Trials

Is Suffering Optional?

As a “Christian” is suffering optional? Can we exist at peace and at ease with the world around us?

Powerful Video Reveals the Love of Jesus in Action

Powerful video plus Free lesson plan from the “Wisdom: An Internet-Linked Unit Study.” Includes 4-Step lesson from the book PLUS memory verses, worksheets, and an excellent sermon outline by Dr Charles Stanley. 14 Pages PDF.

2 comments | Continued

My Birthday Gift From God

Today is my birthday.
Last night was Prayer Meeting at church. I couldn’t get my mind off family problems (estranged from two adult children).
I sniffled through the prayers and wiped away tears quickly before anyone raised their head from praying to catch me crying. After the service I scurried to the bathroom to fix my make [...]

15 comments | Continued

The Most Powerful Promise in the Bible

I silently grieve daily, with a burden only my closest family members know about. It is an inexpressible profound pain forever lingering just below the surface.
It is my weakest area. Satan knows this. When I’m tired or ill he whispers reminders to my soul catching me off guard and throwing me into a aching, agonizing [...]

11 comments | Continued

What’s Your Foundation?

Is your faith is based on church attendance, homeschooling, Scripture memorization, reading a certain Bible, Calvinism, or other “good” works or denomination?
Pride in “we don’t smoke, drink, cuss, chew or go to movies” is a house built on sand with a crashing waves approaching.
Take a minute to examine your foundation. Do you depend on God [...]

6 comments | Continued

Journey to Wholeness

Last week I was admitted to the local hospital for 4 days. Tuesday I went to the Vanderbilt Emergency Room with the same stomach problems. I returned home this morning (Friday)…Diagnoses: either the last doctor was wrong about my Crohns diagnoses or I’ve been healed. Praise the Lord!

22 comments | Continued

Spiritual Roots of Diseases (Fear)

Last week I went to a conference on the spiritual roots of diseases. It should be no surprise that there are spiritual roots to many diseases. Christians have same statistics in the areas of cancer, heart disease, depression, divorce, diabetes, etc. as unbelievers. Diseases are choking the church!
I mentioned I would write about the theories [...]

24 comments | Continued

Fruit Comes After the Storm

How do your children see you responding to life’s trials? Do you feel sorry for yourself and get depressed? Do you cast blame and grow bitter and angry? Or do you turn to the our Father and ask, “What is Your purpose in this?”
Our responses to difficulties are powerful lessons not written on a [...]

11 comments | Continued

Brick Walls Are There for a Reason

This week’s quote is from The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch, a young professor dying of cancer. See the video here.
“….the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They are there to stop the other people…..Brick walls are there for a reason. They give us a chance [...]

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View from the Back of an Ambulance

Is there anything more sobering than an hour ride in an ambulance with flashing lights and screaming sirens?
Yes, there is. When the paramedic in the back of the ambulance takes your BP and says to the ambulance driver, “You better speed it up” SPEED IT UP? Yep, that is even more sobering.
Rejoice: This Week Has [...]

34 comments | Continued

Light in the Dark Valley

I was overwhelmed to tears at the caring comments I received from my I’m-in-a-dark-valley-pray-for-me post. After I wrote the post, I had to leave for the day (errands, dentist, house closing). I didn’t get back to the hotel until 8 pm to find you all reaching out to me in compassion, lovingly, without judgment and [...]

23 comments | Continued

Dealing with Stress, Pride, Forgiveness, etc.

“We are not built for the mountains and the dawns and aesthetic affinities, those are for moments of inspiration, that is all. We are built for the valley, for the ordinary stuff we are in, and that is where we have to prove our mettle.” ~ Oswald Chambers
What an appropriate quote for me at this [...]

33 comments | Continued

We Can Rejoice in Weakness

I recently listened to a powerful audio message by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. The message was very convicting. It forced me to recognize pride in my life. I became conscious that there are times when I communicate a superior attitude. God forgive me.
I certainly have no reason to be proud. My struggles with sin should be [...]

9 comments | Continued

Loneliness, Solitude??

“As Christians, we are called to convert our loneliness into solitude. We are called to experience our aloneness not as a wound but as a gift–as God’s gift–so that in our aloneness we might discover how deeply we are loved by God.”
~ Henri Nouwen ~
What a hoot for this week’s quote to be on loneliness [...]