I don’t know if you can relate but I’ve had too many years when I’ve allowed holiday busyness to distract me and keep me from focusing on the gift of Jesus. December is a crazy busy time of the year. We fill our calendars with church and school activities, extra time with friends, shopping, wrapping,…
Do you ever have trouble expressing your emotions? Is it hard for you to share your feelings when your heart hurts? It can be especially hard to deal with sadness during the holidays. There seems to be the unspoken message that we’re all supposed to be filled with peace, joy, and twinkle lights. But many…
Election Day is right around the corner. Many have voted already and more will vote on Tuesday. It feels like America’s future and faith are on the ballot because God’s children know that a nation’s future and faith are closely connected. David wrote… Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. Psalm 33:12 Why?…
What does it mean that God works all things for good in our lives? Everyone has times when life feels anything but “good.” And yet, this verse gets quoted often as one of God’s promises. How can God be working for good when our circumstances are miserable? Paul wrote… We know that God makes all…
What is the greatest problem in the world today? What do you believe? What do you think? I did a little research and found the following list of the world’s greatest problems. It’s a list that may or may not include the things that concern you. It can feel like today’s problems are worse than ever but…
Do you know what it means to be righteous? The Urban Dictionary defines it as: The American Heritage Dictionary says it means: And finally, the Biblical defines righteousness as: Psalm 111 says… How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in Him should ponder them.Everything He does reveals His glory and majesty. His righteousness never…
It can happen in a moment… You can be dealing with a tantrum-throwing toddler, watching the news, driving in rush hour, waiting in some line or waiting room, or discouraged by a project when suddenly you realize your blood pressure is rising and you are frustrated! I was going to say “getting frustrated” but if…
Don’t you wish liars’ noses grew and their pants did catch on fire? It would be much easier to confidently know the truth if we could quickly identify and reject lies and deception. I’ve shared before how much I hate lying. It seems like our culture assumes it’s just part of life but look at…
There’s a strong storm going through our area as I type these words and I’m hoping we don’t lose power. Storms without or storms within … life’s storms leave us insecure and unsettled. When the sky darkens and sirens start blaring we want to feel safe and strong enough to make it through. David wrote……
What would you say if someone asked you about the meaning of worship? Many think of worship as the time spent in church lifting praises and listening to the Word. Wikipedia says… Worship is showing regard with great respect, honor, or devotion. This may be encountered in religious settings. John Piper said… “All true worship is…
Maybe, like me, you’ve had something you’ve been praying about for years but as time goes on … hope fades. You need hope now but wonder if you should just let it go or continue to pray persistently. Your loved one is still ill. Your pain is overwhelming. Your relationship is still broken. Your finances…
Is there anyone who doesn’t need a blessing? What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about needing a blessing? The words “bless, blessed, or blessing” can be found in the New Living Translation of the Bible 427 times. The first is in the first chapter of Genesis, and the last is…
Everyone faces disappointment. Circumstances may be disappointing. People may disappoint us. And more often than we care to think about … we disappoint ourselves. What are we supposed to do when we’re disappointed? We all know how it feels but how do we describe what it is? The dictionary defines disappointment this way: Children know…
Do you have times when your need is so great or you’re so emotionally invested that you don’t know what to pray? Times when it’s hard to put your need into words or you’re not even sure if what you think you need is … what you need? I can remember one time in particular…
For many, Mother’s Day is a day to celebrate but for others … not so much. Simply put – we all have to manage the blessings and challenges of Mother’s Day. So, we’ll look at both… Let’s start with some positive words of truth to encourage us on the motherhood journey… A Poem for Mother’s…
This is unconditional help for the one who… This is unconditional help for the one who… This is unconditional help for the… This is… Verses and prayers of God’s overwhelming love and unconditional help. 5 Verses to Pray…God’s Overwhelming Love and Unconditional Help John Bunyan wrote… “No child of God sins to that degree as…
If you look at my hands closely you’ll see scratches, puppy nips, a few age spots, and a few scars. Those are visible reminders of past events. What you won’t see are the scars on my heart from loss, lies, accusations, betrayal, and rejection. Those are the emotional scars I tend to keep to myself. Why?…
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Philippians 4:4 So, how’s that going for you? Do you find your joy in Jesus? If Jesus was all you had would you still be joyful? Did you know Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians from a Roman prison? Is it possible…
On a scale of 1-10, how good are you at living in the moment? How often do you replay or fret about the past? How much time do you spend worrying about the future? There’s a phrase that Rev and I repeated often… “I don’t want to lose today because I’m clinging to yesterday or…
I don’t know about you, but I can be my own worst enemy. Why is it so much easier to think about wh0 I’m not rather than remembering God’s unchanging truth about who I am? You’d think that after years of living with this bad habit, I’d learn to consistently take my negative thoughts captive…
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…
