The dictionary defines “hope” as… To cherish a desire with anticipation: to want something to happen or be true – as in hope for a promotion or hope for things to go well. To trust. To desire with an expectation of obtaining, accomplishing, or fulfilling. To expect with confidence. So, of course, that made me wonder……
I always believed there would be a point in my life when I would anticipate and be ready for life’s inevitable spiritual battles. But unfortunately, there are still times when they catch me by surprise and I’m unprepared. Honestly, I’m most susceptible after a period of smooth sailing or an awesome mountaintop high. It seems…
Would you consider yourself one of those people who spend way more time reading books and doing Bible studies about prayer than you actually spend praying? Yeah, me too! If I’m really being honest, I would tell you that I’ve spent most of my life feeling like I should have done so much more when…
I can sing my heart out along with Casting Crowns anytime I hear – Praise You in this Storm. And I’ll praise You in this stormAnd I will lift my handsThat You are who You areNo matter where I amAnd every tear I’ve criedYou hold in Your handYou never left my sideAnd though my heart…
Bless your mess and enjoy your life by choosing less of the mental and emotional junk that hurts you and your relationships,
I always struggled to put my prayers into words. And in all honesty, most of the time, I tried to figure things out on my own before I’d pray about them. When the kids were acting out, I’d read a couple of parenting books. When one of us had health issues, I’d do a symptom…
I get religion. It’s always been a part of my life. I grew up in church, attended parochial schools, became a church organist in high school, a parochial teacher after college, and I married a minister. Like a piece of modeling clay, I was poked here and pinched there until I was shaped into what…
I’m taking my “all used up” feelings to the Lord. I’m taking my circumstances and all used up feelings and laying them at the throne of grace. Then I’m going get away with Jesus to a quiet place and rest with Him.
Culture looks at love as a feeling. But the Bible describes it as so much more than the way we feel. Jesus had some things to say about love … both God’s and ours.
It’s Bonus Day 4,383. How do I know? Because Rev writes the number on his calendar every single morning. 12 years and counting … since the miracle.
You Need to Answer the Most Important Question about Faith -Someone attacked my faith on social media and it inspired me to publicly ask and answer the most important question about faith. I invite you to answer it too… #religion #faith #atheism #thoughtprovokingquestion #questionaboutfaith
I don’t know about you, but one of the hardest parts of walking in faith for me is keeping my focus on Jesus. It’s easy for me to get tossed around by my circumstances and my thoughts about those circumstances. Like the disciples, I can get so frightened by the storms that I fail to…
There certainly seems to be a wide range of views on what it takes to be a Christian and unfortunately, there seems to be more finger-pointing and judging of other people’s Christianity than there is humble and prayerful introspection. So, I decided to take a look to see what the Bible says about the ways…
This verse has been rattling around my head and stirring my heart this week… Why do you have so little faith? Matthew 6:30 I keep thinking about the times Jesus’ followers allowed their fears and worries to overshadow their trust in the Lord. And if I’m being honest, I have to admit I have times when I’m guilty….
Would you describe yourself as someone who is strong? What about your faith? Is your faith strong? I would like to be able to answer with a resounding “yes” consistently but the fact is, I’ve had times when I’m humbled by the strength God has given me and times when I’m ashamed at the way…
I love praying Scripture. Each morning, I sit with my Bible and journal … writing the verses the Lord uses to speak to my heart. Then I write the prayers those verses inspire. At the bottom of each journal page, I have a section where I list the prayer needs of friends and family as…
I’m a recovering people-pleaser. I say “recovering” because like any intense inner need … there is always a danger of relapse. On the surface, people-pleasing looks like a good thing. Almost Biblical. Didn’t Jesus say, doing for others was like doing for Him? The King will answer, “I tell you the truth, anything you did…
If I had a dollar for every time I’ve been confused by life… Well, you know the saying! And I’m sure you know the feeling too! Those times when you don’t understand God’s plan. When you’ve prayed and prayed and waited and waited and nothing changes. It’s hard to understand… Infertility Infidelity Rejection Terrorism Hatred…
I don’t know what it’s like at your house but it doesn’t seem like it’s getting any easier for families to slow down long enough to connect over meaningful conversations. Even for those of us who try to organize our schedules so we can sit down together over dinner … countless people tell me how…
You and I want so many things for our children and grandchildren as a new school year begins. We want them to have a love for learning and creativity. We hope they’ll be happy, strong, and kind. And we’d love for them to be successful and well-liked by their teachers and classmates. We hope they…
Does it feel like the summer passed by in a blink? Our summer break was shortened because of last year’s numerous snow days. So, it seems even harder to believe that it’s time … already! Whether you’ve taken your first day of school photos or you have a few more days or weeks of anticipation … going…
