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A Reflection Before Prayer on the death of Rob and Michele Reiner - I wasn’t going to speak out, but now I must. I am deeply disappointed in what I’m seeing today. Moments like this expose something uncomfortable about all of us.When tragedy strikes, it reveals what’s been living just under the surface — our anger, our loyalties, our grudges, and sometimes our lack of restraint. It’s troubling to watch grief turn into commentary, and loss become a talking point. Especially when the voices we expect to lead with dignity don’t.But as followers of Jesus, we’re called to something steadier.We don’t measure human life by ideology.We don’t cheer death because we disagreed with the living. And we don’t let outrage — from any side — have the final word.This doesn’t mean we abandon truth or conviction. It means we remember that every life lost leaves a ripple of pain, and every tragedy is a reminder that the world is more broken than any one debate can explain.So before opinions, before conclusions, before commentary — we pray, I pray.Dear Heavenly Father, I come to You in the middle of shock and sorrow, when the world feels upside down. You alone are our Rock when tragedy strikes and confusion reigns. I lift up the family and friends of Rob and Michele Reiner, and those who grieve, those who are hurting, and all who are shaken by this senseless loss.Father, in a world where anger and division speak so loudly, remind us that no tragedy escapes Your gaze and no soul is beyond Your mercy. You did not come to condemn the world, but to redeem it. You see broken hearts and wounded souls everywhere—even in places marked by bitterness or deep disagreement.Grant peace to those who mourn. Grant clarity to those seeking truth. Grant Your steady presence to all who feel unsettled today.Teach us to pray for truth, justice, and healing—not for deeper division. Help us trust You even when understanding feels out of reach. Hold close every soul caught in the wake of this heartbreak.In Jesus’ name, Amen.

A Reflection & Prayer about Rob & Michele Reiner

“Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”Mark 15:34 “And at the nineth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, says, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”, which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?” &nbsp;Mark speaking primarily to Gentiles, tells the story of Christ’s crucifixion, quotes Jesus in Aramaic, the common language of both Jews and Gentiles.Matthew 27:46 “And at the nineth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, says, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” &nbsp;Matthew, tells the same story, but to a different audience. &nbsp;He spoke to &nbsp;Jews, who were familiar with Hebrew language used during Jewish religious settings.In both Mathew and Mark, Jesus is quoted first in His native language and then translated in modern English.Have you ever wondered why? &nbsp;All four gospels follow the life of Jesus, All four authors quote Jesus prolifically, but no other words spoken by Jesus are documented in this way. So why these and no others? Why are these so important?Because these words are so important.To understand the full meaning of Jesus’ words, let’s go back to the days of His ministry and explore what the culture was like.For Jews and Gentile alike, the Roman empire regulated the economy. Under the supervision of Governor Pontius Pilate, soldiers the enforced criminal justice systemsBut the Jews lived under the rule of a second government as well. The Sanhedrin council, made up of the high priest, Ciaphas, and his priests, elders, and scribes, controlled the religious laws.Before printing presses were invented, and before the Bible was divided into chapters and verse, scribes copied the books of each author on seperate scrolls. &nbsp;These scrolls were opened during temple service and read aloud to the congregation.Now-a-days, to find a particular scripture, we search for the highlighted numbers. For example, Psalm 22:1-20. &nbsp;But back then, the sections were highlighted by the first sentence of a particular section. That sentence referred to the rest of the selected section.Luke 4:16-21 tells us that Jesus’ first act of His earthly ministry was to read the first sentence of Isaih 61 in the synagogue.16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read. 17 And He was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,&nbsp;Because He has anointed Me, To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” Isaiah 61:120 Then He rolled up the scroll, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” NKJVThat day, he spoke to the priests and the scribes, and to the congregation in general.In reading the first sentence, Jesus referred to the rest of Isaiah’s prophesy about the coming Messiah. With those words, He publicly announced He was the Messiah. They didn’t believe Him.After three years in an earthly body, Jesus stood before the priests again. Both Matthew and Mark tell the story. Hours of torture and interrogations. Judged by the high priest and sentenced by the governor. &nbsp;Jesus hung on a cross and spoke the first sentence again. &nbsp;This time from Psalm 22. &nbsp;Uttering His final words, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” He referred all those listening to the rest of David’s prophetic words, written14 generations prior.22:1 My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning?22:2 O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear;&nbsp;And in the night season, and am not silent.22:3 But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel. 22:4 Our fathers trusted in You; They trusted, and You delivered them. 22:5 They cried to You, and were delivered; They trusted in You, and were not ashamed.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;22:6 But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people. 22:7 All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 22:8 “He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 22:9 But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts. 22:10 I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother’s womb You have been My God. 22:11 Be not far from Me, For trouble is near; For there is none to help.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 22:12 Many bulls have surrounded Me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me. 22:13 They gape at Me with their mouths, Like a raging and roaring lion.&nbsp; 22:14 I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me. 22:15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 22:16 For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; 22:17 I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. 22:18 They divide My garments among them,And for My clothing they cast lots.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 22:19 But You, O Lord, do not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me!&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 22:20 Deliver Me from the sword, My precious life from the power of the dog. 22:21 Save Me from the lion’s mouth And from the horns of the wild oxen!...The general congregation may not have understood Jesus’ partial message, but the priests and scribes, would have known the rest of the scriptures, would have known the words of David’s prophesy, and should have recognized what they had just done, should have admitted that Jesus was the Messiah. They didn’t.At first read, the first sentence of Chapter 22,“Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” &nbsp;seems like a forsaken, defeated Son crying in despair to His Father. &nbsp;But the chapter doesn’t end with verse 21. Continuing ‘til verse 31, we understand that this question links us to the proclamation made by the victorious Messiah who could not be destroyed.The important part of the message in chapter 22 is not about Jesus’ question. The important part is about God’s answer.22:21 You have answered Me.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 22:22 I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You. 22:23 You who fear the Lord, praise Him! All you [b]descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel! 22:24 For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Nor has He hidden His face from Him; But when He cried to Him, He heard.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 22:25 My praise shall be of You in the great assembly; I will pay My vows before those who fear Him. 22:26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied; Those who seek Him will praise the Lord. Let your heart live forever!&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 22:27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, And all the families of the nations shall worship before You. 22:28 For the kingdom is the Lord’s, and He rules over the nations.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 22:29 All the prosperous of the earth shall eat and worship; All those who go down to the dust shall bow before Him, even he who cannot keep himself alive.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 22:30 A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation, 22:31 They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, That He has done this.”What sounded like despair to the crowd was actually a declaration of fulfillment. This is the message of hope, spoken for all those who fear the Lord. It is a promise for the future, proclaimed from our now invisible, but ever-present Savior. &nbsp;Anne Mileur

“Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”

How important are you to Me?&nbsp; As I was looking around today, a simple question settled into my spirit—not loud, not dramatic—just steady and unmistakable:How important are you to Me?And then came the answer, one I may never fully see the results of on this side of heaven:&nbsp;“My greatest harvest will come from the seeds I plant in you.”- Not the crowds. - Not the platforms. &nbsp;-Not the applause or the outcomes we measure. You.Much of what God asks us to do is unseen, unfinished, and unresolved in our lifetime.When we speak His Word, live it out, and pass it on to others, we are planting seeds we may never personally see come to harvest.Ministry was never meant to be a transaction—I give, I see results. It is an act of obedience—I plant, God grows.Jesus said, “One sows and another reaps.” (John 4:37)That truth frees us. Our calling is not to manage outcomes, measure success, or force fruit. Our calling is to be faithful with the seed—God’s Word—entrusted to us.Some of what you’ve poured into others will take root years from now. Some will surface in moments you’re not present for. Some will bless people who never know your name.And that’s okay.God has always worked this way—through generations, not headlines. When we plant His Word in others, we are participating in a harvest that belongs to Him alone.So if I may pass this on to you:Plant faithfully. Trust deeply.And rest in this truth—No seed sown in obedience is ever wasted. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Anne Mileur"When we speak His Word, live it out, and pass it on to others, we are planting seeds we may never personally see come to harvest. No seed sown in obedience is ever wasted." &nbsp; 5h &nbsp; Reply Hide &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Other posts &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; &nbsp; Ray Mileur 8m ·Shared with Public &nbsp; &nbsp; Quote of the Day - "My grand-pappy use to always say, don't jump in the water to try to save someone who is drowning, if you don't knkow how to swim." ~ Lane Street &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Lane Street"I have seen too many try and they both end up under water and folks that advice wasn’t just about water.” ~ Lane Street &nbsp; 4m &nbsp; Reply Hide &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; Facebook &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

How Important are you to Me?

Daily Devotional - How easily we slip into thinking we’ve wandered too far, fallen too hard, failed too often. That persistent voice inside—sometimes a whisper, sometimes a roar—tells us we’re beyond reach, that surely God must be disappointed. We carry our mistakes like heavy stones, each one adding to the weight of shame, each memory replaying like a film we wish we could erase. The heaviness settles in our chest, making every step forward feel impossible.Then there is the Word, "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.: John 3:17, that breaks through like the dawn. God did not send His Son to condemn us. The mission of Jesus was not heaven’s judgment, but heaven’s love reaching down. He didn’t come to catalogue our failures, but to lift us from them—to gather us up from the places we’ve fallen and lead us home.Every moment of His life echoes this truth. His compassion for the broken. His healing touch on the unclean. His gentle words to the outcast. His arms stretched wide on the cross. From His first miracle at a humble wedding—turning water into wine to spare a family embarrassment—to His final breath, offering forgiveness to those who crucified Him, Jesus revealed the heart of God: not condemnation, but salvation; not rejection, but restoration.I spend a great deal of time beside hospital beds, walking with people in their final hours. Too often, I hear the same quiet fear—disappointment in themselves, or disappointment in God—because they were never properly shepherded into the truth of His grace. Many don’t doubt God’s power; they doubt His willingness to receive them.Today, let this truth set your heart free: you are not God’s disappointment—you are the reason He came. Christ’s journey to the cross was not reluctant or accidental; it was purposeful love. And even now, He still reaches for the weary, the broken, and the unsure, calling them beloved. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Daily Devotional - John 3:17

