There can be dry periods in life where we can’t seem to see, feel, or experience God’s presence. Perhaps we’ve been unwilling to lay down one of our dreams or desires before Him and have run the other direction. Now the desert of faithlessness surrounds us. What do we do? Our first thought is usually […]
We can’t escape grief and suffering in this life. I have found that it actually increases in frequency the longer I live. Part of that could be that my eyes are more aware of it, but also because I meet and invest in more and more lives every day. I suppose one could live as […]
It is easy to be humble and honor God when all seems to be going your way, but the true test of character happens when we endure trials and grief. How would you respond if you lost your husband, your dreams, and found you were plagued with cancer? Would you humbly cling to your Heavenly […]
There have been many dark days in my life where I felt I couldn’t press on; times when I felt like circumstances around me seemed they would never work out in my favor. So many hurts, rejections, and perceived failures. None of these days compare to the day after Jesus’ death on the cross. For […]
There is an evil present in me that wars against everything godly, pure , and right. It seeks to convince me that I can have my cake and eat it too. It often times floods my ear with phrases like “you deserve it”, “go ahead, you are forgiven, you can do whatever you want”, and […]
Too many times our relationship with God gets reduced to a one-time salvation story. The truth is, we need to reflect on that powerful and personal experience at the cross each moment of every day. It fuels us in our mission for Him. We need to remember that our sins were once scarlet and have […]
This weekend I was driving the 15-passenger family van home from Wisconsin, when my daughter questioned me about whether we were going to help this homeless person on the street. I scanned the street to determine her location and excitedly answered “Yes!” Quickly, I asked for two sandwiches we had made for the trip and […]
We love the stories about the little guy who went against all odds and pushed himself to the ultimate limit. The story of the underdog that in the end triumphs gives us a sense that we too can overcome. The notion that anything is possible if you just work hard enough is probably the number […]
I love these words our Savior has instructed us; they remind us of the unmatched power our our Father in heaven. With God it’s not a matter of “if it’s possible” but that “all things are possible.” There have been times where life has brought me so low, I couldn’t even see up. My faith […]
As I studied our passage in Colossians 1:1-8, I was struck by the word INCREASING; the word “Auxano” in Greek. Jesus used this word in Mt 13:32 and Mark 4:8. It reminded me that God is interested in Growth…Not just Growth in numbers, Not growth of buildings. The growing in relationship and bearing of genuine […]