I believe we all want to be emotionally healthy … and there are several things required to make that desire a reality. Those things are a need for love, security, and significance. The need to be valued! And I believe we are hardwired by God with this need for two very important reasons… He is…
Last week, I wrote about God’s desire for us to be happy. Not simply momentary pleasure but true and lasting happiness. Happiness that… Trusts God is greater than our circumstances. Knows our sins are forgiven. Comes from wisdom that is able to guide us and keep us safe. Gives the peace that comes from obedience….
I know it’s impossible to live happy 100% of the time. Bad things happen, people are cruel, relationships end and happiness fades. And even when you and I are trying our best to do everything “right” … a choice made by someone else has the ability to turn our happiness into pain. Yet, I still…
Everyone wants to be happy! Yes, everyone longs for happiness. But maybe like me, you’ve seen quotes that say… “God doesn’t care if you’re happy. He wants you to be holy.” Rick Warren said something similar… “God is more interested in your character than your comfort. God is more interested in making your life holy…
I love the idea of choosing a focus word each year. So many of my friends testify to the ways God has used a specific word to help them grow in faith and change them in ways they never imagined. Although I loved the idea, I always tended to take on topics that included multiple…
I love the beginning of a new year. A clean calendar. A fresh start in Genesis. It always feels like a do-over for… Resolutions. Goals. Hopes. Promises. That’s typically how I feel on December 30th and 31st. Sometimes the feeling lingers a little and I can carry in through January 1st, 2nd, and maybe even…
Jesus said… Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33 He taught His followers to pray… May Your Kingdom come! Matthew 6:10 And I realized, I wasn’t sure I knew what to say if someone asked me to explain the Kingdom of God or…
Have you ever had good intentions turn into regret? It can happen in all kinds of ways… Your words were misunderstood.Actions misinterpreted. Or simply an accident you can’t undo. I’ve experienced all of the above but most recently it was the last one that the Lord used to teach me a lesson. It all started…
It’s almost here! Many of you may be traveling as you read this. Social media is full of goal setting and planning posts to make this year the very best holiday ever. But as I talk to friends and friends of friends for some of you the hardest part of celebrating the holidays is the…
If someone asked you, “How would you describe God’s glory?” What would you say? You and I live in a world full of suffering and conflict … a world that desperately needs the truth about God. And because of that, I want everyone to know about a glorious righteous God who transforms broken and hurting…
What does it mean to glorify God? Henry Blackaby wrote: “Will God ever ask you to do something you are not able to do? The answer is yes–all the time! It must be that way, for God’s glory and kingdom. If we function according to our ability alone, we get the glory; if we function…
I’m so excited about the response to #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory? Many of you have already joined the #WWGGG Facebook Group and committed to asking yourself the question as you maneuver the joys and challenges of life each day. Some are sharing it with their own children and their church’s youth groups….
It’s November! What?! We’re less than three weeks away from Thanksgiving and it always seems like Christmas follows in a blink after that. And for most of us, we can’t help but think about what that means for us and for the other people with whom we’ll interact over the holidays. Because there are always…
There’s a simple question you and I can ask ourselves that will not only change our lives but one that can change the lives of people everywhere. #WWGGG
As Christians, you and I represent Christ to a broken world and I’m wondering about the messages we are sending. Paul talked so often about the importance of unity in the church because we are supposed to be focused on sharing God’s love. If we can’t love each other … why would anyone want what…
I’ve spent a lot of time this week thinking about hope. You see, I’d never really stopped to think about the differences between the way secularists and people of faith perceive hope. For the secularist, hope is based solely on the strength of their inner desires and the belief that they will achieve or receive…
I always believed there would be a point in my life when I would anticipate and be ready for life’s inevitable spiritual battles. But unfortunately, there are still times when they catch me by surprise and I’m unprepared. Honestly, I’m most susceptible after a period of smooth sailing or an awesome mountaintop high. It seems…
Would you consider yourself one of those people who spend way more time reading books and doing Bible studies about prayer than you actually spend praying? Yeah, me too! If I’m really being honest, I would tell you that I’ve spent most of my life feeling like I should have done so much more when…
I can sing my heart out along with Casting Crowns anytime I hear – Praise You in this Storm. And I’ll praise You in this stormAnd I will lift my handsThat You are who You areNo matter where I amAnd every tear I’ve criedYou hold in Your handYou never left my sideAnd though my heart…
Bless your mess and enjoy your life by choosing less of the mental and emotional junk that hurts you and your relationships,
I always struggled to put my prayers into words. And in all honesty, most of the time, I tried to figure things out on my own before I’d pray about them. When the kids were acting out, I’d read a couple of parenting books. When one of us had health issues, I’d do a symptom…
