Reading Time: 5 minutesThough Tonia may not ever verbalize it (Most times she doesn’t), I believe she still wants, needs, and expects me to fight for her, rescue her, sacrifice and spill my life for her, in some very particular ways.
Reading Time: 3 minutesThe resurrection of Jesus is unbelievable. That is, people find it difficult to believe. I get it. It conflicts with logic and science. Simply put, dead people don’t rise from the grave. The truth is, I would doubt the resurrection of Jesus, too, if it was not for one piece of evidence.
Reading Time: 3 minutesWhen we say we have an excruciating headache or excruciating pain coursing through our leg or lower back, do we really know what we are saying? I know what we are trying to say (I am not minimizing migraines and other significant pain), but I don’t think we come close to experiencing what the word actually means.
Lord, we awakened this morning, shaken by to another senseless bombing. This time the coordinated violence occurred in Brussels, Belgium. More than 30 killed and hundreds injured. This breaks my heart in so many ways.
Lord, I trust you, but I have to admit, I don’t understand. I am baffled and disturbed by this event and others around the world. I have questions. Lots of them. I struggle to make sense of the sorrow, pain, and violence. I feel like my prayers aren’t enough for what happened in Brussels today.
Lord, I need you to calm the quakes and stabilize the shifts. Yet, even in the wrestling, I will praise you. I will still believe you are a good God. I will trust you to make right this wrong and bring gospel redemption. I believe but help my unbelief.
So, in their darkness, pain, suffering, have mercy and be a refuge and strength and a very present help in this time of trouble.
Amen!
Reading Time: 2 minutesEvery day you and I are faced with the option of deciding which Jesus we want. I wish I could tell you I always want the right one, but the truth is sometimes I ask for the wrong Jesus.
Reading Time: 2 minutesWhen Tonia encourages me, she breathes new life into my soul. This relational breath makes me feel like I have the strength to knock down mountains for her. Her words and affirmation of who I am and who God created me to be are like water in dry places. Over the past 21 years, Tonia has encouraged me in some particular ways.
Reading Time: 3 minutesAttending worship has fallen on hard times. More people are skipping the worship gathering. The pews are empty, and the buildings have become increasingly cold. Even committed Christians are attending church less. I wonder if people realize the spiritual benefits they are forfeiting when they miss the worship gathering.
Reading Time: 3 minutesI am offendable. I wish it wasn’t true, but it is. I wish I wasn’t, but I am. I wish I could look past it, but I can’t. I wish I was stronger, but I’m not. I want to be more mature, but I am still learning how to be a grown up. I wish Jesus was always on the throne, but he’s not. The truth is …
Reading Time: 3 minutesLord, I need your guidance. Where should I live? What should be my life’s work/career? Who should I marry? How many children should we have? Who should I hire? Should I take the job in North Carolina or the one in Minnesota? The Bible doesn’t specifically address these questions, but God wants to give us answers to these questions. How do we place ourselves in a position that gives us a better chance of receiving answers from God when we seek him?
If you ever doubted the grace of God and the power of his redeeming grace, this video will change your mind. This is one of the most amazing testimonies I have heard in recent years. It is more than worth the 7:45. I know you will be blessed.