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Spring Starts With a Thaw
Some seasons feel like just getting by. Though God provides what we need, we receive His gifts coolly. Like the frozen ground in winter, we see the blessings drifting down as a mere covering until at last the sun comes again. We’re numb with the cold of same old, same old. Habituated to our hurts…
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To Rest or…Is It Rest? That is the Question.
4 o’clock. I weighed the choice in my mind. It had been a long day, and I wanted to rest. TV is a go-to when I want to relax. But I knew I had more to do. I knew if I watched TV immediately, I’d lose time with my guy catching up on my to-do…
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When It’s Not Over
“The end,” the story says. Script writers know that to successfully complete a TV series or movie, you must wrap up the loose ends. At the end of a person’s life, there is a service to conclude their time on earth. When you get sick, one of the first questions you ask the doctor is…
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Wasn’t Always
I’ve never met a happily married person who’s always been happily married. I’ve never met an adult who wasn’t once a child. I’ve never known a Christian who hasn’t been without Christ. When Jesus said He came to call the sick, not the healthy, His point was this. None of us has always been righteous.…
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Proportionate Fear
Spiders and I have a tenuous relationship. As a little girl, I thought they were downright freaky. But my beloved grandmother loved to scoop up daddy long-legs and sweet talk ‘em. More afraid I’d disappoint her than I was of the nickel-sized monsters, I’d give the spiders she found chummy names and pretend to be…
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Productivity Tips from a 3000+ Words-Per-Day Writer
With just one semester of school left and an on-the-go lifestyle, I needed a way to make money without making a commitment. Freelance writing paid pennies, but I worked hard to turn the change into dollars. Fast forward five years. Writing anywhere from 3000 to 5000 words a day on average, that temporary side hustle…
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Give Me My Due or Else…
During one of my experiences working in a school, I encountered a new disciplinary system. Operating under the philosophy that positive reinforcement would encourage students to do their due, the school offered students tickets. A small “store” was open during lunch so students could exchange their tickets for various goodies. Although possibly a good idea,…
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Conquering by Force
Can you think of a victory in a game, a sport, or even a war that is owed to more to blunt force than to strategy? The weapons used, the position of troops, and the element of surprise are all vital to winning. Underdog teams win by crafty plans and perseverance, not force. Naturally, victories won…
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3 Ways to Swap for Better Comparisons
Like it or not, life is made up of comparisons. We compare our food choices in order to make an informed decision about what we eat. Our employers compare our work to industry standards to help us succeed. God in His Word compares the things of the flesh with the things of the Spirit to…
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God Won’t Budge
“Come oooooonnnn,” is a phrase I mostly use in the kitchen. By the fridge. Holding something with a lid. Twist-off tops and I don’t get along because they will NOT budge. In most cases, being inflexible, stubborn, or unmoving isn’t favorable. So often it seems like if we just grip tighter or twist harder, we’ll…