A Norvell Note

A Norvell Note

May 11, 2025 – Vol. 29 No. 17

Don’t Let This Rattle You.

“Don’t let this rattle you. You trust God, don’t you? Trust me.”  (John 14:1)

These are simple words Jesus speaks to comfort His disciples, knowing their world is about to change dramatically. We need to hear these simple words often, as we live in uncertain times when our world can change dramatically in a heartbeat.

Your portfolio shrinks as the stock market takes another significant drop. “Don’t let this rattle you.”

You receive the dreaded letter of rejection from the college of your dreams. “Don’t let this rattle you.”

You don’t get the promotion that you feel you deserve. “Don’t let this rattle you.”

The test reveals that your dad has Alzheimer’s. “Don’t let this rattle you.”

These are simple words that may sound empty, but the power of the statement comes from what follows: trust. Trust God. Trust Jesus. 

When your world is falling apart, trust God. 

When you don’t know the next step to take, trust God. 

When you are confused and afraid and don’t know what to do, trust. 

Simple words for difficult times. “Don’t let this rattle you. Trust God. 

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2025 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

A Norvell Note

April 27, 2025 – Vol. 29 No. 17

We Did It Again

We did it again. Once more, we, some of the descendants of Floyd and Agnes Mangum, traveled several miles to attend a family reunion. Traveling those miles allowed us to spend a few hours sharing memories, looking at photos, remembering those no longer with us, and honoring the heritage these two left us. 

We have had larger groups, and eventually, we will have smaller groups, although we don’t want to think about it; one day, there will be no more earthly reunions. But for now, if we can, we will do whatever we can to be together. 

Why? Why does my family, and many of you, observe these rituals? 

We do it because we are family. We are bound together by blood or by heart. We were born into the family, or we were adopted into the family. Either way, we are connected in a way that sometimes defies logic and may not make sense to those outside the family. 

We do it because we are grateful. We are thankful for our common history. We appreciate those who have gone before us and taught us important life lessons, like loving God with all our hearts and loving our neighbors as ourselves. We do it to encourage each other to do good, love mercy, and walk humbly with the Lord. 

We do it simply because we enjoy each other and want to be together as much as possible. We cherish the shared memories and long to make new ones. We realize we are blessed to have been born into our family and can’t imagine any other life. 

Finally, we do it because we have experienced enough loss that we know we must take life for granted. We have today. We live now. So, we travel, sacrifice, share, gather, and pray that we leave a legacy for those who come after us that is worth remembering and following. 

We did it again, and if possible, we will do it again next year.

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2025 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

A Norvell Note

April 20, 2025 – Vol. 29 No. 16

He Did It!

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” (Matthew 28:8-10)

When these women reached the disciples, I cannot imagine them calmly saying, “Greetings, brothers and sisters, we have something important to share about our Lord, whom some witnessed dying on the cross three days ago. We went to the tomb, but He was not there. At first, we were confused, sad, and afraid, but then we spent a few minutes with Him and explained what had happened. He instructed us to return to you and give you a detailed account of what happened.” 

No, I imagine them rushing in, out of breath, saying, “HE DID IT!”

Everything changed in that instant. Everything. 

Because I believe He did that, countless times I have said, “He did it!” as I realize that He did something in my life that He assured me He would do. 

When I am lonely and realize He is with me, I should say, “He did it!” He said, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” (Hebrews 13:5)

 When I am afraid and confused, I remember what He said, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10) He did it!

When I feel weak and discouraged, I recall His promise, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6) He did it!

Of course, there are times when I pray, and nothing appears to happen—only silence. But even in those times, I remember His words. “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:10). “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4) He did it!

He did it! That is the message of the empty tomb. He did it then, and He still does it today. 

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2025 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

A Norvell Note

April 13, 2025 – Vol. 29 No. 15

Full of Hope

It was great to be in Hope, Arkansas, again this weekend. The visit was for my fifty-fifth high school reunion. We had a wonderful time reminiscing, sharing stories, and enjoying each other’s company. 

Driving home, I reflected on how much hope I have. I grew up in Hope, Arkansas, graduated from Hope High School, and am a Hope Hospice chaplain. When we adopted our two cats in the early stages of COVID-19, we named one Hope. I have Hope all around me and deep within me. 

More importantly than where I grew up, went to school, and where I work, I have been filled with a strong sense of hope in my life because of my faith in God, His spirit living in me, and the reality of Jesus Christ deep in my soul. 

I have hope during the darkest days and nights because I know God is with me and will never leave me. 

I continue to have hope that the future is bright when the world appears to be crazy around me because I know God has always sustained me and provided for me.

I have hope because I know that God is transforming me into the image of His Son. Although that process is sometimes confusing and painful, it will be worth it in the end.

