More from Bill Pike

I am always honored when the editors at The Upper Room accept one of my devotion submissions. Being an editor is tough work. Today’s devotion was submitted to The Upper Room for consideration near the end of September 2022.

The world continues to change. Yet, I still cling to my daily routines. I’m an early riser. I start the day with the Upper Room devotion. This includes reading the suggested scripture and my morning prayers. I also keep a highlighter with me. This allows me to capture words and insights from the other writers in the magazine. If a piece really resonates with me, I try to make a comment on the Upper Room website. I thank the author, briefly reflect on why the piece resonated, and then encourage the author to keep writing.

I cherish the ability to write. It is a gift that keeps me grounded in reality. I’m exhilarated when a submission to a newspaper, magazine, or website is accepted and published. Additionally, I’m disappointment when a piece isn’t accepted. In those situations, I try to learn and regroup with a goal to try again.

As a natural born worrier, I think a lot about our world and how people are hurt by the chaos and turmoil that can change a life in a blink. In these challenging times, I think it is important for our voices to be heard. I believe writing is the perfect tool for capturing what is in our hearts and on our minds. We can’t let darkness overcome us. Writing can be a means for us to bring light and hope into a weary world. Sometimes I find hope in stories that capture human kindness.

Our son and his family, along with his in-laws were recently traveling in England. An unexpected disruption in train travel forced railroad personnel to move passengers from one train to another one. This merger of passengers made for a very crowded train. Lots of people were standing in the aisles because all the seats were taken.

A woman passenger noted that our son’s mother-in-law and one of his young daughters needed to sit down. This passenger knew that her stop was the next one. Just before her stop, she made arrangements to give up her seat to the weary woman and her granddaughter. I wonder what nudged this passenger to offer kindness to perfect strangers? Small acts of kindness like this are good for our souls. They give us hope in a world that can overwhelm us with troubling stories.

My gift for writing has helped me to write and self-publish four books for children. Additionally, during the last seven years, I have over 400 posts on my blog site named Might Be Baloney. I simply write about life from a variety of angles with the goal to make us ponder our world, with a touch of humor and an occasional tear.

Despite my many imperfections, I’m thankful that the light of the good Lord has allowed me to tinker with words.