It’s good to be patient. My Louw-Nida Greek dictionary defines patience like this: “a state of emotional calm in the face of provocation or misfortune and without complaint or irritation.” In James 5:7-8, we learn WHY we can be patient. As his readers face hardship, he says this: “Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until … Continue reading Patience follows hope
hope
Washing your mouth out with hope?
Have you ever heard of someone getting their mouth washed out with soap? I’m guessing it’s not something that happens very much anymore, if ever. And that’s a good thing. But have you ever wondered why people did that? Among other things, it was a symbolic act meant to teach a child that their words … Continue reading Washing your mouth out with hope?
Our strength every morning
Dick and Rick are members of Team Hoyt. Together they’ve competed in sixty-four marathons, two hundred and six triathlons at Ironman distance, and two hundred and four 10K runs. In total, that’s over six thousand kilometres! But get this. Dick, the father, can run. But Rick, the son, isn’t able to run or speak. It’s … Continue reading Our strength every morning
No other hope
The Beatitudes are a short-but-mighty collection of Jesus’ teachings. Here is how they begin: “Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. He said: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” … Continue reading No other hope
The dawn of God
Glimmers of hope are handles to hold when you fear you might topple over in the turbulence of life. One of those glimmers of hope is found in Psalm 130:5-6: “I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. I wait for the Lord more than watchmen … Continue reading The dawn of God
A crisis creates clarity
A crisis tends to create clarity about what’s important. Many of the things we were really concerned about even two months ago are now way down the priority list. We’re now dealing with essentials. And what is essential? Our hope in God. And the people around us. Sure, there are other things. But those are … Continue reading A crisis creates clarity
When you’re confident about what will happen eventually
Let me share an eternal truth that can encourage you: When you’re confident about what will happen eventually, you have more courage for what is happening currently. Here’s what I mean. When you know that God is eternal, and that one day he is going to one day make all things new and finally eliminate … Continue reading When you’re confident about what will happen eventually
When you have something good to look forward to
When you have something good to look forward to, it softens the blow of what you’re currently going through. We all know it’s true. If a child doesn’t want to go to school on a Thursday, remind them that the weekend is almost here and it helps. If you’re having a tough week, and if … Continue reading When you have something good to look forward to
Pessimism & Optimism vs. Reality
There was a family with two boys. One was an extreme pessimist. The other was an extreme optimist. The parents didn’t like their extreme attitudes, so they tried a gift-giving experiment at Christmas to try and correct them. They thought that if they gave the pessimist a gift that was so over-the-moon awesome, he would … Continue reading Pessimism & Optimism vs. Reality
Limited opportunities or eternal possibilities?
This week I was reading Psalm 143:11 where David says, “For your name’s sake, LORD, let me live” (CSB). He was in trouble and called out to God for help. As a part of that, he asked God to let him live for the sake of his name. But what does that mean? It means … Continue reading Limited opportunities or eternal possibilities?
