Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16 Grace is real, and it shows up in the most unexpected places. Maybe I’m inherently cynical, but whenever I need to face a potentially sticky situation, I run the possible challenging …
Waiting Game
Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him—Isaiah 64:4 Waiting. It’s never been an admirable trait of mine. My mom used to tell me my lack of patience started in the womb—I was two weeks early. It couldn’t possibly …
Sneaky Devil
Are you anxious about anything? Let me throw out a generalization—or an unsubstantiated guess—that if you aren’t worried about anything right at this moment, you have been in the past and will most likely fall prey to it in the future. It’s human nature—and part of our sin nature. It’s probably one of the most effective tools Satan uses to …
Wait Before You Leap
Spontaneous. Dictionary.com defines this word as coming or resulting from a natural impulse or tendency; without effort or premeditation; natural and unconstrained; unplanned. I think about spontaneous people as being the life of the party—fun-loving. Who doesn’t want to spread a little joy when hanging out with friends? Spontaneity is a good thing, right? I certainly don’t want to be …
Restless Hearts
I’m sure you’ve heard of restless leg syndrome. It’s a neurological disorder that causes unpleasant or uncomfortable sensations in your leg and an irresistible urge to move them. It’s considered a sleeping disorder, because the symptoms are triggered by resting and attempting to sleep—instead, those suffering from it are forced to move their legs, thereby unable to sleep. But have …
Life is Like a Game of Pickleball
Pickleball. Have you heard of it? Maybe you’ve even played it. About six years ago, friends invited us to dinner—and a rousing game of pickleball. I somehow assumed the game was a new form of ping pong, and since it was during the heat of summer, I wore my cute sandals. It wasn’t until they both looked at my feet …
I Dare You to Open It
The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. —Romans 8:11 About six weeks ago, our pastor gave a message from the pulpit that launched me on a spiritual journey, which …
Forgotten God
But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come—John 16:13 Have you ever experienced a series of seemingly random ideas that when put into the proper context …
Dividing Lines-Dividing Lives
How long, O God, will You allow our enemies to insult You? Will you let them dishonor Your name forever? Why do You hold back Your strong right hand? Unleash Your powerful fist and destroy them. Psalm 74:10-11 Unless you’ve been on a deserted island with no link to the outside world, you can’t miss the upheaval that’s been going …
Flying High
Now that the holiday craziness has wound down, it’s time to slip back into normal life—whatever that means. I am a creature of routine, and I stay much more grounded and productive when I can keep one. I try to stay ahead of the curve, which means planning out my work schedule so if it gets interrupted (like it did …