Category: Faith
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What Are You Waiting For?
You are waiting for something right now. Dinner? An apology? A call from a loved one? Treatment to start working? All four of these things? We are always waiting both for trivial things and for the stuff that makes life meaningful. This is hard. Waiting can be lonely, worrying, and exhausting. We don’t like it….
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Life without the Force
“Life without using force.” Sounds very Star Wars, doesn’t it? But this is essentially what I answered when someone asked me what I’ve been learning in a hard, limiting season. I’ve always been a doer with a fairly high capacity. The planner. The organizer. The host. The follow-upper. Lately, I haven’t been able to *make*…
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Come Thou Unexpected Jesus
It’s wonderful to know what to expect as Christmas traditions begin– our beloved old faux tree, the snowglobes with nativity scenes, the cozy lights hung up. And of course, our advent “calendar.” We hang a homemade ornament on the tree each night that features two Bible references. First, an Old Testament prophecy. Next, Christ fulfilling…
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Failing at the Right Things
While we were newlyweds, my husband visited a seminary he was considering attending. His tour guide, an older student, gave him this sage advice: “If getting a ‘C’ in class means getting an ‘A’ in marriage, take that ‘C.’” Those words stuck with us, teaching us something that has applied far beyond classroom settings and…
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Why I Love Praying ‘All is Yours’
I don’t remember how or when it started, but at some point, I frequently began praying, “all is yours.” Many of my prayers are punctuated with this simple recollection. It’s a refrain that sticks with me because it so helpfully redirects my perspective. Remembering that all is the Lord’s helps me to… Acknowledge Acknowledging that…
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Peace in Jesus is Unique
This post is a reshare of what I shared last week as a little experiment on Substack. If you’d like to receive a weekly Bite-Size Peace Devotion, you can sign up below. **I thought I could automatically send these devotions to anyone subscribed to First and Second already, but sadly can’t! Sorry! You’ll have to…
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For the Joy Set Before Him
Imagine you can have everything you’ve ever truly wanted. Deep, perfect relationships with everyone you love. Life with God, seeing Him face to face without any cause to doubt that you are fully known and fully loved. Freedom from fear, want, and pain. Access to every answer, every good opportunity, every wonderful place and experience….
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What We Need Most When We Feel Left Out
“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” – John 15:15 Distress obvious on her face, my 7-year-old pal from the after-school club I volunteered at ran over….
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God Endures
I often read Hebrews 11 when I need a reminder that hard and perplexing circumstances can be endured by faith. It helps me to persist, seeking to honor God by faith when my sight feels dim. But. Recently it struck me that the “heroes of the faith” remembered in the passage weren’t the only ones…
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2024 Good List
Keeping the tradition alive! Here are some good gifts I’ve been grateful for in 2024. -Matt’s persistent, consistent patience -Seeing the first two Abigail books in readers’ hands -Returning to favorite vacation spots -Discovering the joy of a well-producedaudiobook -Hosting friends from near and far -Hearing from readers and marveling at God’s kindness! -Sweetwater’s hot…