My house is THE house in the neighborhood. You know…the one where all of the kids hang out, help themselves in the kitchen, walk in the door without knocking. When I get home from work, I am typically greeted by about five teenage boys shooting hoops in the driveway. I’ve walked in my kitchen expecting…
To love is to receive a glimpse of heaven (Karen Sunde). I’ve spent a lot of time lately contemplating sexual purity. Before I was married, I held to very high standards of purity. I never allowed myself to be in a situation where I might be tempted to compromise my standards. I filled my mind…
For we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7) Several months ago, I was reading Mark 9. It contains the story of a man whose son was possessed by a demon. The man came to Jesus begging him to help. He said to Jesus, “If you can do anything, have compassion on us…
God truly works in mysterious ways. As I’ve mentioned before, I love to write. In high school, I was editor of the school yearbook. When I wrote essays for scholarship applications, I always indicated that I wanted to be a writer. In college, I majored in journalism. I am one of those strange students who…
In the month of May 2013, Oklahoma was hit—HARD. Every single day, I drove by areas of tornado destruction. On every street, there were piles of trees by the road. Fences blown down or propped up with pieces of wood. Roofs covered with tarps. Signs blown out or down. Trees lay across fences. In the…
From this day forward, I serve God by his Spirit, I boast in Christ Jesus, I put no confidence in the flesh—though I have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: called to ministry at age 10, valedictorian of my high school…
This morning, I was listening to a sermon on spiritual warfare. I suddenly realized that Satan lives in my house! You see, last summer we had a horrible gopher problem. Every morning we would peek out our back door to see three or four new gopher mounds. We googled to find any hints and tips,…
Tornadoes have been on my mind A LOT in the last few weeks. As I’ve mentioned, I’m from Oklahoma. Normally by the first part of June, storm season is winding down. But this year, it didn’t get started until late May. Even as Moore begins the long process of rebuilding from the EF-5 that devastated…
I have lived in Oklahoma most of my life, and there’s only one word to describe the last two weeks: UNBELIEVEABLE! I know I have been on edge since the tornado devastated Moore last week. It’s as if everything in my life is out of whack—the way I eat, exercise, work. I am so distracted,…
Shortly after my divorce, I found a plaque that now hangs on my wall. It says, “Faith is not believing that God can. It is knowing that He will.” The more I journey through this phase in my life, the more I come to understand this saying. I have never doubted that God could do…
Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies. Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life….She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks,…
Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:13b-14 On April 19, 1995, I watched in horror as the news unfolded. A truck bomb had detonated in downtown…