Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.” Ephesians…
Then this message came to me from the LORD: “Son of man, how does a grapevine compare to a tree? Is a vine’s wood as useful as the wood of a tree? Can its wood be used for making things, like pegs to hang up pots and pans? No, it can only be used for…
“He is a charismatic leader at church,” the email begins. “Everyone loves him. They believe everything he says. He has managed to turn everyone against me. But they don’t know the man he becomes behind closed doors.” I receive emails similar to this almost every day. Male and female. Young and old. Emotional abuse is…
There we were, gathered around the table. Jesus, the twelve disciples, and myself. I watched Jesus closely, mesmerized by His every move, His every word. And that’s when He stood, grabbed a towel and a basin. One by one He knelt at our feet, taking the form of a servant. Peter. James. John. Love emanating…
“We have heard that you had multiple affairs and destroyed multiple families,” the email from my employer read. Stunned. Shocked. Mortified. Hurt. Angry. The emotions rocked me to my very core. My hands shook as I attempted to respond. Where could such a venomous attack come from? Hadn’t I suffered enough already? Yes, in the…
Have you ever seen history rewritten? History is often about perspective. We each have our own experiences through which we interpret events. Sometimes an event will change the way we see our past. I’ve seen this over the last years concerning marriage. Often, we rewrite our marriages in light of our circumstances. For example, I’ve…
“Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces; now he will heal us. He has injured us; now he will bandage our wounds. In just a short time he will restore us, so that we may live in his presence. Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press…
It’s Thursday morning at 6:00 am, and this week has been excruciatingly long! It seems like it should be Saturday, but instead I still have two days left in the work week. I don’t even know what has made it so long. Last night, it was 8:00 when I finally finished work and wrapped up…
I am locked in a prison of silence. Yes, as I write this post, I am on day ten of laryngitis. It seems to be a semi-annual affair for me. One minute I am fine; the next, my voice is faint, high-pitched, and very, very squeaky. I’ve been told that I sound like Minnie Mouse…
Have I ever mentioned that I love my kids? I might be partial, but I have some pretty amazing kids. But sometimes, I see lies creeping into their lives. Maybe it’s during my late-night heart-to-heart discussions with my 16 year-old. (See? My teenager still talks to me! I told you I had amazing kids!) Or…
The thing I hate most about being a single mom is vulnerability. Security is one of my greatest needs, and I remember feeling as if every drop of security was ripped from me. It’s not as bad as it used to be, but my sense of vulnerability seems to increase at night. I’m blessed to…