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Christian Life God's Glory Humility Identity in Christ Knowing God Trusting God

When You Feel Small, Powerless, or Pushed Around…

God Is Exalted (and He Will Lift You Up) “In God you come up against something which is in every respect immeasurably superior to yourself. Unless you know God as that—and, therefore, know yourself as nothing in comparison—you do not know God at all.”  C. S. Lewis “Be still, and know that I am God. […]

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Hope Restoration Suffering Trusting God

Advice for the Suffering: Cry, But Don’t Crumple

When I was going through a serious illness, my sister sent me a card that read, “When the going gets tough, the tough put on waterproof mascara.” She even included a tube of waterproof mascara.  That saying has become a motto for me when I’m going through a tough time.  Sometimes, despite our best efforts to […]

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Christian Life Faith Hope Patience Trusting God

When We Can’t See the Pattern

My life is but a weaving between my God and me. I do not choose the colors; He worketh steadily. Oftimes He weaveth sorrow, and I in foolish pride Forget He sees the upper, and I the underside. Not ’til the loom is silent and the shuttles cease to fly Will God unroll the canvas […]

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Christian Life Courage Faith Fear God's Word Trusting God Truth Wisdom

When You Feel Defenseless, Pull Out Your Sword

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Heb. 4:12 ESV) I winced. Here comes the needle. I’d already been poked earlier that day, and the phlebotomist had had trouble finding a […]

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Change Christian Life God's Faithfulness Knowing God Peace Trusting God

Who Holds You Up When Your World Flies Apart?

When Your World Flies Apart, Jesus is the…  U – Upholder of All Things  “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him […]

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Courage Hope Trusting God

When We’re Desperate for Courage

(This blog first appeared as a guest post for restore-ministries.net under the title “Courage” in February, 2016.) Not too long ago I received a gift from a couple of my friends. It is a Willow Tree “Angel of Courage,” a simple six-inch statue of an angel with wire wings. Her fists are clenched and her […]

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Change Christian Life Fear Knowing God Peace Rest Trusting God

When We’re Feeling Lost, Our Good Shepherd Leads Us

“The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.”  Psalm 23:1 Troubled. Lost. Unsure of what to do next. In the darkness, I fumbled for my phone. The numbers read 3:00. A few seconds later, the cuckoo clock in the den chimed three times, a confirmation that my eyes had not deceived me. I squirmed […]

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Prayer Trusting God

Four Reasons to Keep Praying

Four Reasons to Keep Praying I was sitting on my barstool, drowsily sipping my morning coffee and reading my Bible study, when this question jolted me: What was one of the most passionate or intense prayers you can remember praying? Immediately I recalled several intense prayer sessions. Sadly, not all of my heartfelt cries produced happy […]

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Discernment Fresh Start New Beginnings Trusting God Wisdom

Waiting for the Perfect Time

Do you ever feel God nudging you to take action, but when you look at the circumstances, conditions don’t seem favorable for success? As a result, you procrastinate. You postpone. You tell yourself you’re waiting for the perfect time. I’m a cautious, better-to-be-safe-than-sorry type of person. When I have to make a decision, I explore […]

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Christian Life Faith Fear Trusting God

The Joy of the Lord

Seven years ago a health crisis sent me into a tailspin, and during that time I learned what it means to find strength in the joy of the Lord. Today good results from a routine check-up left me feeling grateful. I’m revisiting a blog post I wrote in 2016 for Restore Ministries. The Joy of […]