“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…” (Psalm 23:6, ESV) Max Lucado tells a story about a mother and her first grade son, Timmy. She became worried when Timmy wanted to walk to school by himself. The mother wasn’t sure it was a good idea. But Timmy thought it … Continue reading Being pursued by goodness and mercy
psalm 23
Powerful truths for perilous times
Viktor Frankl was a psychiatrist. He was also a Jewish man who survived the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps. In one of his books he comments on something remarkable: seeing grown adults walk into a gas chamber reciting the Shema. That’s the central creed of Judaism. It is found in Deuteronomy 6:4.* Christians recognize … Continue reading Powerful truths for perilous times
THROUGH
Life can be difficult. We know it’s true from our own experiences. Plus, the Bible tells us as much. But we are not without help or hope. Psalm 23 is very well known. It is read at funerals, underlined in Bibles, tattooed on bodies, and memorized. It speaks of God as a caring Shepherd. He … Continue reading THROUGH
The power and the glory
“For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen” (Matthew 6:13, KJV). Several years ago I led an online study. During one of the sessions, I invited participants to share a time when they experienced the powerful presence of God in the midst of a difficult situation. Liz Brown subscribes … Continue reading The power and the glory
Why is there evil and suffering?
Recently someone asked me: Why is there so much evil and suffering if there is a benevolent being? It’s a huge question, perhaps the biggest! And let’s be honest. If there was an easy, silver bullet answer, we’d all know it already. You can link to a video of my full response to the question … Continue reading Why is there evil and suffering?
You and gratitude vs. worry
This week we’re talking about worry. Unfortunately, much like water damage, friends who turn their back on you, or health problems, worries are often a difficult and deflating part of life. To counterattack the onslaught of worry, practice gratitude proactively. Consider the famous Psalm 23:1: “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in … Continue reading You and gratitude vs. worry
Help for the relaxation impaired
I have a confession to make. I’m not very good at relaxing. What I mean is that it takes some work to calm my mind. When I’m supposed to be mellow in a semi-trance of blissfulness with my uber-cool sunglasses, my brain easily wanders back to my gargantuan to-do list. Can you relate? If not, … Continue reading Help for the relaxation impaired
