Greetings and Welcome!
My goal is to share encouragement, grace, and hope from God's Word, and to brighten your day. Mission trips abroad have enlarged my heart and reminded me once again that regardless of our skin color or location we all need a savior, and His name is Jesus. I pray that my articles will lift your spirits and point you to the One who loves you most.
Fran's newest book
Hope on the Way: Devotions To Go
by Fran Sandin
Do you enjoy traveling? Or like reading about it?
Fran and her husband, Jim, have traveled extensively through the years. In HOPE on the WAY, Fran will take you from Texas to Michigan, Italy, Norway, Ukraine, New Zealand, and beyond as she shares her personal hope-filled stories of God’s powerful hand at work. Several stories include testimonies of folks she met on the way. Throughout the book you will glimpse the faithfulness of God in seasons of both heartache and joy. As you reflect on each encounter, you are reminded to look for HIS moving in your own life. Everyone needs hope and Fran makes it clear where to find it.
Also available on Amazon (print and Kindle) and Barnes & Noble.
Fran Caffey Sandin with Benji Cole from CBS Radio - CITI OF BOOKS: October 17, 2023
Click to Read Fran's Guest Post On Tammy Kennington's Blog Site
Listen to Fran's interview on A Time To Dream Podcast Scroll down to the 10-8-2020 podcast.
Listen to Fran’s January 4, 2020 live radio interview with Nancy Solari, CEO of Living Full Out, Inc. Nancy lives in Oregon, is blind, and after participating in a communications career, started her own show to assist others in overcoming various life challenges. The interview includes commercials and a couple of call-in’s to Nancy in her capacity as a Life Coach before Fran’s interview begins.
https://www.spreaker.com/user/livingfullout/learn-how-managing-loss-can-enhance-your
Read Fran's 9/9/2018 Devotional on ARISE Devos website
Read Fran's 8/26/2018 Devotional on ARISE Daily Devos website
Read Fran's 7/14/2018 Devotional on ARISE Daily Devos website
Click to listen to Fran's interview with Carol Graham's Never Give Up Hope Blogspot
Click to read Fran's interview with Smashwords.com
Click to listen to Fran’s interview with Benji Cole of CBS Radio
Click to listen to Fran’s interview with Nancy Solari
You are welcome to download a free copy of:
- What Hope Can Do - by Fran Sandin
- 7 Tips For A Lasting Marriage - by Fran Sandin
- So What Happens Next? - Tract written by Steve Sandin
- Walking Through the Fire (a grief recovery article)
- Ten Days of Encouragement (for anyone who is depressed)
- Ten Ways to Say "I Care" (to encourage grieving mothers)
- The Russian version of See You Later, Jeffrey
May God bless you in your journey of faith.
Warmly,
Fran
The Threshold
By Fran Sandin
And Samuel said, "If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreth’s and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve Him only, and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines" (I Samuel 7: 3NIV).
This Old Testament account reminded me of an incident when my husband, Jim, and I were in China. As we approached a Buddhist shrine, our Chinese tour guide said, "Do not step on the threshold. It keeps out the evil spirits." So, we stepped over the raised threshold to view the giant golden Budda image. Nauseous incense wafted through the air as our guide lit a candle to worship the idol. As believers in Jesus Christ, Jim and I felt spiritually oppressed by the idol, the lie, and superstition. We exited quickly and felt relieved. Budda is dead, but Jesus lives.
Samuel spoke because Israel had fallen into apostasy and even the priest and his sons were complacent. Furthermore, they lost the battle with the Philistines who stole the Ark of God as a good luck charm. So, Israel was left with both the loss of lives and the Ark of God.
The Philistines thought their god would be supreme when they placed the Ark of God in their temple. Not so. The next morning, they found their god, Dagon, (father of Baal) had fallen face down before the Ark of God. They set the idol up, but the following morning, Dagon fell again. This time his head and both hands were broken and landed on the threshold. Only his torso remained. To this day, no one who enters Dagon’s house will tread on the threshold.
The Ark symbolized God’s presence but did not guarantee His favor. God brought on the agony of tumors and rats. The Philistines transferred the Ark to Gath for a while and then to Ekron where more people were afflicted with tumors and dying. Finally, the Philistines returned the Ark to Israel.
Samuel told the Israelites if they would serve the Lord only and remove their idols, the Lord would deliver them from the Philistines. He acknowledged God’s faithfulness by erecting a "stone of remembrance or stone of help." Israel had turned back to God and The Ebenezer stone became a symbol of Israel’s reverse in behavior.
The men who received the Ark from the Philistines asked, "Who can stand in the presence of the LORD, this holy God?" I must also ask myself the same question.
Our enemy, Satan, strives to lure us away from complete submission to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. What modern-day idols entice us away from our personal time alone with Him? Could it be social media, entertainment, sports, or other endeavors, not necessarily wrong, but do they take precedent over our time with the Lord?
Our God is the God of second chances, forgiveness, renewal, and refreshment. He loves us with everlasting love. Jesus is our threshold, the open door to all who believe Truth. He is the Son of God who shed his blood to pay the penalty for our sins. His Holy Spirit guides and comforts us.
Let us boldly choose the threshold of faith in the Living God and commit our lives wholeheartedly to our LORD. He welcomes us, and we need His powerful presence to deliver us from evil influences in our day.