This verse gives me the chills as I think of how God is able to move in my heart when I use my voice to cry out for discernment and understanding, instead of voicing my complaints and grumblings.
Read MoreShocking...count the whole world?! And what about this young woman who is about to deliver her first child? How can she and her husband be asked to go on a 4-7 day journey, very likely on foot?
Read MoreAs we look around at the current state of the world, it can be so easy to become fearful, frustrated, and even angry. It is a daily battle to lay these temptations down and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. As I was reading the other night, the Lord led me to Ephesians 2:1-5 that says:
Read MoreFor many, Christmas is the time of year where we read the story of our precious Savior's birth. With excitement, we read the story of our Hope who came to earth to redeem all sinners to our Mighty God.
Read MoreIt’s not like fishing, where we cast and reel over and over again in hopes of catching something. Instead, we must throw it (our anxiety in this case) forcefully into the hands of Jesus. It doesn’t tell us to reel those worries, fears, and anxious thoughts back in once life gets messy. It says cast them onto our Lord.
Read MoreI have two succulent plants that are about four years old. They were given to me by a family member and at the time they were so small they could fit into the palm of my hand. They are absolutely beautiful! I placed them on a shelf in my bathroom near my shower.
Read MoreThere are several phrases in Scripture that I find both hilarious and encouraging to my soul. One of them is, "Gird your loins." This one is epic (to me, at least).
Read MoreMany years ago on the Plain of Dura three young men faced quite a conundrum. The king had constructed a statue, an idol, and mandated that all in his kingdom should worship it. The boys knew their God strictly prohibited idolatry, but to resist would mean swift and certain death. (Daniel 3)
Read MoreAt the trial of Jesus Pilate asks a provocative question: "What is truth?" The question rings through the ages and confronts us still today. Many people feel they can determine their own truth or can decide what is true based on experience or intellect. Culture encourages a subjective truth as it proclaims your “truth” can be different from my “truth.” However, if “truth” can be arrived at individually, if it is subjective, is it truth at all?
Read MoreBe kind. It’s such a simple phrase to understand and, at times, so incredibly difficult to execute. No matter how many times we hear the command, it could alway be reiterated because, if we’re being honest, kindness isn’t our default attitude. Our default response, more often reflects selfishness, rudeness, impatience and bitterness. Kindness is something we have to work on and it’s much easier to return kindness to those who are kind to us. It is incredibly more difficult, miraculous even, to walk in kindness toward those who have wounded or wronged us in some way.
Read MoreWe all have those days... you know the ones I'm talking about, the days when nothing goes as planned and all seems lost. We have days that are troubled by toil and trial. Other days are darkened by the deep shadows of loss and heartache. On those days, the days we don't like to speak of or admit the reality of to one another, what do we do?
Read MoreIn a world where much is conditional and performance based, where love is easily lost and faithfulness in people increasingly difficult to find, there's a beautiful reminder to believers in Lamentations 3.
Trial has a way of bringing to the surface what we're really made of and revealing our character and priorities both to ourselves and to those around us. When trial hits we either run to or run from the Lord and it separates the pretenders from those that are genuine.
Read MoreIn the midst of all the noise, the things that clamor for our attention and call to us every day, all day we easily lose sight of the Lord. The mundane drowns out His glory and distracts us incessantly from His Presence.
Read MoreAt first, it seems, everyone was thankful for the break; evidence, perhaps, that we all run ourselves a bit too ragged under normal circumstances. As the weeks pass, however, you can see signs of the quarantine beginning to wear on people. When our world becomes forcibly smaller we can feel that we have less purpose. However, though our circumstances have changed somewhat, our purpose has not. You have the same purpose today that you had months ago. The question is: have you forgotten?
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