I recently learned about a bird in the Australian rainforest called the Cassowary. If you google a picture you’ll see that it is not to be messed with. It can fight off large predators, and even humans! A little known fact is that it plays a part in germinating the seeds of the rare Ryparosa … Continue reading Suffering can produce perseverance
hardship
When all seems broken, uncertain or wrong
Professor Michael Reeves says: “When all seems broken, uncertain, or wrong, remember God the unchanging who, through it all, cannot be broken, uncertain, or wrong.”* Let’s just sit with that for a minute. Are there times when things seem broken?Are there times when things seem uncertain?Are there times when things seem wrong?Yes, yes, and yes. … Continue reading When all seems broken, uncertain or wrong
Don’t let today’s defeat steal tomorrow’s victory
Philip Yancey tells a story about a professor in Spain’s golden age who worked to translate the Song of Songs (a biblical book) into the Spanish language. Sounds good, right? Well, at that time it wasn’t allowed. As a result, the professor was taken away and tortured—for four years! Eventually, he was allowed to return. … Continue reading Don’t let today’s defeat steal tomorrow’s victory
The first thing I plan to do on resurrected legs
We can learn a lot from the perspective of other faithful people who have endured adversity and pain. One of those people is Joni Eareckson Tada. She became a quadriplegic in her teens. Over the years she has been an advocate for people navigating life with various disabilities, and she has done so with grace, … Continue reading The first thing I plan to do on resurrected legs
Closed doors aren’t always dead ends
In Colossians 4:3 Paul writes: “And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.” Paul was in prison. Instead of being overwhelmed by his dire situation, he used it for good. He taught, sent letters, … Continue reading Closed doors aren’t always dead ends
Prayer, meditation, affliction
The biblical writers were very honest! What God says through them is refreshing, helpful, hopeful, truthful… and sometimes challenging. Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible. Technically, it’s anonymous. Verse 71 says: “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.” Can you repeat that again? Did … Continue reading Prayer, meditation, affliction
Where you’re at, not where you should be at
Johnny Cash is known as the “man in black.” Early in his music career he got into some pretty bad things. His life was not going well. At all. “I never wanted to see another dawn. I had wasted my life. I had drifted so far from God and every stabilizing force in my life … Continue reading Where you’re at, not where you should be at
God works in the trenches
God works in the trenches. Consider the story of Esther and how messy it was. Young virgins were summoned for a sort of dark, horrid beauty contest in the Persian court. Because Mordechai refused to bow to the king’s second-in-command, Haman, a plot was hatched to kill not only Mordechai, but all of the Jewish … Continue reading God works in the trenches
God is not put off by the messes
William Perkins was a well-known theologian in the 16th century. He was known for his faithfulness. But it wasn’t always that way. When he was younger he had a reputation for recklessness, profanity and public drunkenness. He was also dabbling in black magic and the occult. One evening he overheard a mother correcting her child … Continue reading God is not put off by the messes
Good out of bad
Corrie ten Boom tells the story about an old Russian woman she met during the Cold War. She was a woman of faith, but Bibles were not allowed. It was a time of persecution for Christians. The woman was so sick she couldn’t get off her couch. But she had one finger she could still … Continue reading Good out of bad
