Gaining a heart of wisdom
Fear is a powerful motivator. Even the reluctant student might memorize lists of data for fear of failing a class. Motorists maintain a more conservative driving speed in areas where police regularly patrol. Unfortunately, there is also the fear that paralyzes, which leads to irrational decisions and self-protective behaviors. Fear of God, however, is the supremely rational fear,… Continue reading Fear Bravely as You Are Strengthened with the Courage to Love
Sunday Scripture When I showed up at her door with muffins, I had no idea how sick she had become or how short her precipitous decline would be. In hindsight, I'm grateful for the memory of that last visit with a friend, with her flitting between table and kitchen counter and me working hard to… Continue reading How to Cope with Frustration, Disappointment, and Fear at Christmas Time
Sunday Scripture "Hold on a minute," I gasped as I pushed myself upright again. Repositioning my end of the load, I followed my husband into the spare bedroom where we let the heavy box thud to the floor. We made it--but I knew I had tweaked my back with my stumble-up-the-stairs technique. Fighting fear, I… Continue reading Relax Your Fear Muscle | 3 Scriptures to Support You as You Fight Fear
Sunday Scripture If eyes could wear out a page, there would be a hole in my old maroon Bible where Isaiah 41:10 lives: "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God;I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Anxiety was my default… Continue reading Why You Can Trust the Promises of God
Sunday Scripture It's a short journey from regret to blame, from sorrow to anger, from sadness to bitterness. Defying the pull toward bitterness seems to be one of the tasks of mid-life and beyond, but the movement toward peace and contentment, while challenging, is also life-saving. The prophet Isaiah was gifted with staggering insight to… Continue reading God Will Always Get It Right
Sunday Scripture Welcome to the Christian life! It's a stress-free picnic every day with continual success, lots of friends, and the knowledge that your children will always be well-behaved in public. No problems, no questions, no doubts. Is that what you believe? If so, I have some incredibly good news for you that should help… Continue reading Fear: It’s a Matter of Where You Are Standing
Anxiety is a chronic and pervasive problem for most of us. We fear what we do not know, so, today, let’s get our hearts aligned with the truth of God’s sovereignty. Anxiety about the unknown becomes an opportunity to reaffirm our belief in God’s good intentions toward us and to purposefully put our trust and… Continue reading Sunday Scripture ~ Isaiah 41:10
The road out of Jericho was always well-traveled, but Bartimaeus could sense something different in the air. Just as the angle of the hot sun on the back of his neck told him the time of day, the buzz of the crowd, the whispered excitement, and the press of bodies told him the truth that… Continue reading Driven by Fear to the God Who Casts Out Fear
Several years ago, with one tentative toe dipping into middle age, I read life-changing words from the pen of Ruth Bell Graham, who confided she was finally learning that she did not need to weight in on every topic OR to speak up at every opportunity. This seemed reasonable to me at the time, a… Continue reading 7 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Speak Up
Three-hole punched and organized into a shiny new notebook, my teaching notes were ready to go. The call had come, I had done the long work of study and heart preparation – and I was terrified. Tiny voices of doubt nibbled away at my confidence: “You’re such a spiritual lightweight! Nothing you can discern from… Continue reading Follow Your Calling in Spite of Your Fear
Living Our Days 