What is grace and what does it mean to embrace grace? Max Lucado wrote… God answers the mess of life with one word, “Grace.” I’ve often heard it said that grace is God’s “undeserved favor.” I typically share the following definitions for grace and mercy… And one more says… For Christians, grace is the free…
The need to forgive and be forgiven is a human condition that affects everyone. And forgiveness is hard. It’s hard to admit we need to be forgiven and at times even harder to let go of our pain and anger so we can forgive others. We just celebrated all that Jesus gave to make our forgiveness…
We love celebrating Jesus’ resurrection but there’s a part of us that wants to look away when it comes to the Lord’s suffering and death. We don’t want to see ourselves running away in fear with the disciples. We don’t want to see ourselves standing in the crowd shouting, “Crucify Him.” We don’t want to…
On Good Friday followers of Jesus focus their hearts and minds on Jesus’ suffering and death on a cross. In 1991, Pope John Paul II revised the 14 Stations of the Cross to align withevents as they were recorded in Scripture. So let’s pause today and… Walk the steps of Jesus, our Lord and Savior, through…
What do you do when life is painful? If you’re like me, you’re tempted to pull the covers over your head and hide. Wouldn’t we all prefer a life of comfort, peace, and contentment? The world wants us to believe peace and contentment are found in financial security, a successful career, and perfect relationships. The…
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve cried out … “Lord, I can’t do this. It’s too hard.” I can imagine that you’ve had times when you were grieving and prayed similar words through tears as well. I’m learning to walk through this season of grief and so thankful that the Lord is with…
What’s your purpose? It took me a long time to understand that I have just one primary purpose. Especially when I consider the definition of the word purpose… The reason something was made or created. The reason it exists. I used to believe that my purpose was to be a wife, a mom, a teacher, and…
You’ve heard the saying, “Pride comes before the fall.” And that’s what I thought it was … a saying our mothers told us to try to keep us humble. But as Rev would say, “That’s downright Biblical.” Solomon wrote… Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall. Proverbs 16:18 What exactly is pride? What…
What does it mean to have faith? Do you define your faith by the church you attend? Is it based on your feelings or outlook on life? Does it change based on the latest popular opinion or philosophy? What do you do when you want to grow in faith? A verse in Hebrews defines faith…
I’m a problem solver. I love finding solutions and fixing problems. I’m entertained by puzzles and creating ways to resolve dilemmas. Until I can’t. The truth is that many of life’s big problems can’t be fixed. There are times when our feeble human efforts simply aren’t enough. Times when our worlds are shaken by things…
How would you define faith? What would you say if someone asked you to define your faith in God? How do you explain what it means when you say you believe? Several years ago, God gave me the word SEEK as my word for the year; by the end of that year, I had determined…
Do you like the “sound of silence”? Do you thrive in stillness? Years ago, I could easily spend time with the only sound being the thoughts rattling around in my head. But in recent years, it seems like I’m restless when it’s completely quiet. I used to need total darkness and quiet to sleep but…
As I sit quietly in my favorite chair, my Bible is on my lap and my journal is beside me. And in the stillness, I ask the Lord to speak to me … I want to listen to the Spirit and hear His voice. I thank Him for His promises and loving words of encouragement…
The message of the world is—do what makes you happy. The following quote sums it up well… “Happiness isn’t an accident. It’s a decision to prioritize yourself and enjoy your life.” – Unknown Is it? If that’s the case, why are so many people miserable at the moment? Maybe that’s the reason why God’s Word prioritizes…
What does it take to live with peace and joy? Paul wrote the following while sitting in a Roman prison… Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Philippians 4:4 It seems like the last place in the world where someone would be able to live with peace and joy. But…
It can be easy to remember and recite the words of the Lord’s Prayer but what if Jesus meant for us to use it as a model and pray it in our own words … personally pouring our hearts out to the Father? It’s called The Lord’s Prayer because it’s the prayer Jesus taught His…
Jesus told His disciples… “And if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Matthew 21:22 (CSB) Other translations say… “Whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” (NKJV)“You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.” (NLT)“Whatever you ask for in prayer, having faith and [really]…
It’s the season of Lent on the church calendar … the time of year when we focus on Jesus’ gracious and merciful sacrifice for our sins. Some people “give up” something and some add something. I want to be even more intentional about prayer. Because… One of the things that leaves a mark on my…
Hi Friends, it is hard for me to find the words right now … Rev’s struggle with ALS is over and he is safely in the arms of Jesus. I am so very thankful for the lasting love I have shared with this wonderful man. I write my posts in advance, so you will still…
Almost everyone goes into marriage believing they have found love that lasts forever. Sadly, that’s not always the case. Everyone has children believing their parent/child loving relationships will endure always. But we’ve all seen times when families fall apart and relationships fail. Marriage. Family. Friendship. Love is an attitude of the heart that requires the…
The truth is … forgiving can be hard. And the greater the pain, the more difficult it is. I think most people would say that there are times when they don’t want to forgive … times when it feels impossible. The Bible never said forgiving is easy nor does it say that we should only…
