We all go through periods when we need help from others. As I write this, I hear the Beatles song in my head: “I get by with a little help from my friends.” Who do you call on when you need help? I’m blessed with several good friends I can call when needed. While my friends are willing to do what they can to help,…
Ever prayed for something over and over and over again only to feel like no one is listening? Most of the Old Testament prophets spoke the word of the Lord to the people, but Habakkuk spoke to God on behalf of the people. He felt like God wasn’t listening. In 2:3, God tells Habakkuk, “If it seems slow, wait for it.” God tells us when…
Shame. We’ve all felt it at some point, but did you know shame was one of the first emotions after the Fall? In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate the fruit and that their eyes were opened. They knew that they were naked – they became self-conscious of their own weakness, their own vulnerability. What did they do? They hid in shame….
I never quite understood why the men in my life had so many tools. I mean, isn’t one hammer enough? Why do you need to keep all of those extra bolts and screws? “You never know when it might come in handy,” my step-dad would say. The funny thing is, now we too, seem to have accumulated all sorts of tools — some we use…
There has been a lot of debate when it comes to self-care. Isn’t it selfish to take care of myself? Doesn’t the Bible say to love your neighbor as yourself? These conflicting messages can leave us confused and unsure of how to respond to our self-indulging culture. First, I want to clarify that self-care does not equal self-indulgment. Commercials bombard us with messages such as…
This year as I was reading the Christmas story in Luke 2, I was struck by the inclusion of Anna. Why is this prophetess mentioned here? She was a widow for 84 years and so we know she is aged. Since her husband’s death she has been faithful in worship, prayer, and fasting. God honored her faithfulness by allowing her to see the Messiah. As…