no benchwarmers
I always felt a little sad for the guys on my high school basketball team who were put into a game during the waning seconds when the outcome was already decided. I was glad to see them finally get a chance to play, especially if we were winning, but it always seemed a bit nominal.
Unfortunately, nominal is how more than…
August 30, 2010
How is your country doing spiritually? What are the trends you see?
zealous for Jesus
All of us are capable of being zealous, regardless of our personality type. Even the most phlegmatic person can be passionate about something. Some people are into soccer, for others it’s food. So the issue isn’t whether or not one can be zealous, but where a person’s devotion lies.
In Romans 12, the apostle Paul provides some instruction that includes…
Our Father's voice
I host a live, call-in radio program. Recently we explored the tricky topic of hearing God’s voice. “Does God speak personally to people?” I asked listeners. “If so, how? And how can we be sure it’s His voice we’re hearing and not our own thoughts?” Maryanne was my first caller.
“Fifteen years ago I heard God speak to me— audibly,”…
your version of joy
So I was surfing the Web when the words of an online banner ad caught my eye. “Find your version of happiness now.” Interesting, huh? The fine print in the ad explained that it was for Personals— designed to link people in search of dates with other like-minded individuals.
Whether it’s finding Mr. or Ms. Right or simply ordering that…
hagar mistake
A Christian friend of mine was desperate for marriage and tired of waiting for God to deliver. Finally, she entered into an intimate relationship with a man whose character and faith lacked nearly every requisite trait she’d once held dear. When the unhealthy romance finally ended, my friend felt dejected and humiliated. She looked back on the relationship with dismay,…
technology and the trivial
If our technology had existed in Jesus’ day, our Bibles might read: “Jesus asked His disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ but they were checking their e-mail and missed the question.” Or “A third time He asked him, ‘Simon . . . do you love Me?’ Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a…
Your will be done
The two requests in verse 10 of the Lord’s Prayer are two sides of the same coin (Matthew 6:9-13). When we pray for God to rule as king, we’re also acknowledging that we will obey the King and do His bidding.
God has planned good for us (Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 8:28), so we can pray, “May Your will be done…
heaven or hell
I'm currently reading The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis, and remembered a piece of artwork that a friend created that contains a similar allegory:
[caption id="attachment_4624" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Artwork by Tomaz Goh"]
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C. S. Lewis wrote, "If we insist on keeping Hell (or even earth) we shall not see Heaven: if we accept Heaven we shall not be able to…
yet, I sleep!
“Get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.”
Reading Luke 22 this morning, the echoes of these ancient words reverberated through the corridors of my soul. I was convicted—guilty as charged.
Just hours before he would carry all of humanity's sins on his shoulders and in his own body, Jesus spoke these words to his friends,…
little girls need their daddies
A while ago I had a conversation with an 8 year old child that simply broke and melted my heart. It was a conversation about her not feeling wanted and loved by her dad. She thought she was the seeming unimportant pawn in the chess match of her mother and father's divorce and animosity toward each other. For whatever reason,…
when prejudice meets the Word
A couple weeks ago I preached a message from the Book of Malachi. The message was simple but very difficult for me to deliver. The major point from the message was: “Correcting injustice in the world, begins with God correcting injustice in me.“ Though it was a heavy message for me to deliver, God lifted my spirit in an amazing way as someone…
His perfect timing
One hour and 36 minutes until deadline. Having returned to full-time teaching this year, I’m learning the complexities of balancing a job along with working with my husband in ministry and continuing my writing. All of which trail the two main roles in my life—wife and mom. Life is far from predictable. Some days—most days—it feels impossible. Tempted to live…
August 23, 2010
Why is it so important to be part of a local church?
healing confession
In 2006, confession of sin became an artistic expression. Two artists, Laura Barnett and Sandra Spannan, created an exhibit in a storefront in Manhattan, which allowed passersby to confess their sins. They sat in the storefront, dressed as 19th-century washerwomen. The words on the window read, “Air your dirty laundry. 100-percent confidential. Anonymous. Free.” Onlookers were encouraged to confess their…
