Guilt. Shame. Blame. You know . . . those things the enemy uses to discourage you. There’s nothing he loves more than to remind us of our past failures. His goal is to get us to nod in agreement and live defeated. Why? Because when we are discouraged and defeated . . . focused on…
Where do you go when you truly need help? For much of my life, I turned to self-help books. I read parenting books, emotional health books, nutritional health books, and relationship books. My children will tell you that I also used the Bible as a self-help book. I believe the Bible is the best instructional…
Do you ever feel like your prayers are too simple? Do you struggle to find the right words to express your needs and feelings? Do you feel like your words simply bounce off the ceiling and fall flat? Would you like to know for sure that God hears your prayers? One of the things I…
When you’re facing a crisis and you feel overwhelmed where do you go for peace? David wrote today’s Psalm when he was running for his life. His son, Absolom, had organized an army against him. His advisors pressured him to leave town. Now, David’s army had defeated countless enemies but this time it was his…
As I read the following words, it amazed me how applicable they are for today. Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans?The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the Lord and against His anointed one.“Let us break their chains,” they cry, “and free ourselves from slavery…
Life is full of choices. Small choices like what to eat for breakfast or what to wear. And big choices like what career to pursue, who to marry, or where to live . . . what is the right path for my life? One of the interesting things about life’s choices is that although some…
Have you ever wondered what it really means to trust Jesus? One of the first verses almost everyone learns is John 3:16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” So, let’s start by looking…
When is the last time God took your breath away? When was the last time you were so overwhelmed by who He is and all He does that you wanted to fall to your knees in awe and wonder? I’ve been thinking a lot about the miracle of that first Christmas. And I wonder if,…
God’s love for you is perfect and unfailing! “Think of the purest, most all-consuming love you can imagine. Now multiply that love by an infinite amount—that is the measure of God’s love for you.” ~ Dieter F. Uchtdorf As we get closer to Christmas, I want to look away from the trappings of the holiday…
It’s the season of comparisons. Advertisers tempt us to compare every part of our celebrations so they can entice us to make purchases that will “make us feel better about ourselves.” Theodore Roosevelt once said… “Comparison is the thief of joy.” And I believe he was right. The enemy of our souls uses comparisons in…
What does love look like? John wrote… God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17 This is how we know what real love is: Jesus gave His life for us. 1 John 3:16a What does love look like? Love looks like Jesus. You and I find out the specifics of real love…
You and I were created for praise and worship. We will worship someone or something and that is never more clear than it is at Christmas time. Between gifts and gatherings, specials featuring celebrities, and celebratory indulging . . . we can be tempted to worship the creation more than we worship the Creator. But God’s Word…
I have terribly dry and itchy skin. It is always worse during the cold dry winter months. I feel like I spend half my waking hours rubbing and scratching my irritated exterior. The bottom line for this dry-skinned itchiness is that I am always on the lookout for the perfect salve to soothe and calm…
There’s an old Sweedish Proverb that goes like this… “Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half a sorrow.” Joy is not the same as happiness. True Biblical joy is a gift of God, through faith in Jesus. It bubbles up inside of us and overflows to everyone around us. And that’s how…
It’s the Season of Joy! Paul wrote: Always be joyful. 1 Thessalonians 5:16 Really? Always? We want to bubble over with joy . . . but there seem to be so many things working to suck the joy right out of us. We’re trying to accomplish too much in too little time. Children are hyper…
The Season of Advent also called the “Season of Waiting” begins this Sunday. Let’s face it! Most of us don’t like to wait. We live at a time when most things happen fast and when they don’t . . . well, we’re not happy. But the Season of Advent calls us to wait with expectation….
It’s Thanksgiving week in the U.S. and I want to take this opportunity to say that you, my beautiful friends, are near the top of my list of things for which I’m thankful. You faithfully bless me with your friendship and your encouragement. But most of all you bless me by the many ways you…
Rev has often said, “Jesus taught about the things we should do to get along with one another and God gave us families to practice!” Jesus told His followers… And although we want to trust and follow Jesus’ words and example . . . it’s hard to serve consistently and faithfully exhibit humility and mercy…
It seems like people are finding plenty of things to complain about lately. What do you think? How often do you catch yourself complaining? But wait, it’s supposed to be that time of year when we encourage each other to talk more about those things for which we are thankful. And… Aren’t we told that…
I’m an emotional Sanguine. I feel everything. Everything! Once in a Bible Study class, Rev asked me if I remembered an event we’d gone to and my immediate answer was, “I don’t know. Did I cry?” Happy, unhappy, or simply emotional tears . . . I cry easily. Oh, I love to laugh, too. In…
Do you know someone who radiates gratitude? It may be because they know the… 4 Important Truths about Gratitude 1. Gratitude is a choice. Grateful people don’t wait until they get what they want to be thankful. They choose to celebrate what they have. Even when life is hard . . . there are always…
