For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 The spirit of fear is real. And it is NOT from God. Nor … Continue reading
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Category Archives: choices
Ugliness
We are so comfortable with our ugliness, aren’t we? Our fleshly irritations. Our selfish demands. Our ‘higher than thou’ attitudes towards all else. Our complaining when sacrificing. Our responses when wronged. Ugliness. Does your ugliness repulse you? When it rears … Continue reading
Reflecting
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (KJV) Reflecting. We … Continue reading
Controlled by Anger
Is it ok to be mad? Super angry at an uncontrollable situation? Yes. It’s ok to be mad. Just don’t let it control you. There’s a difference. A difference between anger and a life dictated by it. The anger. Sometimes … Continue reading
Appetite
How is it? Your appetite for God? What’s on the menu? Heart sugary with a side of forgiveness? Worship and thankfulness? Gut wrenching prayers? Pleas for change? Or have you been skipping meals? Ignoring your appetite for God? Maybe you … Continue reading
Bigger Person
Ugh. I don’t like that. Being the bigger person. Don’t like being the one to apologize first. To begin the amends. To swallow my pride. To open the floodgates of forgiveness. Rather have the other person go first. Makes me … Continue reading
Watching
Are you aware that others are watching you? Watching you react in this life? Watching you respond? Are you aware? As Christians, we are a witness for God. We are a witness either for God or against Him. When we, … Continue reading
Christmas Peace
Peace on earth. That’s the Christmas message. Peace on earth. Jesus was born on this earth to bring peace. Everlasting peace. Forever. Christmas is a time when the whole world takes a breath. Slows down. Pauses. Peace on earth. Previous … Continue reading
Scrooge
Ever read A Christmas Carol? My eighth graders read it with me this month. I know we’ve all seen the movie or the play twice or a dozen times. We know the story well. But have you actually ever read … Continue reading
First to Forgive
My forgiveness towards others should not be dependent on how sorry they are. Or if they even ask my forgiveness towards them. Because they might not. Might not think they were wronged. If you find yourself in this boat … Continue reading
Renew
Are old Christians allowed to have smudges? Smears and smudges on their hearts and minds? Of course. You know we all do. Wait, what is an old Christian? Not a new one. One who has walked with God a … Continue reading
Something More
Within your life, there will always be something. Something more to be unhappy about. Something more to whine about. Complain about. Honestly, there will be always be something more to cry about. Breaking your heart. Am I right? Comparing your … Continue reading
No Longer Slaves
What if you were no longer a slave to fear? What if you decided not to sit under the rule of anxiety, worry, and doubt? What if you decided you were not that girl who reacted in fear? Or you … Continue reading
Bottom Line
When you strip it all away, When you remove all of the extra fluff, When you focus on what is truly important, You focus on God. God is everything. He is the beginning and the end. He is eternity. Eternity … Continue reading
Undisturbed
Jesus was human. Fully God, yet chose to be human. There are many things we could talk about, but let’s concentrate on peace. Jesus was the epitome of peace. In the Bible, do you see Him distressing ever? In … Continue reading
Greatness
Greatness does not lay in the office one holds. Greatness does not exist in the way a person looks or what one possesses. Greatness pours from character. Excellent character. Character that produces servant leadership, stirring the will to follow, bringing … Continue reading
Resist
How do you resist God? With what words or actions do you tell Him no? He will never insist. He will never beg. He simply tells you His truth and waits. Waits for you to come to Him. No manipulation. … Continue reading
Belief
How high is your belief? Belief in God. Belief in His goodness. Belief in His faithfulness. Belief in your God-given gifts. How much do you believe? How deep? I can say things until I’m blue in the face. Others can … Continue reading
Thank you
Are His praises ever on your lips? Is your thankfulness dripping off your tongue? It’s so much easier to complain. Grumble. Whine. It’s easier because it’s more natural. Natural in our human mindset. But what if you turn it all … Continue reading
Ugly Poster
What does it look like? The big ugly poster you see when you begin to think poorly? When you start dwelling on the nasty? What does it look like? Your big ugly poster. Because you tend to hold it up … Continue reading
Stealer
