Jesus is talking about the vine and the branches. He talks about love, the love God wants us to know. As the snow softly blankets the earth this morning, I am reminded of the peace of love. I am reminded of my sleeping grape vines that wait the warmth of the summer sun, and the rain to nourish their roots. The snow covers, protects from animals eating at the stems, and will, when melted also provide nutrients. Our joy is complete when we nourish our roots, and remember that the seasons bring different ways to help us with our journey and growth. Today, take time to enrich your spiritual life by doing one thing: talk with God, call a friend, send a happy text of support …help others to be nourished through you actions on the path…

  “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which good prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10 Good works. Did you ever realized that you specifically have been given a specific good work to do? God has prepared this work in advance. Amazing to me. Yet it is not something I dwell on. I hope that when I “see a need” I fill that need to the best of my ability at the time. There are times when the most I can do is care for myself. However, if we live each day with the thought that we are in a specific place, specific time with specific people, so that smile, that opening of the door, that random kind act that acknowledges someone as human is left to us. Today, be yourself. Realize that the person next to you might just need that smile, that conversation, that present you to acknowledge that there are people who care and are willing to walk with others on the path…

  “I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.” Psalm 9:1 Wonderful deeds. Most of the wonderful deeds in my life come from trivial things. I have not seen any wildlife on my way to work for a while, yet today I saw over a dozen deer! For me, that is wonderful. There are important things in my life that are wonderful, my husband of 42 years, my awesome children, and my grandchildren. I have a huge extended family for which I feel blessed. I could hit most of the states in America and see family. Blessed. Life is not easy, life is full of struggles, but sometimes it helps to take a moment to think about all the wonderful deeds from God in our lives on the path…

  Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8 The cover of darkness. Early this morning, around 12:30 am, my husband and I took my granddaughter for a car ride. This usually puts her to sleep. She did fall asleep about 1am. I found myself back in the car at 5:30 am to go to work. As we drove my granddaughter around in the cover of darkness, the world seems so peaceful. I know a lot of bad can happen in darkness, but when we drive we look for wildlife. Last night we did not see anything. Yet it is the peace and serenity that one cannot help but appreciate. It is like looking a child that finally falls asleep-peaceful. This morning as I drove in darkness, I asked, sought, and knocked. I found this morning, a great time to talk with God. The roads are not cluttered, and my focus on driving isn’t as strained....

 “…be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.” Ephesians 4:32 “It’s a new day, a new dawn…” Can we make this one of kindness? Compassion? And forgiveness? When will we see a kinder, gentler world, not filled with anger? Live as Christ has taught and shown us. Be kind, be compassionate, learn to turn anger into solutions, not more violence, and discover the true treasure of forgiveness on the path…  

 “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:14 Waiting. Not most people’s favorite thing. Are you one of those people who are always in action or have the need to be in action? Need to keep moving? Yet, there are times when we do have to wait. I think cooking teaches patience. If you are patient, you are rewarded with a very good product. Waiting. There are times when we ask God for something, and we need to just wait. I’m learning to just put things in God’s hands and then go on with my business. Let God be God, and me, well, I know I am human. Today, pull up a boulder. Sit a spell. Pour out your heart, then let God be God and learn patience is a virtue on the path…

  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21. Sometimes we are in a situation where we want to lash out. We are angry, and hurt so our actions become ones of destruction. As a human being, I find this a normal response. However, Christ calls us to go beyond this response and find a thread of good so that we do not repay evil for evil. What sets a Christian apart is that they build up and not tear down another person. A person can stand for justice, speak out against injustice in a way that they do not add more destruction, more evil upon the situation. I say this because, as a teacher it is easy to get frustrated, judge and pay back evil for evil. After all, a teacher always wants to be right. Ha, Ha. Seriously though, my goal is to help my students express themselves in positive ways that build up. Yesterday, I told them it is no longer good enough to say, “let’s agree to disagree.” When we do that, we walk away with nothing accomplished. Instead, find...

  Today, as you are on the path…the road sign reads: “but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 522-23) you are asked to travel this road and live it out today on the path….

“Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. In this way, the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only-begotten Son into the world so that we might have life through him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.” 1 John 4:7:10 Today’s liturgical readings start with this reading from 1 John. First, I love how in scripture we are the beloved. Never forget that you are God’s beloved, my friends. Second, the main thread woven throughout scripture is love. Even if the earthly world does not show you love, remember that God does show you love. A great love, an unforgettable love. Before school started, my husband and I went to the dollar store as I created a board game for my Church History students. I needed some dice, game pieces, and other little things to complete the game. My husban...

Peter 3:15 :  “But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence." How would you defend your faith? Apologetics is a way to defend ones faith. Not apologies for it, but to use reason, logic and systematically be able to articulate your faith. It comes from the heart, a faith no one can take away. It is a way to articulate God’s presence in your life and in the world. The creed starts with the word “believe.” Why? Because believe means to have faith even in things we can’t see or rationalize. I believe in God? How do I defend that? I believe there is something bigger than humanity and the properties of the universe. Why? Humanity can’t understand everything, nor control it. I believe in the Holy Spirit because there are times when I needed courage, that is when I had to go beyond my comfort zone or meet a particular difficult challenge. I am ble...

 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John1:1 KJV The Gospel of John starts with pulling the thread of the Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures) into the New Testament by showing that Christ was a woven piece all along. Where to begin? Begin at the beginning. What threads are you weaving through in 2026, and what threads are you tying off? Me? Faith is a thread I always continue to weave in my tapestry. Family is a thread that I’d like to add more threads to this year. Visit more, spend time with, and be there for. Exploring places around me and making memories is always a great thread to pull through. I also think of some new threads I’d like to tie on and add… God’s beginning started by communicating with us, walking with us, and then having God’s love letter written for us to remind us that God’s thread should be part of our tapestry on the path…

 “He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Revelations 21:5 As we begin 2026, perhaps a goal can be to memorize or at least have a weekly scripture passage to live by. I have posted one I created; feel free to create your own. I am finally feeling a little better. I went yesterday and was treated for bronchitis and a sinus infection.   I have been praying that all of you are well and begin 2026 with hope. Hope, faith, and love, these three will overcome anything, and when well planted will bless you forever on the path…

  52 Week Bible Passages to live by. This uses the King James Version. Feel free to print, cut, and put the passage somewhere where you can read it all week. +-----------------------------------------------------------+ WEEK 1 — Genesis 1:1                                       “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”   +-----------------------------------------------------------+ WEEK 2 — Exodus 14:14                                        “The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.”               ...