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Regret…What Are You Doing with Yours?
Regret will eat your life, if you let it. After a couple of significant falls, I’ve made a note in my journal for January 11: stay in bed. On that date in 1998, my foot slipped in the church parking lot. I landed on the hard asphalt and broke my right wrist. Five weeks in…
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Breaking News: God Makes All Things New
Don’t you love new things? Whether fragrant new rose blossoms, a new hair style, a new dress, a new sofa, a new car, a new recipe…most of us enjoy new. New triggers excitement. And usually it measures up to our expectations. Do you want to hear something really exciting? “Therefore if any man be in…
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What Causes You to Flinch?
I’ve been murmuring and complaining…again. I thought I’d left this despicable behavior behind long ago. Unexpectedly an irritation tripped me, sending me back to toddler stage of my walk with the Lord. Maybe I’d been feeling a little smug about my progress, handling disappointments and setbacks with surprising maturity. I kept my focus on the…
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I’d Rather Not, but Let’s Talk about Forgiveness
Are you caught up on forgiveness? No lingering issues bothering you? If you answered yes, good for you. Staying caught up on forgiveness can be a challenge. Sometimes I just don’t want to forgive. Don’t feel like it. Don’t think the person who offended me deserves it. If this were up to me, I’d let…
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Grace…Freely Giving What We Freely Received
Grace. Got plenty. And you do, too. Enough to give to those who need it. Grace is the tagline of the Christian faith. But what is it? The New Compact Bible Dictionary notes that biblical writers used the term with a variety of meanings: “that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, charm, sweetness, loveliness” “good will,…
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Joseph Prospered in the Worst of Circumstances
My interview with Joseph surpassed my high expectations. What an amazing man! Joseph, your life took an unexpected turn when you were just seventeen. Would you tell me about it? I was just a kid—eleventh and favorite son of Jacob, being the son of his old age and born to his cherished wife, Rachel. (She…
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Look for Treasure in Your Sacks
Treasure in your sacks! Have you found it? Have you discovered blessing in an unexpected place? Let’s review a well-known story. I hope you’ll take time to read it in Genesis 37 -50. Joseph, a favored son of Jacob, annoyed his ten older brothers—because his father loved him more and because he related his dreams…
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God Never Stoops to Carry Grudges
God never stoops to carry grudges. That’s one thing I used to do best. Oh, yes. You wouldn’t find anyone who did it better. Then I learned three facts that changed me: Carrying grudges is a characteristic of immaturity. Carrying grudges is detrimental to relationships. Carrying grudges is a colossal waste of time. What is…
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Seeking the Cure for a Chronic Condition
I have a chronic condition. No worries. It isn’t life-threatening. But it is life-impacting, causing extreme distress and misery. The diagnosis—negative thinking. Usually I talk about this when it’s in remission (symptoms have lifted for a while). The problem with a chronic condition: it keeps recurring. Out of nowhere my thoughts took a downturn. Negative…
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Living in relationship—a Few Thoughts
Life is relationship. God designed it that way. Adam, the first man, is the only person who had the opportunity to live without human fellowship. The Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone.” So he created a helper for him (see Genesis 2:18). The heart longs for relationship. Warren Buffet,…