Psalm 16 reminded me of a story… There was once a king who offered a prize to the artist who could paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The king looked at all the pictures. After much deliberation, he was down to the last two. One picture was of a calm lake perfectly…
The Bible says we need to live a blameless life to approach God in worship and praise, and Jesus is the only way we can be made blameless to approach Holy God.
Many of us want to see the world in shades of gray . . . a blending of beliefs and ideas presented as perfectly acceptable truth. But there is no simply acceptable truth. There is only truth or lie, fact or fiction, right or wrong. David believed that God and His Word are the absolute…
I was one of those kids whose report cards consistently said . . . “Talks too much!” Yep, I have definitely been given the gift of gab! I especially love asking questions that lead to interesting conversations, discussions, and debates. It’s my favorite way to process the world around me and learn new things. Can…
Are you ever discouraged because you feel like you’re fighting your fears and frustrations alone? As I read David’s words in Psalm 12, it reminded me of Elijah’s loneliness in the valley of fear following his mountaintop experience with the prophets of Baal. Elijah had boldly challenged Baal’s prophets saying… “How much longer will you…
How much hope do you have? Let me ask it another way… How often does fear overwhelm you? Believe me, I understand your struggle because I spent years living with oppressive fear and anxiety. All it took was a “what if” whisper for me to spend hours trapped in a circle of fretful thoughts. But…
Do you ever look around and wonder . . . “why would God allow this to happen”? Maybe it’s while you’re watching the news or after you’ve learned of a difficult diagnosis. Maybe it’s after a painful betrayal or a devastating loss. In Psalm 10, David wrote: O Lord, why do You stand so far away? Why…
Have you ever said… What do you mean when you use the expression “with all my heart”? Here are some of the meanings I found: 1) with sincerest feelings 2) with all your energy and enthusiasm 3) to be fully devoted 4) to make someone or something your greatest treasure. Psalm 9 begins with these…
Look up! Not just spiritually but physically. Why? Well, David says it like this… When I look at the night sky and see the work of Your fingers— the moon and the stars You set in place—what are mere mortals that You should think about them, human beings that You should care for them? Psalm 8:3–4 When…
Have you ever had someone spread lies about you? What did you do? We’re tempted to either loudly defend ourselves or quietly get revenge. But as you might expect, neither of those are the responses God wants from us. Psalm 7 was written when David was dealing with the “slanderous accusations of those who claimed…
Guilt. Shame. Blame. You know . . . those things the enemy uses to discourage you. There’s nothing he loves more than to remind us of our past failures. His goal is to get us to nod in agreement and live defeated. Why? Because when we are discouraged and defeated . . . focused on…
Where do you go when you truly need help? For much of my life, I turned to self-help books. I read parenting books, emotional health books, nutritional health books, and relationship books. My children will tell you that I also used the Bible as a self-help book. I believe the Bible is the best instructional…
Do you ever feel like your prayers are too simple? Do you struggle to find the right words to express your needs and feelings? Do you feel like your words simply bounce off the ceiling and fall flat? Would you like to know for sure that God hears your prayers? One of the things I…
When you’re facing a crisis and you feel overwhelmed where do you go for peace? David wrote today’s Psalm when he was running for his life. His son, Absolom, had organized an army against him. His advisors pressured him to leave town. Now, David’s army had defeated countless enemies but this time it was his…
As I read the following words, it amazed me how applicable they are for today. Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans?The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the Lord and against His anointed one.“Let us break their chains,” they cry, “and free ourselves from slavery…
Life is full of choices. Small choices like what to eat for breakfast or what to wear. And big choices like what career to pursue, who to marry, or where to live . . . what is the right path for my life? One of the interesting things about life’s choices is that although some…
Happy New Year! I’m so excited to tell you about our focus here at Counting My Blessings this year. I started praying and thinking about it months ago. And oh, how our gracious God knew what I would need, and as always . . . I truly pray that it blesses you too. I’ve shared…
It’s almost here . . . the start of a New Year. It always feels like a fresh start. A do-over for… Resolutions. Goals. Hopes. And Dreams. Stephen Covey, the author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, has made a career out of encouraging people to list their goals and priorities and then schedule…
When it comes to truth-telling where would you fall on a scale of 1 to 10? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 If someone…
Have you seen the acronym WWGGG? We’ve all seen – WWJD. What would Jesus do? But I sometimes wonder if #WWJD has become an easy phrase to use more than it is a personal commitment to actually knowing, loving, and obeying Jesus. When I hear someone affirm something that clearly goes against God’s Word, I…
Merry Christmas, friends! This is… My Christmas Prayer Heavenly Father, I pray that, by the power of Your Spirit, our hearts will be filled with… ♥ The Thrill of Hope Father, thank you for Jesus, the hope for our weary world. As we celebrate His birthday, please fill us with joy and peace that lasts…
