Gaining a heart of wisdom
Whatever your age or stage of life, if you've made it this far without experiencing sorrow or pain, CONGRATULATIONS, you are a rare and wonderful creature! But don't get too comfortable there, because trouble is a certainty. Jesus declared that it's a sure thing, but not a hopeless thing, for he also said that he… Continue reading God Has a Powerful Purpose for Your Pain
Scripture records at least 153 passages about darkness, and it's a well-worn metaphor for anyone who has read the words and heard the sermons. In the Old Testament, darkness is linked to death and light to life. In the New Testament, light is often associated with knowledge and darkness with ignorance. It would seem, then,… Continue reading Gifts Found Only in the Dark
In the dark, in the car, hands on the steering wheel, I sighed in frustration. “I can’t do this anymore,” I said out loud, startling myself with the fierceness of my tone over the sound of the car’s heater. On that frigid January night, I was brittle with fatigue and hollow with disappointment. I had… Continue reading How I Found Myself Living in the Desert
Doubt has a stubborn power over the human heart, and while it's an uncomfortable place to sit, it's a normal part of the human condition. Far better to bring it to the surface than to try to push it down. Like a beach ball in a swimming pool, it will surface anyway. There's a false… Continue reading Dealing with Doubt within a Life of Faith
Slightly hard of hearing in his Sunday suit and tie, the smiling usher boomed a greeting into the cold and cavernous narthex. “You forgot to set your clocks ahead, right?” Immediately, the disjointed pieces of that chaotic Sunday morning fell into place. The full parking lot, the prevailing hush — yes, we were an hour late… Continue reading It’s Spring-Forward Sunday! Will You Be Late For Church?
Five years ago, we watched history unfold as the world responded to a new virus and a new way of doing life. I wrote an essay that appeared on the (in)courage website in July 2020. Remember those days when we were all trying to figure everything out? Since it has never appeared in its entirety… Continue reading An Unveiled Life: Remembering The COVID-19 Shutdown Of 2020
I keep hearing this statistic, and it's like a pebble in my shoe: Regular Scripture reading is the most consistent factor contributing to spiritual health. It ranked higher than anything else, and it makes abundant sense when we realize that God has promised to speak to the believing heart through his Word. Regular Scripture reading… Continue reading Come Close To The Story: A Free Lenten Devotional
As a grownup with no little people living in our house any longer, my task at bedtime is simple and straightforward. I assemble the scattered experiences of a day, including all the moments of distress, puzzlement, or joy. At day's end, everything becomes an offering to the Lord as I simply turn the outcome over… Continue reading Is the Illusion of Control Your Favorite Idol?
When distance separates us from a friend's disaster, when there doesn't seem to be a workable solution to an ongoing problem, we promise to pray. That's what friends and families and church communities do for each other. But sometimes we just don't know what to ask God for. Do we pray for relief or repentance?Do… Continue reading How to Pray for Someone When You Don’t Know What to Pray
How does one live well before God amid life's challenges? Most of our decisions have to be made on the fly—like taking a test we haven't studied for! Sometimes, the wise course of action is hard to discern, and making a call is impossible until the choice and its consequences are already in the rearview… Continue reading 2 Reading Strategies to Get Wisdom from the Word
Living Our Days 