It seems like everywhere I look, friends and family . . . even complete strangers are overwhelmed by grief. Covid and chaos have caused us to lose loved ones, jobs, and financial security. Isolation and emotional stress has broken relationships, worsened depression, and increased substance abuse. The list of reasons people are grieving is growing…
All over the world, there are people going through difficult and heartbreaking circumstances. Countless individuals who have prayed and prayed, waiting for God to move on their need . . . waiting and wondering if this time He might actually allow the unimaginable. Maybe you’ve been there. Maybe you’re there now. You can’t find a…
Are you tired of all of the conflicting messages out there? People all claiming to know the truth but differing in their “facts?” I don’t know about you … but I’ve grown weary of it all! I need more! When the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream asking: “What do you want? Ask, and…
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8 Are you an adventurer … someone who’s forever chasing after your next “new” and “exciting” product and experience? Or… Are you a fan of the status quo … someone who is still using the same skin care products you used in high school and heading…
Even with all the chaos and confusion, it’s a blessing to grow up and live in the United States. Oh, I know we’re full of conflict and our list of things we could do better is long . . . but friends, at this point, we are free! I looked up the Bill of Rights…
I prayed until my knees were raw. Day after day, week after week and months led to years and the wait never seemed to end. I imagine you’ve experienced a time when you have had to wait on God too. Maybe your going through one of those times right now. Your heart longs for: A…
I’ve been challenged on social media lately to defend my view of the idealogy that science is based on facts and faith is based on feelings. The truth is . . . the Bible is a book of facts that have withstood the test of time. Archeological finds support the historical details of the Bible….
When I was a little girl, a look of disappointment or disapproval was the only thing my parents or teachers needed to do to change my attitude and behavior. Yep, I am a firstborn people-pleaser! Even as a teen and young adult, I carefully evaluated my words and actions and did what I could to avoid…
On the list of things most of us wish Jesus hadn’t said … this would be at the top! But it’s right there in Matthew… “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” Matthew 5:43–44 Love your enemies! Really?!…
I have always struggled with the idea of loving myself. As someone who was at church every time the doors were open … I was taught a lot about the importance of loving others but not so much about loving myself. But if you look around today … talk about “self-love” is everywhere. For example,…
I want to stop and celebrate the blessing of friends today. Not our list of Facebook friends with whom we share the edited versions of our stories but the close group of people who know our real stories … those stories we keep hidden away from most of the world. I want to celebrate the…
I found several definitions for gossip: Casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true. A rumor or report of an intimate nature. Conversations or reports about other people’s private lives that might be unkind, disapproving, or not true. And it’s everywhere, isn’t it? We…
Terrorism, politics, illness, heartbreak, loss, and pandemics… Sometimes this broken world feels like it’s too much … too painful. Too hard. Then I stop and remember Solomon’s words: History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. Ecclesiastes 1:9 Nothing’s new. It’s all happened before. No, I’m…
I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good for them. I will put a desire in their hearts to worship me, and they will never leave me. Jeremiah 32:40 It sounds perfect, doesn’t it? David Jeremiah wrote the following about worship… “Since the days of our first parents in…
I wish I’d read this quote years ago… “Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands.” Anne Frank She certainly shared a lot of wisdom for her young age … and for someone who never lived long…
There’s a saying out there that the average person has about 50,000 thoughts per day. Some say that number is too high. But many neuroscientists who have investigated the issue believe that most people have about 35 thoughts per minute, or one thought every other second. So assuming you take time for sleep … most…
Do you trust God’s goodness? We say God is good, but do we really believe it? I recently shared this on social media… After you have suffered a little while, [God] will restore, support, and strengthen you. 1 Peter 5:10 And an individual responded by saying … “a load of nonsense.” I don’t think you…
How humble are you? It sounds like a trick question doesn’t it? The truth is … the measure of our humility will always be in direct proportion to what we believe to be the truths about God. Simply put – greater God equals lesser me and that translates into humility. So, to inspire myself toward…
Do you ever feel frustrated with yourself when you read… Jesus said, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” Mark 12:29–30 I don’t know about you, but…
I tend to think of praise and worship as synonyms … which can too often mean that I hear the sounds of music when I imagine doing either one. But… Praise is simply defined as: an expression of warm approval or admiration. Worship is defined as: the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for…
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. James 1:2 This is how Jesus’ half brother, James, began his letter to Christian Jews who had scattered to other parts of the Mediterranean world because of persecution. Can you imagine? Other translations say… Consider it nothing…
