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 […]
(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 […]
When you don’t know who’s telling the truth, God is… T True and just And I heard the altar saying, “Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!” Revelation 16:7 (ESV) Not long ago, I read a quote from a high-level infectious disease expert lamenting what he perceived as an “anti-science” bias. In his […]
“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 […]
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 […]
Last week, the death of my sweet “mother-in-love” took us by surprise. Though she was 87, she had been in relatively good health. Then with one sudden stroke, she was gone. The funeral was a bittersweet event. Those of us who loved her gathered to celebrate her life and trade stories about her. We laughed […]
“Why can’t we see God?” My inquisitive six-year-old student fixed his gaze on me and waited for the all-wise, adult answer to his question. “Well,” I began, “God is Spirit. He’s invisible.” But the question pried open a place in my heart that concealed hidden doubts. As an adult, I’ve often wondered the same thing. […]
I remember watching my one-year-old granddaughter as she took her first tottering steps. Using every ounce of strength, she pulled herself up and gripped the edge of the coffee table with her soft little hands. She moved one chubby foot, then another, trying to advance around the table. Then Remy, a black-and-brown mixed-breed dog who […]
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 […]
“So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.” (Eccl. 8:15 NIV) Does God really want us to eat, […]
