“I cannot even imagine where I would be today were it not for that handful of friends who have given me a heart full of joy. Let’s face it, friends make life a lot more fun.” ~ Charles Swindoll I totally agree. God created us to be in relationships with Him and with the people…
Paul wrote: Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32 Jesus told us to: Love each other. Just as I have loved you. John 14:34 And Evangelist Henry Drummond combined the two, saying… “Kindness is love in action.” But being kind consistently is hard, isn’t it?…
I can still picture where I was standing, hear the words, and feel the way they hit my heart. I’d finally gotten the courage to share my sadness and longings with an older woman in our congregation. But before the words were fully out of my mouth, she looked at me and said, “Shame on…
Rev and I once stayed at a hotel where there was a card on the nightstand that read: W.I.T. Whatever it Takes. Simply dial ’10.’ Our goal is that every guest leaves satisfied.“ As guests, we appreciated both the message and the goal. And then I started thinking… What if every follower of Jesus, the…
[Jesus said], “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.“ Luke 6:37 We know Jesus told His followers to forgive each other. But I think most of us have experienced a time when it…
What makes a healthy trusting relationship? Not just between husband and wife, but with family members and friends, too. Rev and I talked about this recently and determined that we believe trust is essential in all healthy relationships. So, we made a list of things we believe are important to maintain the trust that is…
Have you ever noticed that we spend Mother’s Day telling moms they’re wonderful? We honor them with love through gifts and attention. The goal is to make moms feel appreciated for all they do and celebrate their role in the lives of their children and their influence on society. And that’s great! But there is…
We’re remembering those who gave their lives and paid the ultimate price for our freedom. Come and tell us who you are remembering today…
What do you think of when you hear the word humility? Is it just the opposite of pride? Pride can be anything from self-respect and satisfaction in a job well done to arrogance and impertinence. Solomon wrote: Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall. Proverbs 16:18 He also wrote: Pride ends in humiliation, while humility…
When you’re marching around the basement with a three-year-old you need a song. Not just any song . . . it needs to be a good one. So, our grandson turned to his grandpa, the music lover, not the music maker, to come up with a tune. Without skipping a beat (pun intended), Rev started singing…
I often struggle with the amped-up ugly interactions that are so prevalent in our current society. I’ve prayerfully asked God to help me look past my own agitation and choose my words here carefully. And I’d like to ask you a question… What’s most important? Popularity? Recognition? Your opinion? Your friend’s opinions? Or the truth? It’s hard to know…
“Do everything with love.” 1 Corinthians 16:14 Paul wrote these words as part of his final instructions in his first letter to the church in Corinth. The Greek word for love in this verse is “agape” . . . love that is: Unconcerned with the self and concerned with the greatest good of another. Agape isn’t born…
It’s so much more fun to talk about grace than obedience but once again the words of James make us squirm, and today he has all of us in the crosshairs. Most of us have experienced the devastating pain of cruel words and they seem to be especially hurtful when they come from someone close…
I’ve been blogging for more than 12 years, and I don’t remember ever receiving the kind of verbal attacks on my faith like I have in recent months. Technology has put a powerful weapon into the hands of social media and those who use it. Studies show that the vast majority of “chatter” on line…
Many of us are feeling sad and lonely this year. It’s been hard to wear masks and isolate ourselves from those we love and care about. I don’t think we ever imagined this virus would still be keeping us apart all these many months later. We’re being asked to forgo our traditional holiday celebrations and…
It’s almost that time of year again when families will gather together for the holidays. The time when personality clashes, opinions, behaviors, and attitudes put a strain on the relationship between parents and their adult children. We all want to have ongoing great relationships with our adult children but they don’t always happen easily. But…
For many of us in America, our Thanksgiving celebration is rich with traditions we enjoy with family and friends. We gather together and dine on must-have recipes that get gobbled up (pun not intended) way too quickly. What if we’re missing some of the best and most important parts of celebrating Thanksgiving out of hurried…
It’s been a weird season for friendships, hasn’t it? We’ve spent much less time with each other in person and our online relationships seem to be burdened by the overshadowing of divisive views and opinions being tossed in the air like confetti. It’s funny! Some friendships seem effortless and last a lifetime and others crash…
Self-righteousness is an attitude of moral superiority that is derived from the idea that a person’s beliefs, actions, or affiliations are of greater virtue than those held by anyone who doesn’t hold to the same beliefs and attitudes. Or to say it more succinctly – self-righteousness says I’m right and therefore superior to anyone who…
On the list of things most of us wish Jesus hadn’t said … this would be at the top! But it’s right there in Matthew… “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” Matthew 5:43–44 Love your enemies! Really?!…
I want to stop and celebrate the blessing of friends today. Not our list of Facebook friends with whom we share the edited versions of our stories but the close group of people who know our real stories … those stories we keep hidden away from most of the world. I want to celebrate the…
