Reality rarely looks like the resolutions or wish lists we write out. Between the lines, rejection will sting, stumbles can leave scars, dreams shatter, and sorrow turns to tears. Sadly, we can waste years staying stuck in a moment. Optimism tells us things will be better tomorrow. Whether that happens or not, optimism cannot control…
These seasons are shorter looking back from the other side. Honesty has a way of stretching the sentences for us; it’s a treasure that loses power the longer we wait. Honesty tethers hearts more than playing the hero ever does. Even the tears unlock a vault of vulnerability that acts like a magnet between two…
The greatest gift I have been given today is J O Y. Joy in the assurance that Jesus is my Savior. He’s not just my end place, but my constant place. He’s my parking place when the world is chaotic. He’s my refreshment when life feels dry. He is my strength when I feel depleted,…
Everything seems urgent at this time of year, and expectations tell us all the going and doing is very important. The calendar controls our time, but we’re so overwhelmed that we can’t even realize this pressure is the pulse driving whether we keep up or stay ahead. ‘Rush’ repurposes peace into a chaotic Christmas story…
I am staring down this piece of fruit sitting on my desk. I packed it for a nutritious snack later. I’m thinking about the juiciness of this pear and how tasty it would be on my tongue. You will not surely die from a bite, I thought. But I’ve decided to move the fruit out of…
The difficult part of praying for a life that mirrors Christ’s love is that we are faced with loving when we don’t want to, when we don’t feel like it, when we get nothing obvious in return, when they don’t deserve it, when they’re not worth it, when they don’t know it, and even when…
Praise you, Jesus, for your healing power… thank you, Lord, for your light shining through the darkness to a world searching for your hand at work! We give you all the glory! Through my tears, I am not letting the enemy steal my joy in Jesus. Thank you, God, for still being faithful. And to…
Have you ever tried to do a keyword search for the term ‘happiness’ and ‘Jesus’ together in Scripture? It doesn’t exist. And it won’t matter what version of the bible you’re using; I checked them all. Yet, if you listen closely, most of what people are speaking and singing about, even striving for today, is…
I just started a new job, and no sooner had my foot touched down in the office than I was piling on a to-do list and creating demands in my schedule. No one was asking for it; it was a voluntary reaction. Only by the grace of God did He reveal a truth to me…