“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Matthew 5:44 My husband and I sat down the other day to read the Bible to our kids before bedtime. He opened our time together by saying “Hey kids, you want to know something really weird and difficult that God asks us to do? He asks us to ‘love our enemies’ – isn’t that weird? Do you feel like loving your enemies… … Continue reading
Sandra and I have been meeting for a year–we meet once every three weeks or so. She is 23 and I am 63. Her heart to know Christ and help other women grow is what attracted me to Sandra as a discipler. Fresh off campus, she has a full-time job and is engaged to be married. My one-on-one time with Sandra is limited, so I know that when I’m with her I need to be… … Continue reading
I had to have all four of my wisdom teeth extracted by eDentist Emergency Dentists. It wasn’t quite as bad as I had imagined, but only being able to eat soft foods is the worst. This sounds weird, but I’ve really been craving cheeseburgers. Since chewing is a definite issue with stitches in my mouth, I’ve pretty much been eating the diet of an infant. Then I’m always asked for tips on finding the best… … Continue reading
We were sitting through another doctors appointment, waiting for another test, another answer, and yet we were still in the same place. Well meaning, she said: “God has a plan for your life” I smiled…and cringed a little too. Have you heard that phrase a million times before? Have you heard it when you are in the middle of a battle that seems endless and you feel like saying, “STOP IT!” “God has a plan… … Continue reading
I didn’t know my insecure feelings were so close to the surface when I looked out of my kitchen window the other day and saw the cardinals. The red birds were sitting on a spindly pasture branch and going about their business. They were working and picking at the seeds from the dried weed heads creating a rhythm. Suddenly feelings of invisibility came to mind. Momma cardinals like to be hidden to protect their young… … Continue reading
Spiritual dehydration can creep into our lives in many ways, but learning to combat this infection can be the difference between a healthy soul and a broken one. 1. Do away with comparison. Don’t compare your inch to someone else’s mile. Everyone is on their own spiritual journey, and the reality is that none of us are going to be on the exact same page or chapter. We’re all going through different things, experiencing God… … Continue reading
Almost a year ago, I was caught in the endless maze of “following my dreams.” I wanted to be a famous singer/songwriter, and many of my friends told me, “Follow your heart,” “Do it while you’re young!,” and “Take a leap of faith!” Everytime I heard one of these well-meaning motivational quotes, I’d nod my head and think, “Yeah! I got this.” The problem was… I didn’t have it. For over a year, my wife… … Continue reading
Read (from the New Living Translation) Psalm 139: 1, 16-17 1 Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. 16You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. 17How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! (Read the whole chapter for more – Psalm 139) Go Deep Today… … Continue reading
Read (from the New Living Translation) Luke 7:18-19 18The disciples of John the Baptist told John about everything Jesus was doing. So John called for two of his disciples, 19 and he sent them to the Lord to ask him, “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting,[b] or should we keep looking for someone else?” (read the whole story – Luke 7:18-35) Go Deep The death of a child. The suffering of the innocent. Roadblock… … Continue reading
I started a new ritual at the beginning of this year. I now put on some headphones each day and listen to the audio Bible, during my morning jog. This was sort of a New Year’s resolution, and I am so glad I started it, because, even though I have read through the Bible several years ago, I am hearing verses and things found in the Bible that I never remember hearing before. Like today…… … Continue reading
