Spiritual Growth When God is Silent I don’t usually do well with long periods of silence . . . especially when God is the one who is silent. Many illustrations about spiritual growth come from the agricultural world. A seed is planted, and then it sprouts,...
Time Constraints . . . Or Not It has been almost two weeks and I’m finally adjusting to the time change after re-setting our clock forward for Daylight Savings Time. My dog, on the other hand, is still confused as to when she should be fed. Based on past...
Six Steps to Speaking the Truth in Love Ever been attacked by someone who wields truth like a club? I have. And ouch, did it ever hurt! Or maybe you recall the childhood rhyme, “Liar, liar, pants on fire.” Do you remember chanting that childhood accusation at...
The Order of Submission If ever a word could be identified as an emotional trigger, it’s submission. And if submission is mentioned in the context of marriage, then dive for cover because the trigger just became a grenade! Do the following words sound familiar?...
Christians and National Cookie Month Did you know October is National Cookie Month? Not that I need an excuse to eat more cookies! Are you wondering about the connection between Christians and National Cookie Month? Stay with me a bit longer . . . Do you have a...
Are You Praying and Living TALL? I didn’t understand her comment. Our team had met for a working dinner meeting. We shared a meal and completed the planning portion of the session, and now the five of us sat around the dining room table sharing prayer requests....
Work Out Salvation by Running Bases? When we moved into our home twenty years ago, we installed new carpeting. But if you visit me today, a quick glance at the same carpets will tell you a lot about our habits without a word spoken. You could easily determine...
Are You Mastered or a Masterpiece? Did you know my bio is recorded in the Bible? Yup! Paul described me to a T when he wrote in Romans 7:15-19, “I do not understand what I do . . . For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I...
Forgive and Forget . . . Or Not? Forgive and forget. Forget and forgive. Joined like love and marriage or the proverbial horse and carriage. Forget and forgive. They’re even listed one right after the other in my dictionary. Forever joined together…or are they?...
Increasing Awareness of Sin: Good or Bad? Ever feel as if you can’t pray because you’re so aware of your own sin? After I first became a follower of Jesus Christ, I was shocked to find I felt more sinful than before I became a Christian. And that awareness...
Celebrating Victory in Christ When you think of victory in Christ, what comes to mind? For many of us,...
Exercise Your Faith Muscles Exercise and I have a tenuous relationship at best. I want to work out, but several...
“What If” or “Even If”? Why is it easier to focus on the negative? On every fear-inducing “what if”? Yes, the...