you choose Q: how do you discern God's will?
Q: How do you discern what is God’s will for you, when circumstances and situation are confusing, when you are under a lot of pressure, and when you can not rely on people-what they say/advise? —Mirjana
A: Mirjana, it’s important for believers in Jesus to discern God’s will because they want to do what’s right and to honor and please Him…
what to do?
I used to struggle big-time with making decisions. When confronted with options I seldom experienced confidence that I would make the right decision. One winter, I flew to Colorado to visit some dear friends who owned a ski resort. Rather than take advantage of free skiing, however, I opted to spend my days by the fireplace in their cozy home,…
the choice is yours
A missionary friend who has lived in Uganda for nearly 20 years recently told me that his wife doesn’t enjoy their family’s annual trip to the United States. The reason? “There are too many choices there!” she says.
It’s true that—with fewer consumer products at our disposal—life in Uganda can seem less complicated than in the Western world. I’ve found,…
wealth of wisdom
Australian volunteer worker Paul Hol found a treasure while sorting through hundreds of donated books. He unearthed a first edition copy of the novel 1984, penned by George Orwell in 1948. The book still sported its original dust jacket in the color red—the rarest color for that print run. Paul’s find eventually sold for nearly $2,000 at a private auction.…
lasting
One summer when I was in elementary school, some of the neighborhood kids built a fort out of scrap wood. Precariously balanced on the ground, it consisted of three levels with enough room for two small bodies on each level. My dad, upon seeing their creation, promptly prohibited me from climbing in it as he was convinced it was an…
at the end of the day . . .
I know what I'm supposed to do in life. But over the past 8 months, there has been a lot of wrestling in my heart over whether it should be in strong agreement with what I truly stand for or become independent from what I once believed in. It's tough. Perhaps you’ve seen the word "tough" in many other blog…
solid ground
Feelings lie. This truth became evident as my husband and I talked with a young man who, after becoming sexually active with his girlfriend, was brokenhearted at how far he had moved from following God’s Word. Trying to convince himself that God could bring something good out of their sin, he had continued in the relationship. On the basis of…
u-turn
When my daughter was learning to drive, one of the maneuvers she had to master was the U-turn—a 180-degree rotation to reverse her direction. In some places, U-turns are permitted anywhere along a road as long as it’s safe to do so. In Singapore, U-turns are permitted only at specifically designated junctions, clearly marked by a sign. Regardless of your…
the fourth man
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take" (Proverbs 3:5-6).
When we're faced with decisions that don't have good choices, then the only thing to do is look to the Lord for His direction. I didn't write…
power failure
An impromptu high-wire act by a 26-year-old man caused a portion of Dongguan, a city in China, to experience a blackout. The man had lost his job and chose to drown his sorrows by drinking heavily. After his binge, the drunken one climbed a high voltage cable tower and began walking and hanging on the power cables. When firemen couldn’t…
correct change
Making decisions while shopping has never been one of my strong points. I take forever to settle on a purchase, and then all the way from the checkout line to my house, I still question whether or not I got the best deal. Recently, after finishing my shopping, I realized after leaving the store that the cashier had rung up…
the way of rest
Train stations in Japan often list stops in both Kanji and English. This one did not. The longer I stared at the sign, the more it mocked me.
Finally, I asked the woman standing next to me: “Do you speak English?” “A little,” she said. She understood where I wanted to go and motioned for me to follow her. We…
