Have you ever wondered how God defines a super hero? As I was reading through Judges recently, I found a passage in which God refers to Gideon as a hero. The angel of the Lord appeared to [Gideon] and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” Judges 6:12 The story of Gideon has always…
Labels. We all wear labels. Some labels are good; some not so good. Some have a negative impact on the way we view ourselves, on the way we think others see us. Others give us the confidence to walk forward, believing we are worthy of the good things in life. Some tell us we have…
Jacob and Esau. The twins who fought, even in the womb. Animosity ran thick as they battled for their parents’ affection. Esau was loved by his father, and Jacob was his mother’s favorite. It started with the birthright, when Jacob convinced his starving brother to sell it for a bowl of soup. Then, with his…
Life falls apart. Unfortunately, it’s simply part of this…life. For example, Job lost everything. He lost his wealth, his servants, his children. Wave after wave of loss hit him, without time to even breathe between crises. He was left mourning, devastated, in despair. When Job’s life first fell apart, however, he was blessed with some…
Job was a man of integrity, faultless and blameless. And yet, God allowed him to suffer incredible losses. He lost his servants and his livestock. He lost all of his possessions and his children. He lost his health. And Job’s response? Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head…
“For I hate divorce!” says the Lord, the God of Israel. Malachi 2:16 I’ve heard it quoted by so many people. It’s been thrown in my face, reminding me what a sinful person I am for walking away from my marriage. I’ve been told I am required to live a celibate life until my death,…
Grief. Grief accompanies all kinds of losses. Some grief is short-lived. Other times, it lasts a lifetime. Sometimes it’s overwhelming. Other times, it seems to be fading. Maybe it’s grief from divorce. Or sickness. Or death. Or, maybe like us, you are overwhelmed by grief from all of these losses. Last week was the six…
O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. Psalm 63:1 I received a message from a friend recently. “What do you do when the bad stuff just keeps coming? Not…
Being a parent is hard. Being a single parent is extremely hard. Single Mom or single Dad. Never married. Divorced. Widowed. One child. Two children. Eight children. No matter the reason you are a single parent, the struggles are real. The struggles are often overwhelming. The struggles are often similar. When you are divorced and…
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Psalm 37:4 “God,” I cried out as the tears streamed down my face and my feet pounded the pavement, “I want to desire you. I want to delight in you. But, honestly, I really just want a husband.” I had escaped the…
Our country is in tumultuous times. Everywhere we turn, we are faced with division and strife. Racism. Same sex marriage. Refugee crises. Transgender issues. Targeting of law enforcement officers. Terrorism. Religious freedoms. Gun control. Everywhere we turn, violence erupts. With each hot-button issue, emotions run deep. We have become a deeply divided nation, one spewing…
I’m crying UNCLE on 2016! Can I just say I’m over it? It seems I enter every year with great expectations, waiting for God to totally blow my mind with good things. So far, I’m still waiting… Let’s review the last six months. My oldest had surgery in December. A very painful surgery. My kids…