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Keeping Christmas: A Short Story
This Christmas, I thought I’d share something a bit different. I pray this short story about memories, friendship, and unchanging hope brings a little joy to you today! Fake Poinsettias and plastic evergreen decor signaled the arrival of the Christmas season. Agnes, quite attached to her traditions, kept a calendar to help her failing memory…
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3 Biblical Responses to Others’ Struggles
Jesus’ words are clear: “in this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). We expect it. Often, though, we wish that “you” wasn’t so all-inclusive. It can be harder to watch those we love struggle than it is to suffer ourselves. We don’t always know how to help. During the holiday season of 2020, this…
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Comfort in Prayer
My prayer list felt awfully long. As I lifted each name to the Lord, and the thoughts, worries, hopes, and requests pertaining to each one, I felt heavy. There’s just so much suffering, so much unknown. There are just so many people who need Jesus- all of us, in fact. I know God’s not a…
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Lord, Help My Countenance!
Sometimes all our favorite coping mechanisms fail us. Sometimes clearing our heads just makes the clutter in our hearts stand out more. Sometimes it’s not a matter of unbelief or challenging circumstances. Call it hormones. Label it mood. The fact is, sometimes despite what we believe, we just aren’t “feeling” it. While there are many…
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Our Hope Is Built On Nothing Less Than…
I laugh at the memes featuring people peeking out from behind their doors, wild-eyed, saying, “what chapter of Revelation are we doing today?” I’ve chuckled at stoic, cynical jokes about bracing ourselves for the last few months of 2020- a year that seems doomed. Humor is good. Laughter helps. But in case, like me, you…
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What Can Separate Us?
Words like those in Romans 8:35-39 tend to come to mind and comfort us in deep hardship, like when facing death, demons, uncertain futures, and the depths suffering. But it isn’t just the “negatives” of life we feel keep us from God. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?….. For I am convinced that…
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What’s in Your Closet?
For years, I walked around with holy socks. As in, socks with gaping holes in them. At first, it was because money was tight. Over time, it was just what I was used to (and I’m a creature of habit.) Even after someone gifted me new, thick, soft socks, I still wore the old ones.…
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3 Ways to Get Truth from Your Head to Your Heart
You might have heard the famous quote: “The longest journey you will ever take is the 18 inches from your head to your heart.” 18 inches doesn’t seem that far. We can cover that distance in one swift step with our feet. Many of our pets are about that length, and we can run our…
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God’s Creative Answers to Prayer
A sweet friend of mine recently commented that God’s creativity is amazing- not just in nature but in the ways He does things, the ways He answers prayer. This is a picture of that. Over the years, I’ve prayed for a mentor. For deep friendships. For opportunities to encourage others in Christ. For my compulsion…
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The Promise of Presence
A promise. Several generations passed. 400 years of captivity. 40 years wandering the desert. The Promised Land in sight, then out of sight, then in it again. Amazing victories. Devastating losses. Seasons of sin. Periods of rejoicing and serving the Lord. Finally, the death of Moses. It wouldn’t be long. All they’d waited for was…