Most of us hold on to things that work. A good shampoo, a nice, sudsy dish soap, a comfy pair of jeans, a routine. Faith isn’t much different. As long as it moves mountains, we’re happy to keep it. But when it doesn’t–like a bad shampoo, we tend to stop buying it. Is faith really […]
Standing Firm When Faith Doesn’t Move the Mountain Read More »
If your worth depends on affirmation as much as I’ve allowed mine to, then unless you actually get it as often as you think you need it, you probably wonder as much as I do what value the journey of your life holds. The few voices that do affirm you’ve offered them something, while immensely
Value the Journey That Is Your Life Read More »
Surrender is a verb. Noah Webster’s first definition of it is “to yield to the power of another; to give or deliver up possession upon compulsion or demand.” Maybe that’s why it so often feels more like being shackled to an adjective. SURRENDER, adj. 1. A state of powerlessness. And maybe that’s why it’s so
Words are powerful. Spoken or thought, they influence our quality of life. Negative words for the worse, positive words for the better–as long as they stand on truth. In my experience, many positive words ignore truth. Brush it under the rug in the name of optimism. And depress more than encourage because you know that
Thinking Truth in the Face of Persuasive Lies Read More »
“Can you hear me now? Good. Can you hear me now? Good.” Little did I know watching those Verizon commercials as a teenager that the journey of choosing God–and it is a journey, not a pit stop–would play out exactly like them. “Do you choose me now? Good. Do you choose me now? Good.” At
Choosing God When It Feels Like He’s Not Choosing You Read More »
What’s the hardest thing God ever asked of you? To bury a loved one? Endure sickness? Wait? I could list a few experiences he’s allowed me that have been and still are no picnic. But in all the storms, his most exacting command is not to endure the waves that crash over me. It’s to
“Master, the Tempest is Raging” Read More »
Many Christians display in their homes their answer to Joshua’s admonition to choose whom you will serve. It’s the same answer Joshua gave. “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” At our house, we declare it on the doormat outside our front door. Perhaps at your house it’s hanging on a
Choose You This Day Whom Ye Will Serve Read More »
Don’t judge a book by its cover or a blog post by its title. I know this one sounds like a complete departure from what you’ve come to expect here, and, if you’re not building a house, perhaps not like anything you’re interested in. But this isn’t just about building a house. Like every other
8 Things to Know When Building a House (Or Anything Else) Read More »
Planting seeds is always an act of faith. Whether tomatoes and cucumbers or something less tangible–hope, trust–you can’t know what they’ll yield until you sow. Nothing’s lost if the harvest is all you hoped, but is it worth the effort and heartache if it’s not? After several years of growing a garden and a few
Planting Seeds of Faith: Lessons From Our Garden Read More »
My favorite scripture is apt to change with my circumstances. One verse speaks to this battle, another speaks to that. But with seven powerful verses bundled together, How Firm a Foundation speaks to every condition, which makes it my favorite hymn no matter what’s happening. This is admittedly a lengthy hymn. Unfortunately, that often means
“How Firm a Foundation” Read More »