I am, always have been, surrounded by people of hope. I serve the God of hope. And He has planted within the living spirit of Hope. 

I am full of hope. 

A Norvell Note ^© Copyright 2025 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

A Norvell Note

April 6, 2025 – Vol. 29 No. 14

Words Don’t Come Easy

As you might imagine, I think about words often. I regularly pray, “Lord, give me words.” When I preached full-time, I would say, “Lord, speak to me, then speak through me.” Most of the time, words come, but sometimes not so effortlessly.

Words don’t come easy when explaining why you must explain why you must move to another city. 

Words don’t come easy when your daughter comes home with a broken heart.

Words don’t come easy when your son’s hero falls off the pedestal.

Words don’t come easy when the doctor says your child has cancer. 

Words don’t come easy when your son gets a rejection letter from the college of his dreams.

Words don’t come easy when your fiancé says he has changed his mind about marrying you. 

Words don’t come easy when you thought the job was in the bag, but it wasn’t. 

Words don’t come easy when your mother gets sick and you become the primary caregiver.

Words don’t come easy when the word dementia enters the conversation. 

Words don’t come easy when you sit beside a husband as he says goodbye to his wife of sixty years. 

Sometimes words don’t come easy. In those times, we can trust that the Spirit of God knows us and understands what is in our hearts. 

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people by the will of God.” (Romans 8:26,27, NIV)

Lord, give me words. 

A Norvell Note ^© Copyright 2025 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

A Norvell Note

March 30, 2025 – Vol. 29 No. 13

Don’t Panic

You may need to read and hear these words from Isaiah 41:20 (The Message): “Don’t panic. I’m with you. There’s no need to fear, for I’m your God. I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you. I’ll hold you steady and keep a firm grip on you.” 

Notice what He did not say: He did not say that you will never find yourself in dangerous or frightening situations. He did not tell you that you would never feel exhausted. He did not say you will never feel unsteady or as if you are losing your grip. 

He assures you there is no need to panic when life turns wild and chaotic because He is with you. 

He reminds you that when you are tired and weary, He will give you strength and help you keep going when you want to give up. 

He affirms that when you feel unsteady or are losing your grip, He will hold on to you and keep you steady.

I agree with Willie that we are living “At a time when the world seems to be spinnin’ hopelessly out of control.” (Willie Nelson, Hands On the Wheel) But, I must stay calm, not panic, because God is with me. 

I sometimes get tired physically, mentally, and spiritually. That is when I try to depend on God to strengthen me so I won’t give up trying to live a good life.

When it feels like the world is spinning hopelessly out of control, and sometimes I become so tired that I want to give up on living the good life, I feel unsteady, as if the ground beneath me is giving way. I will hold His hand and trust that He will guide me. 

He is with me. He strengthens me. He is holding me. I can keep going.

A Norvell Note ^© Copyright 2025 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

A Norvell Note

March 23, 2025 – Vol. 29 No. 12

N. Hervey Street

The transformation always seemed like it happened overnight. 

The drive into town (Hope, Arkansas) on what was then known as N. Hervey Street had big oak trees on each side of the street until the underpass.

In the summer, these giant oaks provided a canopy of shade for all who passed through in cars or bicycles. 

In the Fall, the leaves drifted in the breeze as they took on the new role of carpeting the street and sidewalk. In the winter, the branches were bare as if reminding me of the dark and lonely days of loss I had experienced and preparing me for others to come. 

But in the Spring, after those cold and barren days of winter, erupted with new life. The transformation always seemed to happen overnight. The naked limbs and branches that I had passed on the way home the day before had become clothed first with the brownish string-like things (I still call them worm-like-things), then soon disconnected and rained down on the street and sidewalk, clearing the way for the green growth of Spring.^[1]   

I loved that drive into downtown Hope. 

That drive has changed from the images I carry with me. The street is broader now. Most (if not all) of the big oak trees are gone. I remember the shock of driving into town after the city had removed trees. I still feel sad when I drive into town on N. Hervey Street. 

So why am I taking this nostalgic drive down N. Hervey Street today? I don’t know, but it has to do with changing seasons. It’s dry and dusty in South Central Texas. We need rain. Although there are signs of Spring, the transformation this year seems slow. I have seen some red buds (I think they look purple), green fields, and pastures, and our yard is gradually turning from brown to green. I have noticed some brownish string-like things hanging from the big oak trees. 

I enjoy change. I like to rearrange furniture (especially in my office/study), and I want to try new and different ways of doing things in hopes of improvement. I’ve been called a change agent by some. I took it as a compliment, even though that was not the intent. However, I’ve experienced enough loss and identify well with those who grieve and understand that change is hard. It is painful. It takes time for grief to do its work. And grief must be allowed to do its job. 

