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© Shirley Ralston and Texpatfaith, 2011. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Shirley Ralston and Texpatfaith with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.-
Author Archives: texpatfaith
God or Self – Where is Your Focus?
I know that many of you have been traveling this summer. You may have just arrived back in the UAE or perhaps you are still in a state of flux somewhere in the world. That is the nature of the … Continue reading
Posted in Devotional Essays
Tagged 2 Corinthians 12, Angel of the Lord, FOTE, Ghirardelli Square, God, HFBC, Israel, Judges, Nazirite, Philistine, Samson, San Francisco
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Finishing Well
My first bible teacher had a saying that profoundly impacted me in the early years of my Christian life. “Beware of calling on an emergency room God”, she would say. She explained the meaning behind her axiom: “We call on … Continue reading
Posted in Devotional Essays
Tagged danger of success, finishing well, Gideon, God, Israel, Jesus, Judges, Midianite, Penuel
1 Comment
A Very Human Hero
If you pay any attention to the movie scene, you know that a new rendition of Spiderman was released this summer. By my count that’s four Hollywood movies and a Broadway musical based on the Marvel comic book series created … Continue reading
Posted in Devotional Essays
Tagged Gideon, God, hero, Israel, Judges, Marvel Comics, Peter Parker, Spider-Man, Stan Lee
2 Comments
The Struggle to Find Strength in Weakness
When I was in college I was a huge fan of author Robert Ludlum and his iconic character Jason Bourne. When Matt Damon assumed that role in the wildly successful Bourne trilogy movies several years ago, he brought to life … Continue reading
The Struggle with Expectations
This past weekend, the eyes of the world were on the All England Club in London. The Wimbledon tennis finals were especially popular in Dubai. The reason? The large contingent of expatriates from the United Kingdom combined with the opportunity … Continue reading
Posted in Devotional Essays
Tagged Andy Murray, Dubai, Expatriates, expectations, Israel, Judges, London, Othniel, Wimbledon
1 Comment
The Struggle for Faithfulness
The expatriate population is full of truly remarkable people. I’m often amazed and encouraged by the stories of faith that I hear. There is one particular group that seems to bear the challenges of expat living with extra resiliency. I’m … Continue reading
Posted in Devotional Essays
Tagged Christ, Dubai, Expatriate, Faith, HolySpirit, Israel, Israelite, Jordan River, Joshua, Lord, Moses, TCK, The Ten Commandments
2 Comments
Lake Memories on Father’s Day
My flight from Dubai left me jet lagged but my weariness didn’t dampen my excitement. I was back in Virginia, this time for an extended summer stay. As Jeff and I negotiated the narrow curves on route 626, the familiar … Continue reading
Posted in Blog Entries
Tagged Blue Ridge Mountains, Dubai, Father's Day, Roanoke River, Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia
5 Comments
“To Remember” – Memorial Day
There is a place so beautiful, so serene it is hard to imagine the violence and bloodshed responsible for its creation. Though located on the Normandy coast of France, it is officially American soil and filled with American soldiers. This … Continue reading
Posted in Devotional Essays
Tagged glory, Memorial Day, memorials, Normandy, sacrifice, The American Cemetery, United States Armed Forces, World War II
11 Comments
Aging Rockers and My Rock of Ages
Do you ever have moments that crystalize the passage of time? Moments that catch you off guard, surprising you with intense emotion as you look back down the road of your life? Happening at the oddest times and in the … Continue reading
Posted in Devotional Essays
Tagged Apostle Paul, Dubai, Eagles, Epistle to the Philippians, Expat, God, Jesus, nostalgia
2 Comments