What steals your peace? Your joy? What types of things get your goat, causing you to focus on the ugly? Turning your eyes away from life? Anything can steal your peace. I’m guessing lots of things do with you, with … Continue reading
Fear’s Enemy
Truth. Truth is Fear’s enemy. Why? Because Fear wants you to ignore truth. Fear wants you to focus on worry, neglecting all things true. What are you afraid of? What fear has gotten a hold of you? Ever think you’re … Continue reading
Set the Pace
How fast do you live life? At what speed do you spend your minutes? Fast and furious with a never-ending list waiting to be accomplished? In a tizzy when things are not completed on the timeline you have declared as … Continue reading
What Then
What if I told you there is a Friend who knows your name? Not only your name, but every thought you’ve had, every tear you’ve shed, every smile you’ve given? Who longs to be your first confidant and constant … Continue reading
Release
What if you decided to release all of the junk? All of the junk you keep in your brain? Un-forgiveness of others. Memorized list of how each hurt you? Deservedly yes, but it was so yesterday. You’re only hurting yourself, … Continue reading
Your Grave
Have you walked out of your grave? Seriously. With our God’s saving power pulsing through your veins, you are free. Free. You are no longer bound by the death of this world. Death from words has no power over you. … Continue reading
Decisions
When it comes down to it- When the rubber meets the road- When the time has come- What will you decide? What will your choice be? Will you stand up? Mock? Or stay seated? When life turns a corner…. When … Continue reading
Listening
How are you listening to God? Are you even listening? Or are you talking to God, demanding what you wish to be…? We all have plans in our head of how we wish life to unfold. We all have … Continue reading
Obedience to God
When we obey God, His power rushes through us to others. Why? Because “behind the deed of obedience is the reality of Almighty God”. An incredible preacher, Oswald Chambers penned that phrase in the last century. The thought is so … Continue reading
Daily Effort
Walking in life-giving steps requires daily effort. Deliberately stepping into what God has for you is a choice. It’s rather easy to stumble, falling into death. Death? Walking into self-pity. Agreeing with rejection. Joining with unloving. Listening to fear. Satan … Continue reading
Real Life 2.0
Ever have a pity party? Honestly, they’re fun. It’s fun to wallow in poor me. Why? Because when we join our pity party, we feel comfortable. Safe. It just feels right to complain. To utterly concentrate on the ugly. It’s … Continue reading
Real Life
Life is real, folks. Messy. Super messy. Why? Broken world. Selfishness. Lies of the enemy we believe. Death. Are you aware that when God created our world, death was not yet present? The Garden of Eden was brimming with life. … Continue reading
Life
What is life? Something or someone that is alive. Breathing. Growing. Potential. How does life begin? God. He is the author of life. He created the world and everything in it. How does life end? Natural causes, accidents, and illness. … Continue reading
Simplicity
I’m struck at how simple our faith needs to be. Just plain simple. We make Christianity so darn complicated. We become experts, insistent on our own interpretation of things. We condemn ourselves from standards of perfection. We become puddles of … Continue reading
Be Still
Lord, what are Your thoughts this morning? Be still. Be still and know that I am God. I am above it all. Everything, big or small. I am above your children. I am above your husband. I am above your … Continue reading
Focus
What is your focus? Yourself? Your needs, wants, and desires? I get it. It’s totally natural. When you focus on your own self, nothing else matters except for your happiness. Satisfying your needs. Children naturally look out for number one … Continue reading
True Thankfulness
Are you thankful? Truly thankful? For all of it? Good things are easy to list. Health. Joy filled days. Grocery stores brimming with food. Meaningful jobs. Secure homes. Fuzzy socks. Steaming hot coffee. Loving husbands. Precious children. But… How thankful … Continue reading
Will You?
Will you keep trusting God when all looks wrong? Will you keep your faith as it looks like God has turned His back on you? Remember Job? Job kept his faith even as his entire life fell apart. Life as … Continue reading
The Other Side
The devil is laughing. Literally full of glee. People are so dumb and we give him plenty to chuckle about. 8th grade boys writing about how dumb serving the less fortunate is. A daughter who ignores her parents and sneaks … Continue reading
More
There will always be more. More teacher books to read, lessons to try, activities to save. More recipes to try, nutrition to evaluate, exercise methods to investigate. More decorating shows to watch, websites to pursue, ideas to glean. More … Continue reading
