pray and release
Author and speaker Mary Lou Quinlan claims that her mother “inhaled a worry and exhaled a prayer.” She says this because her mother had a habit of writing down prayer requests and keeping them in a special place—her “God Box.” There was one rule related to these petitions. According to Mary, “If [anyone] ever worried about the request, Mom would say, ‘If you think you can handle it better than God, it’s coming out [of the box].’ ” This helped Mary and her family to let go of their concerns.
devoured
I’m sure you’ve heard your share of extreme weight-loss plans. But ingesting a parasite? The UK’s Telegraph reports that some people in Hong Kong have resorted to using parasitic worms to peel off the pounds. The worms allow people to keep eating what they want and still shed weight. But the giant intestinal roundworms, which can grow up to 15 inches in length, lay up to 200,000 eggs a day. They can also cause abdominal pain, flulike symptoms, and even death. Yep, this is one dangerous way to try and win the battle of the bulge!
the comfort of God
Sometimes I wish life was like more like an episode of the television drama House. The show is about an egotistical but genius medical sleuth (Dr. Gregory House) who diagnoses and treats mysterious, life-threatening illnesses.
writer's block
Writer’s block will wear you out. During a recent bout with it, everything I wrote ended with the electronic equivalent of throwing a crumpled sheet of paper into the ol’ “circular file” (trash can). Any hint of an idea died on the page before I could finish the first paragraph. My brain swam in circles every time my fingers touched…
confidence to stand
Hebrews 12:25-27: Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! When God spoke from Mount Sinai His voice…
disturbing the peace
Sometimes I catch a glimpse of him as he drives by—reclined in his seat, one arm slung out of his rolled-down window. He’s the guy with the car stereo that blasts seismic sound waves through our neighborhood. His sub-woofers pulse with a booming rhythm so loud that I can hardly feel my own heartbeat. In case you think I’m simply…
anxious times
My friends were dealing with a daughter who was struggling physically and emotionally. Unable to determine the source of her problems, they were getting stretched thin. Not surprisingly, as their precious girl struggled with her anxiety—that invisible foe with physical manifestations—they too started to become anxious.
The world events over the past few years have led many people to experience…
perspective
I recently visited “The First Baptist Church in America.” Founded by Roger Williams in 1638 in Providence, Rhode Island, the present church building was constructed in 1775. Its colonial structure is impressive, with its towering steeple, high pulpit, and boxed pews. Each pew is surrounded by a low wall and gate, and was possessed by families who sat together during…
