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…
Have you ever wondered what it really means to trust Jesus? One of the first verses almost everyone learns is John 3:16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” So, let’s start by looking…
I don’t like messy. But a lot of life is messy, isn’t it? Messy settings. Messy relationships. Messy circumstances. Life is messy. Jesus said… “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 And how did Jesus overcome the world . . ….
God’s love for you is perfect and unfailing! “Think of the purest, most all-consuming love you can imagine. Now multiply that love by an infinite amount—that is the measure of God’s love for you.” ~ Dieter F. Uchtdorf As we get closer to Christmas, I want to look away from the trappings of the holiday…
I have terribly dry and itchy skin. It is always worse during the cold dry winter months. I feel like I spend half my waking hours rubbing and scratching my irritated exterior. The bottom line for this dry-skinned itchiness is that I am always on the lookout for the perfect salve to soothe and calm…
Do you know someone who radiates gratitude? It may be because they know the… 4 Important Truths about Gratitude 1. Gratitude is a choice. Grateful people don’t wait until they get what they want to be thankful. They choose to celebrate what they have. Even when life is hard . . . there are always…
Generalizing is the belief that all members of a group are alike. It assumes that a few individuals in the group represent the whole group. Therefore every individual believes, thinks, and acts exactly like all the others. Generalizing believe that… Women are _________. Men are _________. White people are _________. Black people are _________. Democrats…
The Bible is full of wonderful truths about God! But before we take a look at some of them . . . how do you define the word – wonderful? I like this basic definition – something or someone that awakens feelings of wonder. But I think my favorite is – someone or something that…
My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be upset when He corrects you.For the Lord corrects those He loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom He delights. Proverbs 3:11–12 Nope, I don’t like being disciplined. I never have. Truthfully, I don’t know anyone who gets excited about being sent to time out or having a…
Jesus said, “I AM the Messiah.” (John 4:26) He said, “I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” (John 14:6) And when Jesus asked Peter what he believed about Him, Peter said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16) So, today I’m taking a closer look and asking myself…
When someone’s choices, actions, or behaviors cause circumstances that painfully change your life . . . it can seem like you’ll never feel okay again. I get it. I’ve been there . . . curled up on the bed for days wondering how I’d ever be able to breathe again. At that moment, the idea…
What is hope? Is it possible to have hope that will last forever or does hope merely ebb and flow? Hope is defined as: 1. The feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best.2. The feeling that something desired might happen. (Dictionary.com) But for the follower of…
Is your inner voice your friend or foe? Do the majority of your thoughts encourage or discourage you? I ask because the important truth is . . . you and I will believe whatever we tell ourselves most often. There are many voices that will tell you that you need to follow your inner voice but that’s only…
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the way we talk to each other. Maybe it’s because of what I see as I scroll through social media. I’ve received comments like: A belief in god is the antithesis of all that it is to be human. Prefabricated prayers are offensive to God. Religion divides the…
I used to wake our children up by singing – “Rise and shine and give God the glory! Children of the Lord!” They loved it when they were little . . . not so much when they were teens. This morning I awakened with the words of Isaiah 60:1 running through my mind… Arise, shine,…
He is risen! The other day I woke up with the following words running through my mind. “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” Luke wrote this account of Resurrection Morning: On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared. They found…
What is the truth of the cross? The world says: Man is inherently good.The cross says: Man is a sinner in need of saving. The world says: You can be good enough to save yourself. The cross says: Only Jesus saves. The cross says: God’s love is so perfect and complete that He gave His…
What is sin? Sin is defined as anything that is contrary to the law or will of God. It includes doing what is wrong and failing to do what is right. The Hebrew word for sin used in the Old Testament is בלי (hhattah). The Greek word used in the New Testament is ἁμαρτία (hamartia)….
Years ago when our son was little, I’d take him to the mall to burn off the fidgets on days he couldn’t run around outside. I can still remember one particular visit like it happened yesterday… We were enjoying our time together when he looked up at me and said, “Wait right here Mommy, I’ll be right back.”…
You’ve heard it said that God wants to change your life. You may have heard it said that… God loves you just the way you are but He loves you too much to leave you that way. That’s why He sent Jesus. He knew our hearts were broken by sin . . . we needed…
Do you ever feel like the darkness is winning? Sexuality is confused, misused, and abused. Wars and rumors of wars lead our newscasts unless there’s a more titillating scandal to report. Respect for those in leadership seems to be the exception, not the norm. Addiction has filtered into every segment of society. Babies continue to…
