Have you ever returned home to find that your house has been burned to the ground? Then you get the news your family, those most precious to you, have been kidnapped? Then the people who see you as a leader become embittered against you and not only want you dead, but are threatening to carry out the deed themselves? David in the Bible had a day like that. And I find myself thinking of that passage lately. Sometimes there are…
Jesus said: Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me (John 15:4 NASV). Years ago, I was taking a walk after a class in Bible college wondering how on earth I would ever make any difference in the world. In Bible school, there is a lot of emphasis on affecting change and doing great things. One day in…
God speaks to people in different ways. If you’ve learned how to recognize his voice you’ve probably experienced different ways in which he has communicated. Some examples would be dreams, pictures, sensations, through songs, a word of knowledge (when you just know something), a small voice in your heart, a feeling, etc. I don’t have a deep understanding of how he speaks to everyone, but I know that he speaks to each person individually in a way they best understand….
The other night I couldn’t sleep so I finished the last chapter in Without Rival by Lisa Bevere. In the chapter she says a lot of wise, deep, well-worded things but they weren’t really hitting me until I came to the simple phrase: “We are the ones who benefit when we follow God’s instructions.” The phrase stood out. I think it stood out because lately I’ve been thinking I want to live my life more intentionally. I’ve never dreaded growing…
In the post Got Peace? How to be less anxious (part 1) I talked about the vivid vision God gave me when I cried out to him in a time of depression. I touched on the importance of being intentional to change your way of thinking so that it matches the word of God instead of the world’s way of thinking. When I was younger, I was angry and confused because even though I was a Christian, I was missing…
When I was in my early twenties, I remember a day when I cried out to God in anger. I said something along the lines of: “You said that those who follow you have life and peace! I don’t have any f@*#*#* peace!” If anything, I’ve always been authentic with God. It was definitely coming from a place of honesty, but it was also coming from a place of ignorance. The Bible does speak about a peace that passes understanding….
Beloved of God,There is a longing deep inside of women. A longing to matter. To be heard and understood. To be beautiful to someone. This longing is not a weakness, but the enemy of our souls knows how to exploit it. A lot of women don’t know who they are truly created to be. The devil is called the father of lies for a reason. The only power he has is lies so he wields his power well by whispering…