I still remember the day several years ago when my husband asked me about my greatest fear. I spoke, and the words seemed to hang in the air like a talk bubble in a comic strip. But neither of us was laughing, especially not me. See, the enemy had heard those words too. He grabbed… Continue reading The Key to the Problem of Fear that Brings Torment
The Bible is filled with references to shepherds and sheep. While sometimes a sheep is just a sheep, a lot of the time, the term is used as a symbol for human followers in dire need of someone to lead them. See, on their own, sheep (like people) are kind of a mess. They need… Continue reading Why is the Lord Compared to a Shepherd?
The prophet Micah asked the question in Micah 2:7, “Is the Spirit of the Lord Straitened?” In other words, can people’s actions restrict the power of God? The obvious answer here is “No.” God is all-powerful and has supreme authority. There is nothing people can do to limit God, right? Not so fast. There is actually… Continue reading Is the Spirit of the Lord Straitened?
Is it just me, or does God seem to be tightening up His ship these days? In a very short amount of time, God has brought several things to my attention that I was doing that He doesn’t appreciate. These are things I have done for a while but God, in His sovereign timing, is… Continue reading God Wounds and God Heals
Both Ephesians 5:15-16 and Colossians 4:5 mention the phrase “redeeming the time.” It’s a concept that deals with how we spend our time on earth and how we should always live with eternity in mind. Recently, I was inspired to try my hand at a charcuterie board-style fruit platter for a ladies' meeting at church.… Continue reading Redeeming the Time: Pray for a Cookie Pan Life
Human beings are vessels. We are containers that, when empty, can be filled and used (2 Timothy 2:21). Recently, a new Christian movement has encouraged emptying oneself in order to receive from God. It’s called “contemplative prayer,” and it involves centering one’s focus on the presence of God, sometimes by repeating a word or phrase.… Continue reading How to Empty Yourself and Fill Up With God
As a teacher, I’m pretty excited when summer rolls around. For me, it’s a time to rest and reset some things around the house that might have gone by the wayside during the year. One of my favorite pastimes is reading on the deck in my backyard. But this year before I could even get… Continue reading Sanctification & the Christian Life: An Analogy
As anyone who has spent even a little time in the Bible will tell you, there are some challenging verses in both the Old and New Testaments. Some are strict and speak of standards and requirements that must be met to be in right standing with God. Some are downright frightening as they describe the… Continue reading Does God Really Mean What He Says in the Bible?
As a high school English teacher, I’m only too aware that people are always “learning” what we teach them. Sometimes those lessons are intentional. Sometimes, they aren’t. But it’s just human nature to pick up certain ideas and habits based on what we see from those around us. We say, “That’s a great idea. I… Continue reading Where Are You Leading Those Who Follow You?
What do you think of when you think about Heaven? Most people, at least on some level, think of Heaven as the place “good people” go when they die. For some, it’s a place with pearly gates and streets of gold with no more sorrow and no more pain. For many, it's a place of… Continue reading What You Think About Heaven – Says About You
