More than you imagined faith…

There seems to be an intimacy with God that can only be understood through the lens of trials and pain. It’s one thing to read about God’s faithfulness, but entirely another to walk with Him daily and see Him faithfully carry you through things you never imagined you’d ever get through. It’s one thing toContinue reading “More than you imagined faith…”

Need a little JOY?

I wish I could call Karen. I’d love to sit with her on her couch, open our Bibles, and pray as we did so many times over the years. Joy just oozed out of that precious woman. It truly did, and even as she lay dying. She was my friend and my mentor. I loveContinue reading “Need a little JOY?”

False teachers know there is a God…they just think themselves wiser and better.

We have to test everything because the enemy is at work all around us. The evil one is no less sly than he has ever been; and we have to be on guard, and especially so, with those we allow to speak into our lives. I recently read on a local, family counselor’s website, whoContinue reading “False teachers know there is a God…they just think themselves wiser and better.”

Are you ready?

I love chapter five of First Thessalonians. It’s one of those passages that could be read every day for hope and instruction. It resets our perspective and priorities. It helps us know how to live and encourages us to remember Who has us. Will you take a few moments and read chapter five? (I hopeContinue reading “Are you ready?”

Faith over Feelings

We can’t let our feelings dictate our obedience. If you want to walk in faith you have to remember this. So many seem to want to only follow the Lord as long as their feelings don’t get in the way. But that isn’t faith. They place incredible emphasis on what feels right to them andContinue reading “Faith over Feelings”

This ordinary day…

I am convinced it’s not the dramatic stories, trials and testimonies where our Lord most often chooses to show Himself through us but in the common, every day living. So often, we miss holy opportunities waiting for the big event, the mission trip, or the planned church program. But so often holy moments, with eternalContinue reading “This ordinary day…”

Judging or Discerning Fruit?

You should care about others enough to talk with them about their sin, and when you do, they may accuse you of judging them. But, you can’t be neutral in your faith. If it impacts you, you should want it to impact those you care about. John Piper went so far as to say, “IfContinue reading “Judging or Discerning Fruit?”

Will we hang on when it gets hard?

It’s easy to say “yes” to Heaven, but are we ready to face the affliction that might come because we follow Christ? Are we ready for that? Will our kids be? Paul and Silas had been beaten and jailed in Philippi because of the gospel. Their joy, as they sat in prison singing hymns, hadContinue reading “Will we hang on when it gets hard?”

Speak Truth. Refute the Perpetrators of Lies.

We need to know and stand for biblical truth. We need to find the courage and wisdom to refute the lies of the evil one. The Bible tells us God hates lying lips (Prov 12:22). When a lie is treated as truth there is always destruction. This is why perpetrators of lies must be refutedContinue reading “Speak Truth. Refute the Perpetrators of Lies.”

From my son-in-law…

Powerful, insightful words from my son-in-law, Forest McCollough— The murder of Charlie Kirk hit me in a way nothing else ever has, and I think other people are feeling the same thing. I have heard people say that he is a martyr – and I completely agree with that. A martyr is someone who isContinue reading “From my son-in-law…”

Put on your armor and keep standing.

My daughter, Abi, wrote this a few years back. This truth is a powerful, keep-you-going reminder— I felt alone. Sad, disheartened, fighting back tears-very much like an alien and stranger though surrounded by others my age as I sat in my Contemporary Moral Issues Philosophy class, at the University of Tennessee, listening to my classmatesContinue reading “Put on your armor and keep standing.”

It is time

The tide has shifted and what the Bible has told us would happen, has happened, and is happening, and here in this country as well. Wrong is called “right” and what’s right is called “wrong”, and people are celebrating the death of someone who sought to talk about biblical truth. Things are happening just asContinue reading “It is time”

Keep Telling The Truth!

God hates lies (Prov 12:22). The devil is the father of all lies (John 8:44). He often uses lies in order to fulfill his goal to rob, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). I’ve seen this play out this year as lies have impacted our family, our church, and our nation. I understand more than everContinue reading “Keep Telling The Truth!”

Here I Am

Like many of you, our family is incredibly upset over the assassination of Charlie Kirk. My kids are especially upset. Charlie was of their generation, but my 80 year old mom also listened to his podcasts all the time. Charlie was a bright light. He loved Jesus and he loved people. He knew the BibleContinue reading “Here I Am”

Ignoring and Accepting Sin is Not Love.

We long for it.We desperately want it.Unconditional love. But the enemy, he’s twisted it. And so many are buying his lie, and the evil one is using this lie to separate people from those who truly love them. The father of all lies has whispered that if people don’t accept our sin, treat it asContinue reading “Ignoring and Accepting Sin is Not Love.”

Earthquake. Tsunami. Is Jesus Coming Back Soon?

Earthquakes. Tsunamis. Wrong is called right. Right is called wrong. Wars. Rumors of wars. Strange alliances that look like Gog and Magog. To look at our world, and read Scripture, don’t you wonder if Jesus is coming back soon? None of us will know the day, but the Bible tells us to look for birthContinue reading “Earthquake. Tsunami. Is Jesus Coming Back Soon?”

The Popular, Make-Believe Jesus

“The devil doesn’t care at all if you know Jesus or love Jesus or pray to Jesus – as long as it is a false Jesus, a make-believe Jesus, a Jesus who is not there, and who therefore cannot save.” – David Guzik, Enduring Word App I am concerned that many promote and ascribe toContinue reading “The Popular, Make-Believe Jesus”

Hard days? Long for REST?

I don’t have answers to life’s questions. God knows I have many, many questions. I long for Him.I want to understand Him.I want to follow Him. But, if I am honest, I also want life to be stable, predictable and easy. When hard days come, I want to immediately see what God is doing andContinue reading “Hard days? Long for REST?”

Are you raising kids who can stand in hard days?

This remains one of the most shared things I’ve ever written. In these hard days, I felt it important to share again. It’s hard truth, but there is HOPE! —- They are some of the most miserable people I know–young adults who haven’t really picked a side. They try to live in two worlds—the oneContinue reading “Are you raising kids who can stand in hard days?”

God knows it’s hard to watch.

As I lay praying this morning, I found myself telling the Lord how very hard it was to watch those I love walk in things that I know are, or will, hurt them. It’s gut-wrenchingly hard. Then, it occurred to me, that God certainly knows how very hard this is. I wasn’t informing Him ofContinue reading “God knows it’s hard to watch.”