Who you are and who you can be emerges from the ashes of what you’ve been through. Hold on. Let me back up a minute… We all have hurts. And hurts CHANGE us. We may not like it, but it’s true. Our difficult experiences influence our attitudes and decisions. They certainly don’t define us, but … Continue reading How you can emerge from the ashes
inspiration
Trust in the jungle of unpredictability
Life can be chaotic. And volatile. And hard. That’s why friendship is so important. Christian ethicist Lewis Smedes wrote an article about the power of making a promise. He says that when you make a promise to someone, “You have created a small sanctuary of trust within the jungle of unpredictability.” I think that’s great … Continue reading Trust in the jungle of unpredictability
What my dog teaches me about following Jesus
My family has a new dog. He’s a tiny, ten-week-old Cockapoo named Buddy. And yup, we are instantly in love! He’s a social little guy. As soon as he sees me in the morning he runs over with his mini paws to say hello. If I sit at the table for breakfast, he comes and rests … Continue reading What my dog teaches me about following Jesus
The power of perseverance
King David was able to persevere through many challenges in his life. I think he was able to do this—even through such pain and difficulty—because he was CALLED by God to a godly purpose. 1 Samuel 16 tells the story of his anointing as the future king of Israel. He knew that God has summoned … Continue reading The power of perseverance
What you’re doing impacts how you’re doing
Yesterday I highlighted Psalm 37. David was feeling frustrated by his lot in life. He felt persecuted and under threat. He had a concern that bad people seem to prosper more than good people. He was angry, and was somehow hurting. Despite all this, he stressed that God’s people should do good regardless of their … Continue reading What you’re doing impacts how you’re doing
A purpose that offsets your pain
In Psalm 37 David is feeling frustrated by his lot in life. He feels persecuted and under threat. He has a concern that bad people seem to prosper more than good people. He’s angry, and has somehow been hurt or is hurting. But this is what he says: “Do not fret because of those who … Continue reading A purpose that offsets your pain
Letting go of revenge
A lot of people wonder about Judgment Day. They’re curious about how and when it will happen. And trust me: there is no end of books that jump on the profitable bandwagon of speculation. But there’s a much-neglected facet to Judgement Day that can positively impact our attitudes in the here and now, regardless of … Continue reading Letting go of revenge
The benefit of quality down time
In Matthew 8:23-25 we read: “Then [Jesus] got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” Yup. A storm threatened … Continue reading The benefit of quality down time
They went to the gunman’s parents’ house
In October 2006, a gunman took hostages in a one-room Amish schoolhouse in Pennsylvania. He shot ten children. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Then he shot himself. Five of the children died, and people around the world were horrified. But get this: Just hours after it happened, people in the … Continue reading They went to the gunman’s parents’ house
Withness
Life can be difficult. The only person who hasn’t experienced some kind of hardship is the person who hasn’t been born yet! Think of Jesus on the cross. He was the only perfect person who ever lived… and even he suffered greatly! None of us are given a free pass in life, but God offers … Continue reading Withness
