There’s a marine training facility called Parris Island. A young man signed up who was a bit out of step with the others. He was nice enough—but he just didn’t fit in. As a result he got picked on. A lot. In his barracks there were guys who were particularly mean. One of them came … Continue reading Why it’s called ‘good’ Friday
daily devo
If hurts were hairs…
Let’s be honest. Life can hurt. There are worries, disappointments, broken dreams, challenging relationships, health problems, pain. Max Lucado once said, “If hurts were hairs, we'd all look like grizzlies.” When it comes to the challenges we face, none of us are offered a free pass; but we are promised God’s presence and help through … Continue reading If hurts were hairs…
How’d you get to be so wonderful?
There’s an old story about a father and his three-year-old daughter. The father asked her, “How did you get to be so wonderful?” Immediately she replied, “Because I married you!” The dad and daughter were obviously not married. The daughter was simply repeating what she had heard someone else say in response to the same … Continue reading How’d you get to be so wonderful?
Control
Control. It’s a big problem. And who knows: maybe you’re one of the ones who—knowingly or unknowingly—wants to control every possible situation, conversation or person in your life. But when you try to control everything, everything starts to control you. You get consumed with more and more details and worries that you think you need … Continue reading Control
J.O.M.O.
Have you heard of JOMO? It stands for the “joy of missing out.” At first it seems like a strange statement. After all, isn’t “missing out” a bad thing? Sure. Sometimes. But missing out can bring you joy when you need a break, rest, and some space from the endless online chatter, high-drama relationships, or … Continue reading J.O.M.O.
Joy reigned supreme
Remember Easter? Of course you do. It was only a few days ago. But Monday came, and then Tuesday. Now you’re chugging through your routines like any other week. You remember that Easter happened. But you forget what happened at Easter. Viktor Frankl was a holocaust survivor. Here’s how he described learning about the end … Continue reading Joy reigned supreme
Hit pause…
Hi everyone, I hope you had a great weekend. I'm writing today to remind you that this devotional is going on pause until April 22nd. I know, I know - it's a long time away, right? But after 3 years of writing daily devotionals I'm taking my own advice and entering into a much-needed rest. But … Continue reading Hit pause…
Dealing with stress…
Have you ever dealt with stress? Wow, all of your hands just shot up at once! Dr. Tim Cantopher explains that the word “stress” is from the world of engineering. Think of a bridge. When it is bearing a load that is heavier than it is designed to carry, it is “under stress.” With that … Continue reading Dealing with stress…
How do you know you’re on the right track?
How do you know you’re on the right track with your faith? After all, we SAY we believe in Jesus, but are we LIVING like it? When you read through the New Testament, one of the ways you can tell you’re on the right track is if you’re showing evidence of God’s presence in your … Continue reading How do you know you’re on the right track?
A major stumbling block to faith
Yesterday I talked about having a relationship with Christ and whether or not it is authentic. Today I’d like to focus on something the Bible identifies as a major stumbling block to that relationship: Money. In Luke 16:13 Jesus says it with his usual eye-opening candour: “You cannot serve both God and money.” It’s a tricky … Continue reading A major stumbling block to faith
The Up Devotional 