Over 2000 years ago people looked around them in dismay: fighting, fear, and frailty of body, mind and soul surrounded them. Hearts longed for someone, the promised Messiah, to save them. They knew what He would look like. They knew what to expect, and when. Yet, not one was prepared for what God would author:…
Category: Christian Life
Treasure of Confirmation
One year of my life was particularly rough. And one of the toughest things about that season was my inability to discern what was happening. I could not see, I did not know, and I needed to trust God to guide me. My heart cried to God, “Help me! I feel so alone. Please confirm…
Encouragement in the Ordinary
If you have ever had a day home with young children, you know the challenges that arise. Fussiness. Clutter. Screams ringing in your ears and unpleasant smells assaulting your nostrils. Even the most positive among us might call it a bad day by nightfall. Maybe Mary was having a bad day. If you’ve ever been…
Choosing to See Treasure
Back in January, I had plans for this year. Places I scheduled to see, things I was thrilled to do, and people I was cherishing to do life with. But then a few things happened. Some small, but a few loomed large. And those happenings changed my plans. As weeks extended into months of altered…
God Understood Mary’s Need
“Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished.” Luke 1:45, NIV Mary knew her life path had veered into unchartered territory. I knew Gabriel had visited me and I clearly recalled his pronouncement. It was just so hard to believe God was doing this, and doing…
A Most Divine Interruption
“The angel went to her and said, ‘Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you,’” Luke 1:28 NIV The young Mary startled at the angel’s appearance. She hadn’t received notice of Gabriel’s impending arrival. Her mother never instructed her on how to entertain angels. Mary simply had no idea what to do!…
How to Love Our Neighbors
Thumb hovering over the icon, I paused. I was fearful of opening this Pandora’s box of social media. With so many differences of opinion, the messages got messy, even mean. But God’s message is clear: love one another. But how? I Corinthians 13 details the how of loving one another well: Be patient. Be kind….
When Thanksgiving Isn’t a Feeling
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6 NIV Soon, those of us in the United States will celebrate Thanksgiving. We remember what the Pilgrims did, thanking God for seeing them through their first year here in their settlement. They…
The Promise of Happiness
“But are you happy?” A question often heard, asked by well-meaning friends, colleagues and family who genuinely care. What is happiness? And what exactly does it mean to be happy? Dictionary.com defines happy as “delighted, pleased, or glad, as over a particular thing.” Happiness is a “quality or state of being happy; good fortune, pleasure,…
Trying to Remain Thankful
“Lord, I know Your mercies are new every morning,” I thought while creeping down the stairs in my exercise attire, “Help my eyes to see those mercies today.” My heart knew those words are true. My mind fought to see evidence of such. Have you too, struggled to remain positive, even thankful during this time?…