Stand and Persevere! Last week, we discussed that we sometimes need to wrestle when life is hard! Once we have wrestled with God, what next? I suggest our next step should be to stand and persevere! In 2 Chronicles 20:17, we read the instructions for the people of Judah: “Take up your positions, stand firm…” Although God had made it clear He would fight the battle, the people were still expected to report to their assigned work and stand firm…
Disappointment Hardship Loss Difficulty Betrayal Deprivation Pain These are very definitely not my favorite words! But, if we are honest, these and other words that carry sadness and grief are part of our lives. So, what do we do in circumstances described by these words? I boldly suggest we wrestle! Be bold, be relentless, be purposeful, and wrestle. Jacob, son of Isaac, had wrestled all his life. He wrestled with his brother Esau in the womb (Genesis 25:21-26). He figuratively…
In last week’s post, the analogy of choosing a house illustrated the importance of selecting scripture as a foundation or a home from which to build our lives. But where do we turn when life isn’t what we expected or wanted? What happens when (not if) disappointment enters our lives? One of my heroes in the faith is Susanna Wesley. Susanna was the youngest of 25 children. She grew up listening to her older siblings recite and discuss their lessons…
My husband and I were looking for a new home. We needed to move closer to my parents, who were beginning to require a bit more support as they aged. As part of the process, we discussed what location would be beneficial. Where could we be about equidistant from my parents and my work? What type of community did we prefer? What style of house did we want? Stairs or no stairs? How much of a yard did we want…
Life verses, or a verse for a specific season, were a novel concept for me as an adult. I grew up in a Christian home, was active in my church, and loved Jesus. But, the idea of a life verse was not one I remember ever discussing. I had “favorite” scripture verses. Some Bible verses resonated deeply with me at different times- but I don’t remember anyone referring to these scriptures as Life Verses. This difference in vocabulary may seem…
I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have any being. May my meditation be sweet to Him; as for me, I will rejoice in the LORD (Psalm 104:33-34). The last 30 days have been extremely busy and full of tasks, events, and ministry opportunities. I experienced the joy and relief of publishing a new Bible Study. Our Women’s Ministry Team worked for months with women from several…
Acts chapter 2 gives us details about the early church after Pentecost. You remember that Jesus spent 40 days with His disciples after His resurrection. Then, just before He ascended back to heaven, He gave a final set of instructions that we call The Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20; Acts 1: 4-8). The disciples were to wait in Jerusalem until God sent the Holy Spirit to empower them to carry out His instructions to go and tell others the good news…
This weekend, I had the privilege of participating in a Christian women’s conference. Now, I enjoy a good conference! Spending time with women of faith, worshiping together, learning, and fellowshipping is a beautiful encouragement to my heart. But this weekend was unique. Yesterday’s conference was conceived in a park in the pre-dawn moments of Easter Sunday 2024. That morning, the air was chilly, the grass still wet with dew, and people spoke hushedly as we slowly gathered. Five Pastors, three…
We live in an area predicted to be in the path of Hurricane Helene. I am grateful to say that our area escaped direct damage. Our hearts are heavy with sadness and concern for our neighbors near and far who were impacted by Helene. As we received reports of family, loved ones, and friends after Helene, I was grateful anew for the privilege of intercessory prayer. As reports of damage sustained from winds and flooding became available, it was tempting…
This week, we lost a family member. I have reached into the archives of my writings to share my thoughts on how we walk in victory even in the midst of hard things. I pray that you are encouraged, as I was when God reminded me of the ways He has worked in my life. Recent years have been difficult for many of us. We witnessed natural disasters, a worldwide pandemic, social and political unrest, and heartbreaking violence. In my…
