I had a very dear friend who loved Jesus and people with great big love. And despite her chronic health problems, she glowed with the joy of God’s love. She was also known for saying with a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye… “Turn or burn.” Why? Because she loved BIG…
Have you seen the acronym WWGGG? We’ve all seen – WWJD. What would Jesus do? But I sometimes wonder if #WWJD has become an easy phrase to use more than it is a personal commitment to actually knowing, loving, and obeying Jesus. When I hear someone affirm something that clearly goes against God’s Word, I…
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…
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…
It’s a phrase that can send a parent’s nerves on edge… “That’s not fair!” Part of the problem is that it’s typically said in an annoying whiney voice. But of course, children do not have the corner on the “that’s not fair” market. Adults are often guilty of whining about fairness. Rev says, “Whining is…
There were more than 60 of us . . . 13-year-olds making a statement of faith and joining the church. Our pastor, following a long tradition, prayerfully chose a Bible verse for every person in the class. My friends received verses like Romans 8:28, John 3:16, Isaiah 41:10, and Jeremiah 29:11. And then he came…
Can you imagine? You finally get a letter from your spiritual advisor . . . you’re hoping for a “good job, atta baby, way to go,” word of encouragement. But this is what you get instead: Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people….
Do you ever worry that there is an effort to silence Christians through various forms of persecution? After a year where the churches were closed and statements of faith being declared hate speech and people being taken off social media for presenting Biblical truths . . . it’s hard not to wonder where our nation…
Why do we so often wait until we’ve run out of self before we take our needs to the Lord? The idea of self-sufficiency is a powerful drive in our lives and I think the enemy of our souls is just fine with that. We turn to so-called “experts and authorities,” read self-help books, worry…
The world can be a a terrifying place . . . hurricanes, earthquakes, wars, violence, plagues, civil unrest, and persecution. We really shouldn’t be surprised. When asked about the “end of the age,” Jesus replied… Nation will go to war against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines…
I recently circled these words of David from Psalm 142: Then I pray to you, O Lord. I say, “You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life. Psalm 142:5 The rest of that section of his Psalm says things like . . . “I cry out, I plead, I pour out my…
After decades in ministry, I have to admit that it’s often hard to understand why God allows people to suffer. And I think most of us would admit that it’s especially hard when the sufferer is someone who is kind, loving, caring . . . good. Or when that person is an innocent child. Somehow…
I like to think I’m in control. Even as I type the words I know how ridiculous that is because it doesn’t matter how organized I try to keep my home and planned and prepared I try to keep my days . . . more often than I’d like, my life is out of my…
Who decides what is right and what is wrong? Is it the law? Does making something “legal” make it right? The Pharisees came to Jesus to trap Him with a question . “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife?” Mark 10:2 And Jesus uses the question to talk about a bigger and deeper…
I’m sitting here staring at an idle keyboard and blank screen. I want to pour out encouragement and inspiration but I’m carrying around this heaviness and it’s hard to pour from a cup that needs to be filled. Life can be like that sometimes, can’t it? In Mark 6, Jesus and His disciples had just…
Do you feel hopeless? Maybe you’re disappointed and discouraged by the state of the world. Maybe your hopelessness is much more personal. I want you to know you can trust Jesus when you feel hopeless. He is able to heal you. No, I can’t promise that He will heal you physically although I know He…
If Jesus came to you and asked… “Who do you say I am?“ Matthew 16:15 What would you say? Peter replied… “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:16 A messiah is defined as a savior or liberator . . . someone who sets people free. And that’s exactly what Jesus did…
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 have times when I am overwhelmed by God’s presence when I’m praying and I also know the feeling of loneliness as my pleas seem to simply hang heavy in the air around me. I know God’s promises to hear the prayers of His children. Promises like… The Lord is close to all who call…
You and I are relational. We crave connectedness. So, we will always attach to someone or something . . . maybe even several someones or somethings. Jesus called it being yoked. And once we become followers of Jesus, it’s up to us whether we are yoked to slavery or freedom. It is for freedom that…