Tales of the White Hat, "The Midnight Rider" - Folks sometimes ask me about the man in the white hat—how he ends up getting the calls others don’t, and why people reach for him when the hour is late and hope is thin.Lane Street isn’t that man. I’m just the one telling his story.What follows is a true account—one I’ve heard firsthand—of a servant of God who learned long ago that when the call comes at midnight, obedience matters more than credentials.There are calls you get in life that don’t ask if you’re ready. They don’t care if you’re tired, doubting, or wondering whether someone else might be better suited for the job.They just come."One night, years back, the man in the white hat got a call from an ICU. A man wasn’t expected to make it through the night. The family didn’t ask for a specialist or a scholar. They asked the hospital to call the man in the white hat.So he got up. Pulled on his boots. Made his way to the hospital. Truth is, on the drive over, the old questions showed up right on time. Isn’t there someone better than me? More educated? More eloquent? Someone who prays prettier prayers?But the answer came quiet and steady, the way the Holy Spirit usually speaks when He means business: "I call you, because you will go."He prayed with the family. He said what the Lord gave him to say. Then he left. He didn’t follow up. Didn’t check back. Because it wasn’t his job to make God’s Word work. That belonged to God.Almost a year later—nearly to the same hour—another call came from that same hospital.When he stepped into the ICU, a woman came running toward him and grabbed him. At first, he didn’t recognize her. She looked familiar, but he couldn’t place her. Then a man stepped up beside her.She said, “This is my husband. He wasn’t supposed to make it through the night… and you prayed for him.”His heart leapt clean out of his chest. He was overjoyed. Grateful. Awestruck. For a moment, it felt like a celebration handed straight down from heaven.Then she looked at him again—and her next words shook him to the core.“Our son is in a coma. We need you to pray for him.”No one could see it, but inside, his knees were shaking. With every step toward that room, he cried out to God—reminding Him that He prepares the way and does not forsake those He sends.He wasn’t walking in confidence.He was walking in obedience.He stepped into that ICU room and began to pray. After a moment, he reached out and placed his hand on the young man’s knee.And just like that… the young man came out of the coma.He reached past his mother, his father, his wife—and grabbed hold of the man in the white hat. And in that moment, the unmistakable power of God flowed through him… to that young man.Not because of who the man in the white hat was. Not because of anything he did. But because God showed up.And when it was done, the man in the white hat left—quietly, like the Lone Ranger of old. He didn’t check back. Didn’t circle the moment. Because again… it wasn’t his job to make God’s Word work.When you serve an Almighty God, there are things you witness that don’t fit neatly into words. You just carry them with you—humble, grateful, and a little quieter than before.And you learn something important along the trail: God doesn’t call at midnight because you’re the best man for the job. He calls because you’ll answer.That’s the ride of the Midnight Rider.I didn’t live this story. I witnessed it. — Lane Street Saddle up. I’ll see you on the trail.

The Midnight Rider

From the Bleachers to the BattlefieldThere’s a trend in the modern church that can no longer be ignored. Across the country, we’re seeing the fruit of a faith built on constant movement but shallow roots. Full rooms, big platforms, and endless activity—yet little spiritual depth or endurance.For more than twenty years, many have quietly warned that a church shaped primarily around attraction would struggle when tested. Today, that warning is no longer theoretical. We are seeing the manifestation.Too many believers have been trained to be spectators, not disciples. They rush from place to place, sermon to sermon, seeking the next experience—yet never settle in long enough to be formed, corrected, or strengthened. Growth requires obedience. Maturity requires endurance. Neither comes from remaining on the sidelines.Jesus did not call crowds to be entertained. He called disciples to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him. That calling has never changed.The church was never meant to be a stadium filled with fans—it was meant to be a body, every part engaged, accountable, and prepared to stand when the battle reaches the gate.This isn’t a condemnation. It’s a call. Not to wander—but to walk. Not to watch—but to follow.“The Kingdom ain’t a sightseeing tour. Sooner or later, every believer’s called to choose between the bleachers and the battlefield.”