Does Jesus really need to be in EVERYTHING?
Every choice of entertainment?
Every encounter?
Every conversation?
Every experience?
Every decision?
If the answer is “No”, is He truly LORD of every aspect of one’s life?
Set Free
We have entered my favorite time of year.
Easter.
There is no greater time for me. Because at Easter we celebrate death.
Faith is Courageous and BOLD || Part 4d of 4
Faith is Courageous and BOLD
What is the first thing you think about when pondering that faith is Courageous & Bold? Is there a person that comes to mind?
For me, I think I have allowed this to become distorted. I think of people who are well put together. Have a lot of confidence. Speak eloquently. Have a degree in Theology and Biblical Studies. They’ve got their stuff together. They’ve got credentials to back up what they are speaking and/or saying. They’re the big authors or a big apologists, big theologians. They’re bold and courageous in their faith because that’s their job.
(click to read more)
Purpose & Priority
As I sat and read from Psalm 49 this morning I couldn’t help but read it over and over again writing notes, underlining, and highlighting. And then - reflecting.
A new year is upon us. With that, many reflect and create goals for what they would like to see or accomplish moving forward.
I did.
Reflection is how we grow, how we give thanks, how we analyze what we could, should, would, do better. Goals help us achieve those reflections. Goals are purposeful and help us put into motion what we hope to accomplish.
But - (click to read more)
Grandma Jean’s Molasses Cookies
Every year I bake my Grandma Jean's Molasses Cookies using a recipe written by her own hand in beautiful cursive. The aroma fills my house and brings back lots of sweet memories.
I wish you could have met my Grandma Jean. She was an awesome woman. Loved Jesus, which shined through everything she did and said. She was strong and confident, yet so approachable and so caring. Baking her recipe makes me smile as well as miss her and my Grandpa Frank a lot.
The Sorrow of Saturday
The tomb was closed. The grave was shut. The cross was empty. Jesus was dead.
I cannot imagine what this day, Saturday, must have felt like for the Disciples and followers of Jesus in the 1st Century. Their friend and Messiah was dead. (click to read)
Obedience Calls Us Out of Comfort
Obedience and comfort. Two trigger words in today’s western culture.
The word “obedience” brings about triggers of “You will NOT control me.” And “comfort” says, “Let me live unruffled, without pain, without discomfort.”
We want neither to be obedient to anyone nor discomfort from anything.
Useless if Not Used (Pssst - This is Not About Fitness)
Raise your hand if you have purchased workout gear, equipment, DVD’s, leotards, etc. with great anticipation, goals, and motivation to get healthy and fit?
I think it’s safe to say, most of us have. (click to read)
Life On the Rock
There are a lot of things people run to for security, for reassurance, for stability, for a sense of safety… But these things fail time and time again.
Whether they are relationships, a title, a white picket fence, a job, an announcement, a leader… they are temporary and a chasing after the wind. In the moment these things can feel and seem solid. That fickle moment of “finally.” Yet, sooner or later, the earth beneath the feet of these things begins to dissolve and erode. (Click to read more)
Do You Want Him to be Lord of Your Life?
Jesus said, "very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." (John 16:7) And in the Book of Acts, we read about this moment taking place on Pentecost. But who is this Advocate we call the Holy Spirit?
This 30 page booklet by A.W. Tozer is one of the best descriptions and explanations of who GOD the Holy Spirit is. When we choose to say, “Lord, come be Lord of my life…” we are also saying, “Lord LEAD my life…” Every aspect of it, not just where we want Him to for our own selfish benefits. Click to read a short excerpt.
Storms of Life
We are all going to face storms in this life. No one is exempt to facing storms. It may seem like it, but no one will exit their life not having experienced a storm… When we are in the midst of a storm we can have a difficult time knowing and remembering that EVERY storm comes to an end. (click to read)
Knowing vs Following
For the last couple of weeks my daughter and I have been having our own Bible study together on Tuesday evenings after my husband leaves for his Bible study and her brother is in bed. I have realized that if I want my daughter to know more about Jesus and the Word, I can’t just flop a 2000+ page Bible in front of her and say, “Read it and do what it says.” Talk about overwhelming. It’s overwhelming for many adults let alone an almost 12 year old. But, that is no excuse.
GET UP!
Creating consistency doesn't need to feel hard or like a job. This is DESIRE vs duty. But it doesn't mean that at times that desire had to be created out of created habit and training myself to first GET UP.
Change Won't Come... Unless...
Change.
We all want to see it and feel it. But sadly, there is nothing we can do in our own power to create change. When our efforts for change are done in the flesh, they become about “self” and not Christ. And when that occurs, change will not come…
Unless…
Easy Lemon Embossed Shortbread Cookies
I have been infatuated with embossing rolling pins and their designs.
Last year I received my first set of embossing rollers and absolutely love them!
The Battle is NOT Yours
I started reading the books of Chronicles a few weeks ago. If I am completely honest and transparent, I wasn’t too excited because (I thought) Chronicles was a repeat of the books of Kings. While it has similarities and shares details of the same events, it is drastically different from Kings and began to blow my mind out of the water the moment I started reading it.
Insert humbled palm in face here.
Sorry God. (click to read more)
Sing to the Lord, All the Earth!
Give thanks to the LORD; call upon His name;
make known His deeds among the nations.
Sing to Him, sing praises to Him;
tell of all His wonders.
Glory in His holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
Seek out the LORD and His strength;
seek His face always.
No Praying for 30 Days... Daniel's Dilemma
Daniel was told he could not pray for 30 days. The mandate or decree told to him may not seem like THAT big of a deal… But the motive behind this decree was greater than majority realized. It was a decree that Daniel was not willing to adhere to and put his life at stake.
My thoughts have been on Daniel Chapter 6 this past week. But are the stories in the Bible too extreme or even relevant for today?
Cleaning House
“Time to clean the house!!!”
Anyone ever say this and have people flocking to come help?
If you do, then you are the exception to the rule, because most people turn and run the other direction. Most people do not enjoy cleaning the house. Like REALLY cleaning the house. You may ENJOY a clean house, but when it comes to grabbing that old toothbrush and scrubbing crusty nasties off your toilet, I feel I can say with confidence that this is not anyone’s Friday night excitement. Nor any other day that ends in “Y” enjoyment.
Don't Tell Me "No!"
Raise your hand if you like being told, “No.”
Whether it be from asking for something, requesting to do something, or whatever… Being told “No” doesn’t feel good. Why? Because it isn’t the answer WE wanted. We wanted a “Yes!” That’s why we requested or asked the question in the first place. And from a human standpoint, we want a “Yes” 99.9% of the time.
Now, what about when God tells us “No”?