Author: mbethany
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The Sore Loser
My competitive side was getting the better of me. As far as we were into the game, it was clear I wasn’t going to win. I’d tried, strategizing my way through, but there was no doubt who would have the victory (not me.) The temptation? To pick up the whole stinking board game and shake…
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Take It Personally
I’d been reading through John 11 slowly each morning, following the story of Lazarus’ sickness, Jesus’ delay, and then His encounters with Martha and with Mary after Lazarus lay dead. It’s a story I’ve read many times, mostly just noting quickly that Jesus is incredible and death is awful before moving along. But this time,…
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Here to Help
On any given day, my internet browser tabs featured Indeed, Zillow, Google Maps, and Bible Gateway.We were in a wilderness.The season we’d been in was ending, but we had no idea of our next. I’d like to say I waited patiently for God’s leading, but truthfully, my frequent visits to those tabs proved otherwise. I believed God…
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When Sin Trails Behind Us
The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. –1 Timothy 5:24 Paul made this small but vivid remark at the end of a letter to his younger friend, Timothy. The wisdom has stuck in my mind. Sin on the Flashing Sign There…
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What Do You Want God to Think of You?
Do you try to impress God? I admit there are times when I realize I’m trying to dazzle God, eager to hear not just “well done, good and faithful servant” but “Wow! You’re the best!” Pride can easily creep into our good works, worship, and prayers. We don’t always spot it at a glance. Perhaps…
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But Jesus…
There were big things to do. There throngs willing to listen who needed to hear. There were disciples seeking training and teaching. “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” –Luke 5:16 Jesus often didn’t do what we’d expect, and calls us to live differently, too. Join me at Recharge Wednesday for a list of…
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Who You Work For
“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” Colossians 3:23 (NLT) A faded blue post-it on my desk reads: No changes. Well done. Brilliant. Not bad. Good job. This mini-rubric helps me rank the quality of what I do as I receive others’ feedback. It’s…
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Is This The Change You’re Looking For?
Having just traveled a few states to work in the summer heat, it was admirable how upbeat the youth were. Their mission trip involved hard work laboring to repair homes and make helpful upgrades. They spent a lot of time in one house rebuilding part of a damaged wall. Everything from measuring to cutting to…
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Believing the Best of God
Have you ever told someone a story, only to have them remind you they were there? Sometimes, while we’re talking, we forget to whom we are speaking: of course we remember their identity at a basic level, but we might also assume something of them inaccurately . . . like their presence or absence on…
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2021 Good List
#2021goodlist (idea from the fantastic Laura Wifler – check out the hashtags for others!) Songs like “All of Our Tomorrows” help me trust God through today and “Feels Like Home” that help me slow down, be still, and pay attention Being stretched. Often not fun in the moment, but it’s incredible when things that seemed…