When we talk about God’s heart, we typically talk about His grace, mercy, and perfect love. We don’t like to consider the things that break His heart. When I traveled to Bolivia with a group blogging for World Vision, I learned the following quote… “Let my heart be broken for the things that break the…
What do you do when your heart hurts? My instinctual reaction is to curl up in a corner and feel sorry for myself. But Jesus offers us a much better way to handle the burden of heartache… “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you…
Are you watching the sky? Are you listening for the heavenly trumpet? Do you know how to have flourishing faith until Jesus returns? Recently while reading 1 Corinthians, I came across these words… Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love. 1 Corinthians 16:13 Paul was hoping to…
Our children are grown and I’m enjoying the blessing of grandchildren. Have you ever asked someone with grown children if there’s anything they wish they had done differently in the parenting department? Do you have something you wished you’d done more consistently or not done at all? The main thing I wish I had done…
Culture says, “Be yourself.” Be self-aware, know your identity, live your truth, and follow your heart. Know your personality, talents, strengths, weaknesses, beliefs, and values … be true to yourself and you’ll be happy. On the surface, that sounds appealing and it would be in a perfect world. The problem is that we live in…
I have wrestled with this post for days. I thought about it, prayed about it, searched Scripture, and as I sit here all I can do is ask the Lord to give me the words He wants me to write. Why is this subject so difficult for me? Because I love being an encourager who…
Not long ago, I had one of those “AHA” moments when I realized that there’s something Christians often get wrong. I know I’ve had times when I’ve gotten it wrong. What is IT? Obedience. James wrote… For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. James 2:26…
Manufacturers and advertisers make their money telling us we’re not good enough… Not… Of course, we need their products to change all that and reach whatever culture tells us is the recommended idea of perfection. There’s one thing that’s not on that list. Something the enemy wants us to believe about ourselves. Something he loves…
Whenever I see something about this on social media, I wonder how many people know the truth about submission. I’d like you to imagine for a minute that you’ve arranged everything so you can be away from your family overnight. You drive to the retreat center, check in, and greet your friends when you find…
Have you ever read or heard something that completely changed your worldview and how you live your life? It may have been a word about… We get information through books, articles, friends, teachers, “experts,” and internet searches … sources from which we form our ideas and opinions. And those ideas and opinions become our beliefs and the…
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…
What is the most delightful relationship? Let’s begin by asking… Who or what delights you? Who or what fills you with joy and happiness? Did you know the Bible says the Lord delights in you? He takes joy in everyone who loves Him through His Son, Jesus. You give Him pleasure. How cool is that?!…
I’m more like Martha than Mary. I want to be more like Mary. I want to be the one content to sit quietly in the presence of Jesus. Jesus went into a town. A woman named Martha let Jesus stay at her house. Martha had a sister named Mary, who was sitting at Jesus’ feet and…
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…
How would you like to bless your prayer life? First, let’s pause for a minute and consider what an awesome and amazing gift prayer is. The God of the universe invites us to come to Him with our cares and concerns promising that He will patiently listen and respond in love. It’s an overwhelming and…
I’d like to tell you about something I call the “divine dance” and something I believe is an important truth about happiness. It’s a fact of life that if you believe something long enough it becomes your truth. It may not even be close to reality – but it’s your truth. Deeply planted, rooted, and growing false “truth.”…
What do you value most? Is there something or someone you believe you can’t live without? Do you struggle with idol worship? There’s a verse in Exodus 20 that tends to be overlooked. Most of us have the 10 Commandments memorized but the most common list omits the second part of the first one. “You…
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…
I’ve had several seasons of life when I worried and whined about what was lacking in my life … times when I believed that if God didn’t give me my heart’s desire, I would never be happy again. The Lord was so patient with me. Personally, I would have grown tired of watching and listening…
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 do you do when life is painful? If you’re like me, you’re tempted to pull the covers over your head and hide. Wouldn’t we all prefer a life of comfort, peace, and contentment? The world wants us to believe peace and contentment are found in financial security, a successful career, and perfect relationships. The…
