I have always preferred opposites. Noise to complete silence. Smiles instead of tears. Light instead of the dark
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Last week, we came to the conclusion that God shows mercy to whom He wills and it is not something we can earn in our own efforts. And for some, that can be a bit disheartening, leading us to ask, “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist His will?” (Romans 9:19).
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Life is full of seasons and each season is an opportunity to learn something new. In a season of waiting, we learn the faithfulness of God. In a season of anticipation, we learn that God keeps His word. In a season of pain, we learn suffering is part of the journey.
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I started this book review with Romans 12:2 because I believe that God allows us to choose what we intake and He also gives us discernment. I was asked to review “Everybody Fights, So why Not Get Better at It?” By Kim and Penn Holderness.
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In Part 3, you read about my amazing mentor and best friend who shepherded me so much in how to be a wife and mother. She taught me how to burn ships and build bridges in so many ways. This section of my journey in leadership has perhaps been one of the most challenging. One where instead of being encouraged by pastors and church leaders and peers, I was frowned upon and continued to be. It’s everybody’s favorite topic - female roles in the church.
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This month, I wanted to take a moment to pause and spend some time sharing about prayer with you. We’re over halfway through this year now, and lots has happened. The seasons have been ticking by, and depending on which hemisphere you find yourself in, you’re either rugging up and enjoying the grey, cold days over steaming cups of coffee, or you're shimmying into your swimwear and heading to the beach for summer holidays.
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Have you ever witnessed someone who seems to have it all, waste their life away? Someone who has been given every opportunity, been loved and encouraged unconditionally, and yet, they reject it all and seem to be going nowhere. That’s how Paul saw the Israelites: they were God’s chosen people, but when the Messiah came to them, they rejected Him. Why? Why did God allow it to happen? How does God choose who is saved and who isn’t? Or is salvation our choice? That’s what we’re going to study this week.
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Let me begin by saying, I was single for twenty years. (Which doesn't sound like that much time, but a lot of life happened in those twenty years.) I was a self-described “strong and independent woman.” Singleness was amazing, though it was hard some days (I’m downplaying how often I cried in my car), but it was fulfilling to know I was focusing my time on serving God. Honestly, I expected there would be a much longer process between being single, and being in a relationship. Perhaps a couple of months of, “hmm, I could adjust to the idea of not being single anymore.” or something. Fireworks? A giant sign?
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It was the fifth consecutive day I woke up with a headache. After trying my own remedies and finding them all useless, I asked my father, a general practitioner with over 50 years of experience. Dad said that early morning headaches were often caused by worry.
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What is love and how do we know if it is lasting? I have asked myself this question for years. It has been present in the back of my mind starting with my broken family when I was a teenager and continuing through my many broken relationships and deaths of family members and friends over the years.
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If you’ve ever doubted your salvation or if God still loves you after you’ve sinned again or fallen away yet again, this week’s study is for you. But it is also a good reminder for all Christians that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.
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We often think of sanctuaries as sacred buildings adorned with stained glass, but sanctuaries are any place we can retreat for refuge and renewal. Any space that speaks to our souls and places us in a posture of reverence can be a sanctuary.
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Above is a passage from the Bible about what spiritual fruit should be flourishing within you as a Christian. There's the obvious, but no less important, ones like love and joy and peace. Then there's long suffering (which is also known as patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control. And then there is gentleness: the one I struggle with the most.
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It’s summertime and now seems like the perfect time to settle in for a good series on Netflix, am I right? Is that just me? I have to be really careful in this carefree season of relaxation and a lighter schedule, because if I’m not, I could easily spend all day long binge-watching my favorite shows. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, necessarily, but moderation is a good thing to consider. That being said, I am trying to be mindful of what I fill my mind with and how I spend my time.
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There is magic in a marsh sunset, when the water mirrors the sky above. I can watch the water, looking for ripples of movement to reveal the wildlife under the surface while admiring wispy clouds swirling overhead. And I can witness the water and sky as one, the water working to reflecting much bigger blue above.
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Romans 8:28-30 is often used to support the doctrine of predestination, which is one of the fundamental characteristics of the Calvinist Christian view. Predestination is the belief that God does not just know all who will be saved, but ordains (decides) who will be saved. The people who will be saved are called the “elect”.
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I went into marriage with a lot of romantic, but vague, ideas about what a marriage would be like. A few years in, I’ve since found that marriage is very different from what I imagined. I’ve learned a lot, but one thing I was surprised to discover is that my marriage has been teaching me new things about my relationship with Christ.
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God’s desires for our lives often come in quiet revelations and hushed tones, nestled between dirty dishes and early mornings. It’s an invitation hidden in not-yet-mopped floors and cluttered counter tops. For as long as I can remember, I wanted three things in life: to get married, become a homemaker, and be a writer. Maybe these tiny handfuls of whimsical dreams seem a bit trivial and cliché to you.
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How can we love better? Loving others is work. Love is fun. Love is rewarding. Love is sacrifice. Still, what does love actually look like?
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