Waiting is difficult, especially when waiting for something our hearts deeply desire. It isn’t for the faint of heart nor is waiting for those who give up easily. 1 Samuel 1:2 reads,¨and he had two wives; the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.¨
Read MoreI have historically been rather adept at making a mess of things. Add in unhealthy patterns of the past, and the emotional spiral can plummet downward in those never-ending places of unmet expectations. Any memory verses that I nobly pledged myself to adhere to quickly fall to the wayside in the moment of heated frustration.
Read MorePeople like to say that they will “forgive but not forget”, as though forgiving and forgetting are mutually exclusive. This was the attitude of the people of the church of Corinth. Paul wrote to the Corinthian church because they chose to sue each other rather than resolve their differences.
Read MoreI have to be honest with you. I am not writing this article from a place of having figured it all out. As a woman in my twenties, even though I have worried less about job searching the more I think theologically about it, I still don’t like the process.
Read MoreAfter having my third miscarriage at 18 weeks pregnant, I struggled to understand what God was doing in my life. I was forced to give birth to a daughter I would never be able to care for. Who I would only dream and wonder what her little hands may one day do. Why would He allow such a loss? How would I ever smile again?
Read MoreHave you spent a lot of time thinking about Barnabas? I hadn’t. This verse is so cool because it talks about how Barnabas’ name means “Son of Encouragement”. The book I just finished “Authentic Influencer: The Barnabas Way of Shaping Lives for Jesus” by Jonathan Murphy is all about Barnabas and how his example can help us become the best type of influencer in the 21st century.
Read MoreIt’s probably verses like these that are taken out of context and used to accuse God of being a mean and overly critical teacher who is just waiting to catch you red-handed. Not true. He’s so much bigger and better than we think.
Read MoreWhen I found out that Tirzah was using their platform to focus on mental health, God immediately laid on my heart to write about my experiences with depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Through a four-part series, we will break down how loneliness, fear, regret, and worry all lead to mental health struggles and how under it all, believing ourselves to be unlovable and unworthy only adds to the feelings of hopelessness we can all feel.
Read MoreHave you ever seen pure white snow; the kind that makes everything quiet? When you walk in it and hear the crunching sound of your shoes, you stop in your tracks because you feel like you are a part of something that deserves your awe and stillness. It is something that stays with you, the tranquility and calm of it all.
Read MoreWar movies take me back to childhood. Growing up with two brothers I have seen my fair share. I always loved it when one combatant flew a white flag. A white flag signals surrender. To end the fighting. Lay down of arms. I have been on the hunt for my future husband for the past decade. I’ve been looking, then God spoke an important truth over my heart.
Read MoreIf you kept a running count of all the times you fell short when it came to pleasing God, what would the total be? I know my number would be high, and that thinking about it at times could bring an unnecessary, yet heavy, heartache to my chest. Lately, God has placed it on my heart to meditate on, write about, and live out, rest in Him.
Read MoreOnce every month in 2023 we will have a WORD STUDY for you. You will need a journal and pen to complete it. It can be done through the week or in a couple of days. You can do it on your own or with a group of friends
Read MoreToday we will explore several ways in which we can “hide God’s word in our hearts.” Find what works for you and try them. Do it at a pace that works for you.
Read MoreOne of Job’s major complaints against God was that evil people and their deeds seemed to thrive, not be punished as we would expect. It seemed like God allowed it all to happen without any recompense. At the same time, Job also acknowledged God’s certain judgment on the wicked. Note, this question was not coming from a place of unbelief or sin on Job’s part.
Read MoreWhat comes to mind when you hear the words, ‘Trust God’. What does it mean? What does it look like?
Pause. Jot down your thoughts, then read on.
The dictionary defines trust as: a firm belief in the reliability, truth or ability of someone or something. Trust in God is a decision to stand against all odds and believe that He is good, reliable, truthful and able, regardless of the circumstances of our lives.
Read MoreEach year I try to work on one heart attitude. This I have been doing for a couple of years now. I am a work in progress like all of us are, but this helps me to keep striving to the 365 mark even if I miss a day or more in between. One year I worked on complete honesty, the next year it was listening well and being 100% present where I am and in what I am doing. 365 days is a long time and by the end of it, the new attitude becomes a part of us.
Read MoreLooking back, I have struggled with anxiety for much of my life. I can remember as a little girl, saying my prayers, “… If I should die before I wake…” and feeling so scared to go to bed. This fear of death and worry about things out of my control continued as I entered my teen years.
Read MoreI am a passionate fan of Bible studies (can’t you tell?). I love to fill my mind and heart with Jesus-honoring sermons, podcasts, books, etc. However, there is a stumbling stone here that, if I’m not careful will trip me up. Collecting Bible-based content is good, but only to a point. The creators of these things, are after all, human. And humans have a tendency to get things wrong sometimes.
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