Are you happy? Do you want to be? If so, what are you doing about it? There are plenty of people who say that personal happiness is the goal and purpose of life. Although, I believe the “purpose of life” is God-given and found in Knowing, Loving, and Trusting Him. I do believe that God…
How would your friends and family describe you? Are you a positive person? How would people on social media describe you? Are you positive there, too? It’s not easy but I typically try to choose words that are loving, kind, and encouraging . . . even when it feels like I’m swimming against the current. I’ve…
We are connected to more people than at any other time in history and yet, more people say they struggle with feelings of anxiety, stress, loneliness, sadness, and low self-esteem than ever before. So, let me ask… How are you doing in the fight against loneliness? I want you to know today that you are…
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could protect our children from difficult painful emotions? Fear Anger Grief Anxiety Frustration Heartbreak It would be wonderful if we didn’t have to deal with them ourselves. I imagine it was a very sad day for our Heavenly Father when Adam and Eve decided they wanted to know “good…
Adam and Eve had never experienced fear prior to that first temptation and sin. Now, thousands of years later, we’re still struggling with those feelings more often than we’d like. Sometimes, since the arrival of the Covid virus, it feels like fear is the norm rather than the exception. But, if it’s a given ….
It’s normal to complain when life doesn’t go the way we expect. But what if it’s not supposed to… In Henry Blackaby’s Bible Study, Experiencing God. He talks about the way we often make plans and then get upset when God doesn’t seem to cooperate and facilitate. He encourages readers to watch and learn what God is doing around them…
I can’t. I know I’m not strong enough to deal with that. I’m afraid! What’s that thing that makes your palms sweat and your heart race? The thing you fear most. The thing you beg God not to allow—telling Him you’re not strong enough. Those who want to motivate and inspire you might say: You’re stronger than…
There’s a battle going on inside each of us. A battle for our peace of mind. It’s true, the enemy would love to rob us of our eternal future, but if he can’t do that . . . he’ll work overtime to steal our current peace. And he’s a master at it. Jesus said… The…
What frightens you? Illness? Heights? Confined spaces? Flying? Rejection? Failure? __________? Have you ever been afraid of the disapproval of friends, family, coworkers, or the people with whom you interact on social media? Paul had something to say to Timothy about that . . . well, maybe not the social media part although I think…
Do you worry about the future? Do you find yourself imagining what-if or thinking I can’t? I’ve been trying to imagine what it must have been like for the wilderness wanderers as they prepared to enter the Promised Land. 40 years earlier their parents had planted seeds of doubt and fear of the things they’d…
It’s been a hard year for so many of us. Our list of reasons to be unsettled and unhappy seem to linger week after week after week. Isolation and loneliness are simply not what God intended for us and for some reason it feels even harder at Christmastime when we typically look forward to our…
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…
I began my cycle of fear and worry as a very young child and I worked hard to perfect my skills for way too many years. Rather than bore you with the ugly details, I hope to bless you with a truth I wish I’d learned and applied years ago. You see, I had a terrible…
I spent several days recently studying the book of Job. I have to admit that I can’t get my brain around his story. Many can relate to having some kind of loss and heartbreak but losing everything … family, possessions and financial security, and health all in a few short days. Just thinking about it…
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…
Worry, anxiety, envy, anger, frustration, discouragement, self-pity, etc. It’s everywhere! And it’s hurting our mental health and our relationships. At the moment it seems worse than ever. The news is depressing and everywhere you look people are frustrated and discouraged. But the truth is, it’s always been this way. Negativity is just part of life….
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…
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…
“Be afraid. Be very afraid.” (The Movie – The Fly, 1986) Those words have been repeated again and again. And even if the actual quote isn’t being reiterated . . . it can seem like there is an intentional effort by the enemy to overwhelm us all with anxiety and fear. If you’re a frequent…
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…
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…
