Imagine . . . you’ve dreamt about it forever and saved for as long as you can remember. You’ve planned, purchased, and packed. Finally, it’s time to go and you’re beyond excited. Tired and stressed, but enthusiastic and filled with anticipation. You’re about to spend a week with your family making wonderful memories together in (insert dream destination here)….
I looked up what it means to be united in faith and found the following at GotQuestions. “Unity is a state of oneness and harmony. All believers in Christ are united in Christ. We are in a relationship that unites us with Him and with every other believer.“ Being united doesn’t mean we’re the same…
Have you ever made what you believe to be the perfect plans when circumstances change and you realize that God alone knows the best path for your future? Normally, if Rev came home with a bunch of flowers and a bottle of wine we were going to spend the evening celebrating. But one night years…
There’s a strong storm going through our area as I type these words and I’m hoping we don’t lose power. Storms without or storms within … life’s storms leave us insecure and unsettled. When the sky darkens and sirens start blaring we want to feel safe and strong enough to make it through. David wrote……
If feeling out of control and afraid were sports, I’d have Olympic medals. It’s not surprising. Worry is fear’s counterpart and I can’t remember a time in my life when I wasn’t challenged by fear. Have you noticed most things we fear and worry about are initiated by feelings of helplessness? We feel the need…
I have a closet full of shoes that I avoid unless I’m leaving the house and shoes are required. I love cute shoes but love comfort more. If I have a choice, I will always choose comfort. Comfortable shoes. Comfortable clothes. And a comfortable life. Whenever possible … I choose to stay in my comfort zone….
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…
Maybe, like me, you’ve had something you’ve been praying about for years but as time goes on … hope fades. You need hope now but wonder if you should just let it go or continue to pray persistently. Your loved one is still ill. Your pain is overwhelming. Your relationship is still broken. Your finances…
Do you pray persistently? I’m not talking about frequently lifting words you memorized years ago; I’m thinking about taking the things weighing you down—the burdens you’re carrying. Jesus told His followers… “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door…
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…
Is there anyone who doesn’t need a blessing? What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about needing a blessing? The words “bless, blessed, or blessing” can be found in the New Living Translation of the Bible 427 times. The first is in the first chapter of Genesis, and the last is…
Last time, we focused on a list of questions to ask weekly, that will help us reach our goals. But it’s been a while since we’ve talked about the blessings of setting life goals. C. S. Lewis wrote… “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” Tony Robbins…
Do you have a list of helpful questions you ask yourself as you prepare for the coming week? Do you ever get to the end of the week – knowing you wanted to make changes only to realize you frustratingly repeated several self-sabotaging bad habits? Maybe you want to get a new job, exercise regularly,…
How willing are you to wave the white flag of surrender and give yourself completely to God? We typically think of surrendering as admitting defeat and giving up the fight but let’s see what some dictionaries say… Proverbs 3:5–6 perfectly explains what it means to surrender our lives to God… Trust in the Lord with all your…
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.”…
Have you seen the videos of people rewarding people for showing kindness to a stranger? I had a surprise moment several years ago. I stopped by a local store to buy a screen saver for my iPad. I don’t remember doing or saying anything special, although I typically try to remember to smile and say…
Everyone faces disappointment. Circumstances may be disappointing. People may disappoint us. And more often than we care to think about … we disappoint ourselves. What are we supposed to do when we’re disappointed? We all know how it feels but how do we describe what it is? The dictionary defines disappointment this way: Children know…
It’s nothing new. People have disagreed since Adam and Eve left the Garden and that has always included people of faith. Even though we want to have peace … disagreements happen. But that doesn’t mean we have to get used to them nor does mean we should accept them. Paul was inspired to challenge a…
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…
How would you like to learn a quick and easy way to bless your prayer life? Just imagine All day long you listen to requests. “Please help me. Please give me. Please. Please. Please.” Oh, there is the occasional thank-you but it seems they’re always in a hurry. There’s never any time for real conversations….
