When [Joseph’s] brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not bring themselves to speak peaceably to him. Genesis 37:4 For the last ten years or so, I have read through the entire Bible each year at least once. And every year when I get to…
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to…
“Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them…
Three years ago, Lysa Terkeurst and her husband stood before man and God and renewed their vows following a painful separation after infidelity. They gave so much hope to those walking the painful journey of infidelity, a reminder that God is able. And God truly is able. He is able to heal the most broken…
On New Year’s Eve, Lysa TerKeurst, founder of Proverbs 31 ministries, announced her marriage is ending after nearly 30 years. It’s been several years since she made a similar announcement and I penned the following words to her. You see, in 2017 she announced her husband had been unfaithful and she was pursuing a legal…
Silent night, Holy night, All is calm, All is bright As my daughter led the congregation in worship with these words, my heart was heavy and burdened. Yes, it’s that time where we celebrate the peace brought into the world by our Savior, God incarnate who came into the world as a precious baby wrapped…
I’ve often heard it said that integrity is who you are when no one is watching. Sometimes, though, integrity is standing up for what you know is right even when everyone is against you. And that’s the uncomfortable situation in which I find myself today. Without giving excessive details, I am a leader in an…
Recently, I was reading an old blog post from when Roy and I were first married. In case you don’t know, our first couple of years were HARD…and that might be the understatement of the year! As if marriage isn’t hard enough, remarriages are even harder. When you take two people who have baggage from…
Happy Thanksgiving! Have you contemplated those things for which you are thankful? I know I have many things. My health. My family. My job. Redemption. Purpose. Relationships. And, of course, my Savior whose love and forgiveness and faithfulness is the one constant in this life. Where would I be without Him? Today, though. Today, I…
This weekend, I took my daughter on her first true college tour. Can I start by saying I’m not sure how we reached this place in life? My baby is a high school senior! I know she will do well in college, and I know SHE is ready. I, however, am not. But, I digress….
Since I frequently write about adultery, divorce, and abuse, I also follow a number of Christian writers who focus on these topics. Most of the time, I find great compassion and a desire to help the church better understand the plight of those of us who have experienced this type of victimization. I have used…
As I sat through the funeral service, I couldn’t concentrate on the words being spoken. I kept hearing a still, small voice in my head. “Extend forgiveness,” the voice urged. It was my first time back in this church building since my husband had resigned his position as pastor of the congregation nearly five months…