As I sit here, reflecting on the changes I’ve witnessed, I realize that change is inevitable. The seasons teach us this lesson year after year. They show us that while the old must give way, it paves the way for the new. The transformation, though sometimes slow and painful, brings growth and renewal.

So, as I look out at the transitioning landscape of my life and surroundings, I find comfort in knowing that each season brings its beauty and lessons. Change may be challenging, but it is also a testament to life’s enduring cycle of renewal and hope.

The drive into Hope on N. Hervey Street seems to be that reminder to me. I hope you have a street like N. Hervey Street in your life. 

A Norvell Note ^© Copyright 2025 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

^[1] The Brown Stringy Things On the Ground: Oak Tree Catkins. https://www.gardenexperiments.com/what-are-all-these-trees-dropping-on-the-ground-in-spring/

A Norvell Note

March 16, 2025 – Vol. 29 No. 11

He Hears He Sees

I opened my journal and wrote, “Lord, my ears and eyes are open to what you want me to hear and see.” 

 She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me. ”That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; it is still there, between Kadesh and Bered.

So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael (“God sees”) to the son she had borne.16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.” (Genesis 16:13-15)

I asked Him to help me hear Him, and He reminded me that He hears me. I asked Him to help me see Him, and He reminded me that He sees me.

With those thoughts, I went about my day. 

When faced with a stressful situation, I remembered that He heard me when I asked for help staying calm. He saw me and knew where I was and what I was facing.  

As I confronted a confusing situation, I thought, “I know You hear my confusion.” When fear nearly paralyzed me, I said, “I know You see me.” 

Remember that He hears and sees you as you navigate your day. Listen for Him; look for Him. He’s listening, and He’s watching. 

A Norvell Note ^© Copyright 2025 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

A Norvell Note

March 9, 2025 – Vol. 29 No. 10

Be There

Life lesson: You are what the world needs.

Many years ago, when we were involved in college ministry, there was a group of college ladies who committed to visiting a nursing home regularly. Occasionally, they needed transportation to and from the facility, which was several miles from campus. They gave their time and energy to residents in the not-the-nicest facility. The urine smell was strong, some areas were dark, and many residents were in feeble health and had difficulty communicating. That didn’t deter these college ladies. 

The college ladies had become friends with specific people and would spend most of their time providing companionship and conversation with their adopted residents. It was a beautiful example of giving yourself away. 

On one occasion, as the designated driver, I heard one lady singing gospel songs as I moved around the room. When I turned to see where the singing was coming from, I saw a lady who was blind, had no legs below her knees, and was sitting in her wheelchair. I pulled up a chair and sat beside her. We talked for a while, and as I was telling her goodbye, she thanked me for stopping to talk with her and said that she had prayed earlier in the day that “God would send me someone to talk to today. So, you were an answer to my prayer.”

I left that somewhat rundown facility feeling like God had used me, that I was right where I was supposed to be, and that I had been “an answer to prayer.” 

I think about that lady now and then (I wish I could remember her name), especially now that I am making similar visits daily as a Hospice Chaplain. I reflect on her words when I wonder if this is what I am supposed to be doing, what I am doing with my life, and where I am supposed to be. That lady in the Palmyra, Tennessee, nursing facility first reminded me that I could be an answer to someone’s prayer by simply being present at the moment. 

At about that same time, I read and began to understand the Sermon on the Mount, particularly these words. 

13 You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:13-16)

If you ever wonder about your purpose in life, the answer may not be as complicated as you think. Just show up. Be there for people. Be salt. Add some flavor to their lives. Be a light in what may be a dark world. 

You may be the answered prayer to a lonely lady in a wheelchair.

It may not seem very important, but the world needs you.

A Norvell Note ^© Copyright 2025 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

A Norvell Note

March 3, 2025 – Vol. 29 No. 09

A Strange Rejoicing

Life lesson: Don’t be surprised. Rejoice. 

Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 10:11-12, NIV)

I confess. My experiences of being persecuted because of my commitment to God consist of me possibly not being invited to a party or two and exclusion from a few conversations. No one sends me threatening letters or emails, and I have never received hate mail from an angry member of the community or workplace. There is no threat of imprisonment unless I deny my faith. 

Have you?

When Jesus encouraged us to consider it a blessing, he was not if you get mistreated because you are acting like a jerk or being an obnoxious know-it-all. He said, If you live and act like me, don’t be surprised and rejoice. That means they see something in you that reminds them of me. They hate me. If you follow me, there will be times when they persecute you just like me.

Another question: If we claim to be followers of Jesus, why aren’t we being persecuted?

A Norvell Note ^© Copyright 2025 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved