20 Bible Verses For When You Feel Like Giving Up
The bad news kept coming like sheets of rain pounding against a window. First, we learned of a betrayal in our extended family that rocked us to our core, shattering what little hope was left that the relationship could survive. The grief that accompanied these revelations brought life-altering decisions to our table, and the stress […]
20 Bible Verses About Bearing Fruit
There was an apple tree in my backyard that I loved to climb as a kid. Nothing was as satisfying as reaching the highest branches and picking off an apple to eat as a reward—except that one day when I took a bite and found a worm inside. As we looked closer, larvae had infected […]
20 Bible Verses on Surrendering to God
If you’ve ever had children or been around them, you know they don’t give up easily. They want what they want, when they want it, how they want it. If they don’t get it, they’ll let you know their displeasure with tears and tantrums. As we get older, our tantrums are no longer socially acceptable, […]
Your Identity & What it Means to be Crucified with Christ
Across the top of the page, in bold all-capital letters, it read: “THERE ARE NO RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWERS.” The instructions were simple: Select all the words you would use to describe yourself. The list was long, with various words such as accepting, cutthroat, demanding, formal, flexible, visionary, and welcoming. On the next page, the […]
20 Bible Verses About Hope in Hard Times
Have you experienced a season when all you received was bad news? One after another, trials crashed into your life like waves pounding against the shore, barely giving you time to breathe before the next hit. When this happens, our default response can be to lose hope. We might wonder, “Where’s God in all this? […]
20 Bible Verses About Intimacy with God
God walked through the garden and posed the first question of man, “Where are you?” Adam and Eve had sinned against God, ate the forbidden fruit, and were hiding, or at least attempting to hide, from their Creator. But before they took that fateful bite, they knew perfect intimacy with God. Can you imagine how […]
20 Bible Verses About God’s Provision
“What do you need right now?” That might seem like a loaded question. You might be able to list a half-dozen things you need, including help meeting next month’s rent, filling up your pantry, and finding peace amid trying circumstances. But did you know that the Bible makes astounding claims about God’s care, or provision, […]
48 Things I’ve Learned About Faith, Marriage, Parenting, and Writing
The other day I walked by a mirror and caught an unflattering view of myself. I stopped to lift the sides of my face and smooth out the lines around my jaw, but my temporary facelift was only that…temporary. This is probably normal, considering I’m inching closer to 50, but I’m still surprised at how […]
What is Man That You Are Mindful of Him
I love looking out the window on takeoff. The thrill of speeding down the runway is matched by the awe of seeing the landscape quickly shrink out of view below. First, the runway disappears, allowing my eyes to stretch as I try to identify familiar landmarks before climbing into the clouds. I see mountains and […]
Psalm 3: God is the Lifter of Your Head
Their moonlit silhouettes moved quickly across the Kidron Valley and up the Mount of Olives. With their heads covered, and feet bare, their grief was impossible to conceal. David and his dwindling band of supporters wept as they fled Jerusalem, uncertain if they’d ever return. Absalom and his growing army would stop at nothing to […]
