A Norvell Note: Guard Your Heart

August 2, 2026 – Vol. 30 No. 29

I try to take care of myself, have regular checkups, and monitor my blood pressure. My doctor tells me my heart is healthy. But lately, I have been seeing lots of ads on my iPhone for apps designed to measure my heart rate, blood sugar, and blood pressure. Maybe you have gotten one or two of those ads too? Are our smartphones trying to tell us something?

Or maybe the Lord is trying to tell us something:  Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. (Proverbs 4:23)

Those wise words had meaning centuries ago when they were written and still have profound meaning for us today. 

We need to guard our hearts from selfishness and pride.

We need to guard our hearts from anger and rage.

We need to guard our hearts from the unwholesome, vulgar, and impure.

We need to guard our hearts from holding on to the past and trying to live in the future. 

We need to guard our hearts from hypocritical and judgmental attitudes.

We need to guard our hearts so the Lord can use us to care for His people.

If you need an app to check your blood pressure, get and use it to stay healthy. And guard your heart and protect your soul so you can do the good things He created you to do. 

I love you.

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2026 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

July 26, 2026 – Vol. 30 No. 28

What will your last two words be?

Ian Cron shared on his podcast, “I recently read Ronald Rulheiser’s new book. It’s called Insane for the Light. And it’s about the last third of life. And I love what he has to say. And one of the goals that I have is that the last two words that I say on my deathbed are thank you. That’s the goal. Live in such a way that the last two words you say are thank you.”^[1]

My first thought: “What a goal!”

My second thought: “I want to live like that.”

My third thought: “What kind of life do I need to live so that my last two words to be thank you?”

I will need to live a life filled love for God and for His people.

I will need to live a life where I am intentionally looking for God’s daily miracles and blessings and share them with the people around me. 

I will need to live a life of acknowledging His presence, through the good times and the bad times, knowing I could not survive without Him. 

I want to live a life so my last two words I say are thank You.   

I love you.

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2026 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

^[1] From Typology: Enneagram Essentials: Basic Fears, Jul 16, 2026

This material may be protected by copyright.

July 26, 2026 – Vol. 30 No. 28

What will your last two words be?

Ian Cron shared on his podcast, “I recently read Ronald Rulheiser’s new book. It’s called Insane for the Light. And it’s about the last third of life. And I love what he has to say. And one of the goals that I have is that the last two words that I say on my deathbed are thank you. That’s the goal. Live in such a way that the last two words you say are thank you.”^[1]

My first thought: “What a goal!”

My second thought: “I want to live like that.”

My third thought: “What kind of life do I need to live so that my last two words are thank you?”

I will need to live a life filled with love for God and for His people.

I will need to live a life where I am intentionally looking for God’s daily miracles and blessings and share them with the people around me. 

I will need to live a life of acknowledging His presence, through the good times and the bad times, knowing I could not survive without Him. 

I want to live a life so that my last two words I say are thank You.   

I love you.

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2026 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

^[1] From Typology: Enneagram Essentials: Basic Fears, Jul 16, 2026

This material may be protected by copyright.

A Norvell Note: A Call from a Friend

July 12, 2026 – Vol. 30 No. 26

It was a simple phone call from a friend. We have tried to connect for several weeks, but kept missing each other. Finally, we had time to talk. We shared about our families, the ups and downs of aging, the good and bad of recent and current life events. We laughed. We almost cried a few times. And we laughed more. 

As the conversation was concluding, we almost promised to do better at communicating but paused and agreed, “We’ll do what we do.” And laughed. 

The call reminded me that:

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” (Proverbs 17:17) 

“A sweet friendship refreshes the soul.” (Proverbs 27:9)

I hope you have a friend like mine. I hope you are a friend like mine. We all need refreshment for our souls, and a call from a good friend can do that. 

I love you.

Tom

A Norvell Note: 250^th

July 5, 2026 – Vol. 30 No. 25

From the comfort of our living room sofa in our air-conditioned house, we watched the fireworks in New York City and listened to them going off in our neighborhood. 

Happy 250^th Birthday to the United States of America. 

I love you.

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2026 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

A Norvell Note: Rest for the Weary

June 28, 2026 – Vol. 30 No. 24

It is 5:00 PM on Friday. Your work week is over, finally. It has been a long week, and you are weary. Not just tired, weary. It was a good week, and you accomplished almost everything you set out to do. You are pleased, but man, you are tired.

Maybe it was caring for a loved one that has drained your energy, leaving you sapped. Or maybe it was keeping up with your toddler. Or maybe the fatigue has come because of dealing with a rebellious teenager. Or maybe you feel exhausted because your week included all three. And you are doing it all alone. The thought of another week like this is unbearable.

If you are feeling spent and wondering how you will get through another day, I suggest you find a quiet place to read these two passages from God’s word and to know that God gives rest and renewed energy to the weary. 

Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:28-31)

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

It is okay to admit you are tired. It is okay to say you need rest. And it is okay to ask for help. When you ask, know that God hears you. 

I love you.

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2026 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

A Norvell Note: When Trouble Comes

June 21, 2026 – Vol. 30 No. 23

When we commit to following Jesus and serving the Lord, there is a temptation to think that the rest of our lives will be trouble-free and smooth sailing. Sometimes it. Sometimes it is not. 

When troubles come, there is a temptation to think we are failures, that we are doing something wrong, or that God is unfaithful. Our confidence might be shaken, and our closeness to the Lord may have faded.

In those times, we must remember that missteps and mistakes do not disqualify us. Regardless of how we live our lives, God is always faithful and will not leave us. We can trust Him. He is always faithful. 

If you find yourself in one of those low and dry spaces, maybe these words from Psalm 34 will encourage you. 

The Lord will deliver you from your troubles, and he will rescue you when you take refuge in Him.

The righteous person may have many troubles,

but the Lord delivers him from them all;

he protects all his bones,

not one of them will be broken.

Evil will slay the wicked;

the foes of the righteous will be condemned.

The Lord will rescue his servants;

no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned. (Psalm 34:19-22)

I love you.

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2026 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

A Norvell Note: Returning to Work After Vacation

June 14, 2026 – Vol. 30 No. 22

Coming back to work after a restful vacation can feel daunting. The transition from quiet mornings and leisurely days to meetings, emails, and deadlines may stir up stress or even reluctance. Yet, as followers of Christ, we are reminded that our work is not separate from our faith. Colossians 3:23 encourages us: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”

Vacation is a gift—an opportunity to rest, reflect, and reconnect with God and loved ones. But the return to work is also a gift, a chance to live out our calling in the everyday. Just as Jesus often withdrew to quiet places to pray and then returned to minister (Luke 5:16), our own rhythms of rest and work are meant to glorify God.

As you step back into the office or log in from home, carry the peace you found on your vacation. Let it shape your attitude toward your responsibilities and interactions. See each task, whether big or small, as an offering of service to the Lord. Approach coworkers with patience and kindness, reflecting the refreshment your soul has received.

Pray for a heart that embraces the work set before you, trusting that God can use even routine tasks for His purposes. Remember, your labor is not in vain when done in His name (1 Corinthians 15:58). I pray I can return to work with gratitude, renewed energy, and a perspective that keeps Christ at the center.

I love you.

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2026 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

A Norvell Note 

June 7, 2026 – Vol. 30 No. 21

Fifty Years of Memories and More

Kim and I celebrated our 50^th wedding anniversary in January of this year. Together, we strolled through fifty years of memories. We shared the good, the bad, and the ugly, and agreed that there have been far more good than bad or ugly. We talked about how God brought us together, has sustained us, and has kept us together for these fifty years. 

This week, we continued the celebration by gathering with our children and their families on a beautiful beach near Kualoa Regional Park on the island of Oahu. What a blessing it has been to spend time with them, to stand among them, and to express our love for each other and for them.

We also spent time talking about life’s ups and downs and the state of the world, watching the children play in the pool, and seeing our oldest granddaughter, Isabel, perform with her band, Paper Tiger Riot. God has blessed us again.  

But it hasn’t all been about looking back. Celebrations – anniversaries and birthdays – are about reflecting on the past and looking ahead to the future. How many more anniversaries will Kim and I celebrate? How many more times will we, our children, and our grandchildren blow out the candles on a birthday cake? What will these grandchildren become? Where will we be a year from now?

Those are all questions worth pondering, but not tonight. Tonight, I thank God that Kim and I have been blessed by so many, have hopefully blessed a few along the way, and will continue to do so for as long as we can. We have been and are richly blessed. 

I love you.

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2026 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

A Norvell Note 

May 31, 2026 – Vol. 30 No. 20

I Trust in You

Psalm 55 reads as if it were written in our day. Troubled thoughts. Concerns about enemies. Anguish. Terrors. Fear. Battles are being waged. It is a time of chaos and confusion. When you have time, read the Psalm and put yourself in it. 

David is having a tough time. Yet he keeps his composure and calls on the Lord for protection and assurance. “As for me, I call to God,”

and the Lord saves me.” Then, at the end, he declares, 

“But as for me, I trust in you.”

How about you? When the walls start closing in, and your world is on the verge of collapse, what do you do? When your friends and family are fretting and fearful, what do you do? When you feel yourself sinking lower into despair, what will you do?

The last line is our answer. “As for me, I trust in you.” When the storms come, say, “I trust in you.” When the medical report isn’t what you hoped, say, “I trust in you.” When fear threatens to crush you, say, “I trust in you.” When you don’t know what to do, say, “I trust in you.”

I love you.

TomA Norvell Note © Copyright 2026 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved