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Deepening Your Faith
I’ll admit, I’m not much for water. Oceans are pretty, but I’d rather climb the side of a mountain than fight the tide. When we hit the pool, my toe goes first. Then my foot. Then my ankle. It’s a long, tedious process that often occupies more minutes than time in the pool actually does.…
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Made for God’s Pleasure
An intriguing accent caught my attention as I scanned the radio on our long drive. My then-fiancé said with surprise, “I didn’t know you liked Alistair Begg!” I responded: “Is that this guy? I like his accent!” My guy smirked. “I think you’ll also like what he has to say.” Thus was my introduction to…
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A Tree Proverb
Long into a serious and frustrating conversation about faith, my husband pointed at a familiar tree in the yard. It’s been there for decades longer than we’ve been alive. “How does the tree stand?” he asked. I knew the question was loaded. I also know him; he won’t answer until I do. “It’s weight. And…
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For the Rainy Days
“As the rain soaks into the ground, so pray the Lord to let His gospel soak into your soul.” – C.H. Spurgeon With rainy days come umbrellas, puddles on (previously) clean floors, and dour expressions. Laziness is common, as are melancholy moods. Rain makes us contemplative, tired, and sullen. The grey sky seems to indicate that,…
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Being Heavenly Minded for Earthly Good
Our car rolled to a stop on the side of the highway. The difference between 55 mph and 0 mph was startling. Inside and out, our car looked to be in perfect working order––but now it couldn’t move. I watched my Mr. Fix-It lift the hood and investigate. His answer was sure: All the right…
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Before I Go Online Bible Study Review
Dying words tell you something about a person. The way someone chooses to spend their last few days of life on earth matters. Usually, “Before I Go” seasons are spent sharing important moments and words with loved ones. Even though Jesus was going to be raised from the dead, the same was true during the…
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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 There were people to heal. There were lost souls to share the Gospel with. There were places to get to, people…
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7 Ways to Turn Your Bible Reading Into a Conversation with God
Silly as it may seem, I didn’t see a connection between reading the Bible and praying for a long time. Then one day in my regular Bible reading, I was desperate to understand what a challenging passage was saying. Desperation has a way of making our prayers more honest, doesn’t it? I smacked my forehead…
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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 stinkin- board game and shake…
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Leave God-Room
“Leave room for Jesus.” That’s what we’d tease dating friends who always seemed to want to be close to each other. It was a light-hearted way to remind them that God’s way is better than our way. The principle applies to much more than just purity in relationships though. Franklin Graham, in his autobiography Rebel…