Who is the God-Man – Jesus? In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him. John 1:1–3 Jesus is the Word made flesh . . . God-Man. 100%…
I wonder if it isn’t hard for people to admit their need for a Savior. We are taught from little on to be self-sufficient . . . to find ways to fix what’s wrong and succeed on our own. We are always on the look for ways to supply and satisfy ourselves. How often do…
I hate chaos and confusion. So, I have to admit this has been a hard year for me. It’s been a time when mixed messages have been used to mislead and manipulate . . . and I have found myself feeling discouraged and disheartened. The source of chaos and confusion is the enemy of our…
Do you need hope? It can be hard to feel hopeful when we’re exhausted from carrying life’s burdens. Then we look around and the world is overwhelmed by problems and confusion. I don’t know about you, but I have times when it’s hard for me to look past my momentary feelings and view the future…
Jesus is the greatest gift God has ever given to His creation. Through Jesus the lost are found, the broken are made whole, and the bound are set free. He is able to transform lives, heal broken hearts, and give people a purpose full of hope and promise. The Scripture from Genesis through Revelation gives…
I began praying the P.R.A.Y. – Prayer Model years ago. P – Praise and Thanks Begin each prayer thanking God for who He is and for all He has done and that He continues to do in you and in the world around you. R – Repent Pause and intentionally confess your flaws and failures…
Not long ago as I was scrolling through Pinterest notifications, I noticed a comment critical of the 35,000 Christian sects and denominations. I don’t know if the commenter had the facts right or not but I do know there are plenty of things about which self-proclaimed Christians disagree. You and I can see evidence of…
You’ve probably seen the quote before. “Be kind. Everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” ~Ian MacLaren Everyone carries the burden of emotional baggage. Baggage that can so easily turn into fear, anxiety, frustration, anger, or overwhelming sadness. Everyone gets out of bed each morning with a need for enough strength and courage to…
It’s so easy to get caught up in the dailiness of life. I get busy just doing and living and somehow forget to fill moments with thankfulness and praise. Oh, I can be convincing when I talk about it in this space but the doing it, the consistently offering an attitude of thankfulness and praise…
When our daughter was a toddler she found the difference between today and tomorrow very confusing. We’ would say, “We are going to to do (something fun) tomorrow.” And she would always respond with delight and great enthusiasm. But the next morning when she got up she would ask, “Is it tomorrow?” Of course, we…
Stop with me for a moment and think about the following two quotes: You’re a soul made by God, made for God, and made to need God—you were not made to be self-sufficient. ~Dallas Willard “[Jesus] is a portion that exactly and directly suits the condition of the soul. The desires of the soul, and the…
What do you think of when you hear the words “praise and worship”? Is it something you do on the weekend or the music you sing along to at home or in the car. What if it’s more basic than that? What if praise is simply the expression of worship and worship is… Well, let’s…
I don’t know about you, but I’m over this! I’m tired of social distancing and wearing masks. I miss seeing faces and sharing smiles with random strangers. I’m saddened by civil unrest and riots. The truth is, I can be patient for a long time . . . but I’m ready to be done! I’m…
Too many lives are being destroyed by the overwhelming power of addiction. Too many families are suffering because of the pain caused by addiction. Addiction is defined as a persistent, compulsive dependence on a behavior or substance. Researchers speak of two different types of addictions: substance addictions (for example, alcoholism, drug abuse, and smoking); process addictions (for example, gambling, spending, shopping eating, and…
Have you ever found yourself deep in a pit of despair? Yeah, me too. Maybe you’re there now. And the truth is, it stinks. One of the worst parts is that when you and I find ourselves in that dank dark place with our feet stuck in the muck, it’s really hard to see our…
Occasionally, I have a day when I wake up and I feel strong enough to handle whatever the day throws at me. But then there are the other days when I open my eyes and I’m not sure I have what it takes just to get out of bed. I’m guessing I’m not alone… Sometimes…
The #1 post here at Counting My Blessings by far is – 5 Verses to Pray When You Need God to Do the Impossible. The truth is people are facing seemingly impossible circumstances every day. Here are just some of the comments I’ve received on that post from the past year… ♥ My dear cousin…
Do you ever feel like the world is drowning in frustration and anger? Just turn on the news or spend a little time on social media and you’d start to believe that frustrated and angry appears to be the mood of the day. Add to that moms and dads being confined at home with their…
It seems like everywhere I look, friends and family . . . even complete strangers are overwhelmed by grief. Covid and chaos have caused us to lose loved ones, jobs, and financial security. Isolation and emotional stress has broken relationships, worsened depression, and increased substance abuse. The list of reasons people are grieving is growing…
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…
