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How To Find Joy In Our Painful Trials Of Life
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. — James 1:2-4 (NIV) Watching the family interact, I couldn’t help but chuckle.…
Words Are Powerful: The Lost Art Of Gracious Conversations
Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. — Proverbs 16:24 (NIV) Words are powerful. Sadly in our broken world, we often see hateful words thrown out without restraint. During my years as an elementary school teacher, I often saw my young students speak harshly to each other ~…
How To Live With Compliments But Not For Them
“He must become greater; I must become less.” — John 3:30 (NIV) There’s a postcard sitting on my desk. On it a friend wrote one of the highest compliments I’ve ever received: It is clear that you walk with Jesus. These words remind me of my truest desire: to honor Jesus in all that I…
Why Resilience Is The Better Response To Failure
For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes. — Proverbs 24:16 (NIV) Without looking at her directly, I tried to assess the damage. My friend’s young daughter had just taken a spill on my kitchen floor. An untied shoelace seemed to have caused the tumble. During…
Serving The Least Deserving Will Make Your Service Great
Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” — Mark 9:35 (NIV) I had no reason to be grumpy. Yet from the moment I woke up I found myself grumbling over every little annoyance. The coffee wasn’t ready on…
Choosing Community In A World That Champions Independence
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. — Romans 12:15 (NIV) “Why can’t I just live by myself and do my research? It would be so much easier.” My friend’s question was rhetorical. She knows, as I do, that God created us to live in community with others. But just because something…
When We Feel Knocked Down, Jesus Can Lead Us To Victory
…he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” — Genesis 3:15b (NIV) Recently I did something for the first time in over five years ~ I jogged. This may not sound like much for many of you, but trust me when I say this was BIG for me. Because in June of…
Why We Should Give Each Other A Second Chance To Make A Good Impression
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” — 1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV) I immediately noticed him when his motorcycle…
How Can We Feel Peaceful When There Is No Peace?
Honest to a fault. I’ve been told this many times in my life. Essentially it means I can’t tell a lie ~ even to my own detriment. Here are some examples: I once noticed I had received a higher score on a test than I deserved. I showed it to my professor and expected him…
The Importance of Choosing To Believe God’s Truths Rather Than The Enemy’s Lies
Blindsided, her accusation rendered me speechless. As she gave voice to her feelings, I struggled to understand how she could have misunderstood my heart. In vain I offered her the truth ~ I never thought nor felt the things she perceived in me. As we parted ways, I thought of the old saying: You can…
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