They told us “never forget”… I’ve always remembered dates. Most of them are good: anniversaries of special events, new beginnings, celebrations, and moments of Joy. Some are not so good, and others are downright terrible. Days we’d like to forget, but sadly, are imprinted on our lives through powerful mental images. Like a scrapbook of…
People everywhere are looking for ways to experience more peace in their lives. But there’s a battle going on inside each of us; a battle for our peace of mind. Sure, the enemy incessantly works to keep people from knowing and loving Jesus and rob them of their eternal futures, but if he can’t succeed…
It’s a hard truth to accept, but I believed the enemy’s lie. Like Eve, I failed to walk away. I stood at the tree and listened as he hissed… “God’s holding out on you.” For God knows that on the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will become like…
When life feels overwhelming, do you wonder if God knows the details of your struggle? A couple of sparrows built a nest on my daughter’s front porch last year. Although they were rather messy little things, it was fun watching momma sit on her eggs, faithfully feed her little ones, and eventually see them fly…
Wouldn’t you love to have a great day, every day? Me too. But if you’re like me, you’re inconsistent about doing the things that help to make today great. Too often, I wake up focused on the list of things I don’t want to do. Then I do a little mental complaining about my stiff…
Are you a hypocrite? You might be a hypocrite if: ♥ If you’re human! The truth is, everyone occasionally gives in to hypocritical thinking. Jesus said… “Do not judge, so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Why…
In this sinful and broken world, God pours out His goodness. He invites us to bring our pain, fear, failures, and confusion to Him, and by His grace through Jesus and the power of the Spirit, He pours patience, mercy, kindness, and love into us. Then He uses us to pour His goodness into the…
It’s not easy to understand or explain how grieving hearts truly feel. It’s been two-and-a-half years since Rev went home to the Lord. My daughter and I were talking recently about dealing with the fact that some days it feels like it’s been five minutes, and others like it’s been five or more years. The…
They’re everywhere. You may even live with one or… Prideful Entitled People! The overbearing, snooty, difficult to get along with, have to have it their way individuals. Whatever you call them, it’s hard to avoid getting caught up in their drama. They seem to have the ability to suck the joy out of every event…
Do you ever have days when you feel unlovable? Days when you can’t stop thinking about your weaknesses, flaws, and failures. Days when your self-awareness turns into self-focus, and the things bothering you are louder than those blessing you. Me too. More often than I’d like. The times we feel unlovable may be one of…
Have you ever stopped to consider that God’s command to “be still” is important for both our faith and health? It’s interesting how the health and medical experts have started stressing the importance of finding time for rest and stillness in our lives. We shouldn’t be surprised. God told us to take a Sabbath Day…
Do you find it hard to resist the enemy? Have you ever noticed how he seems to attack the areas where God is working and helping you grow? I recently reread The Jesus Creed, by Scot McKnight. His challenge to begin and end each day with the Shema, the sacred prayer and ultimate declaration of…
Do you struggle to make the most of today because thoughts about tomorrow keep getting in the way? When our daughter was a little girl, she struggled to understand the concept of time and the difference between today and tomorrow. For example, if we told her… “We’re going to __________ tomorrow.” Like most littles, she’d…
What do you do when you’re frustrated and need more patience? I’ve found a challenge that I believe will help us all. Norman Vincent Peale wrote… “Change your thoughts, and you change your world.” I’m not sure I completely agree with him, but I do believe that changing our thoughts can adjust our attitudes, and…
The alarm goes off, and you can’t believe it’s morning already. You spent a restless night thinking about yesterday’s challenges, and today doesn’t look like it’s going to be much better. You feel overwhelmed, unfit, and you need extra strength. I don’t believe I’ve had a morning lately when I haven’t asked the Lord to…
What if I told you it’s time to stop hiding? My “Gram” used to call it “putting her face on.”. Concealer, foundation, blush, shadow, eyeliner, mascara, and lip gloss. Makeup. I refuse to leave the house without it. I even wore mascara into surgery once because I couldn’t face anyone, even my surgeons, barefaced. I know,…
Is it hard for you to surrender your painful memories? A photo. A smell. A melody. Almost anything can spark a memory and its corresponding emotion. We each carry around a sack full of emotional memories, and the truth is, our memories have the power to make us smile or bring us to tears. Everyone…
As you might imagine, I spend a lot of time thinking about words. And I’ve been thinking about the importance of having strong and healthy conversations if we want to have strong and healthy relationships. The words we choose can too often erode the edges of our friendships and families … until there’s little to nothing…
On a scale of 1 to 10 – If 1 is proud (completely self-focused) and 10 is humble (completely God and others focused), where would you fall? Proud 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10…
The dictionary defines sin as deliberate disobedience to the known will of God. However, that definition only provides a partial truth. If we believe that only deliberate disobedience is sin, it’s easy for us to think of ourselves as being pretty good people. We can start patting ourselves on the back, claiming that we are…
Our human minds cannot fully comprehend the truth about Jesus, Son of God and Son of Man, this side of heaven. He is Almighty God. Creator. King. Alpha and Omega. Good Shepherd. Lion of Judah. Lord of All. Savior. I AM. He is the Word who became flesh in the body of a teenage girl—born…
