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A Promise from God
Whether our requests are big or small, most of us have wondered at one time or another if God hears our prayers. Does God really care? He’s Creator of the universe. He’s busy dealing with wars and famine and asteroids and floods. He’s leading an army of angels, and He’s helping people who lost loved ones in tragedies. With everything going on in this crazy, mixed-up world, does God want to hear and respond to our prayers, even those for a new job, loneliness, a persistent cough, or help paying bills? In a word: Yes! God promises that His powerful Presence resides with His children through the toughest of times…
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A False god to Bring You Comfort in “The Shack” (“The Shack” Review, part 2)
“True worship must worship God as He exists, not as we wish Him to be. The essence of idolatry is the making of images of God. An image is a shadow, a false representation. We may not bow before a statue or a figure, but if we make an image of god in our mind that is not in accord with God’s revelation of himself, then we are not worshipping in truth….” writes James R. White. “If we love Him and worship Him as He deserves, we will not dare to ‘edit’ Him to fit our desires.”[1] “Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing” (Matthew…
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God’s Steadfast Love (2 Chronicles 34-36)
Do you have some stiff-necked people in your life? You and I might give up on them, but God does not. His steadfast love is still wooing those who need to know Him or need to know Him better. When we respond to His love, He renews our hearts and gives us the best He has planned for our future. God’s steadfast love for us woos us to reboot and renew our faith as needed. Josiah is our example. I already knew that the ending of 2 Chronicles would be sad. People of Judah and Jerusalem would be taken captive to Babylon, the city ravaged, and the Temple destroyed. But,…
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Warm and Fuzzy Feelings do not Equal Faith
There I was walking that long path to the university yet again. I knew every crack in the side walk. I knew where the weeds had finally broken free and where the deep puddles would collect after a hard rain. I could gauge how late I was to class based on the faces I met scrambling along the way. Guys and gals who drank way too much the night before drug their inanimate bodies to their 7:45 classes. The skaters, which was still a thing then, weaved in and out of the crowd, I had to fake left and fake right to escape them. Every day I would walk that…
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When Storms Come
When the school year finally rang its last bell, I felt confident the summer would bring lots of sunshine, happiness, and much-needed rest. Instead, we got rain—lots and lots of rain. Thirty-five trillion gallons of rain fell (by May), and water soon flooded parts of North Texas. Many folks lost their homes, their livelihood. Perhaps the sun will come out tomorrow? The rain eventually stopped, but my mood didn’t change. I noticed the political tornadoes forming all over the news and social media. Along with these types of violent twisters came unkind words, hurt feelings, and broken friendships. The destruction continues, and it still moves chaotically all over…
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The Beauty of God’s Diverse Children
Breathing the crisp morning air on any weekday in 1976 meant I was on my way to school. From our apartment, I could hear the screeching sound of brakes making their way to our stop. On the corner of Harry Hines and Wolf St., the bus picked up students who lived in Little Mexico Village to take them to the nearby schools. In the beginning, I tried to sit only with my brothers and sisters. The first time I rode the bus, I felt afraid and kept to myself. That’s what happens when you face all kinds of different. Fear almost always welcomes you, but soon curiosity gets a…
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GOOD GRIEF: Seven Steps to Embracing Emotions- #5 Believing that Feelings are a gift from God
Step five is best understood when preceded with a little recap of the first four steps. First, we must be honest about what we feel. Don’t pretend that giving up something is easy. It isn’t. Humans want to hold on, be in control, and even determine our own destiny. Validate their feelings. Ask them why they think they are having those feelings. Share with them when you’ve had similar feelings. Remind them that feelings are from God to help us make wise and good decisions. Second, we must normalize feelings. Loss is a part of our lives. We lose track of time. We lose lots of stuff: everything from…
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GOOD GRIEF: Seven Steps to Embracing Emotions- #2 Normalize the Feelings
After the death of his wife, C. S. Lewis wrote in A Grief Observed, “No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear.” If an adult is so surprised by the feelings that accompany loss how much greater is that intensified for our children? Children who face loss without explanation will reject the feelings. They will bury them under other feelings or stuff them down through unhealthy actions. The next time loss comes they’ll fear the feelings while reinforcing the wrong responses never learning to truly grieve loss. Loss is a part of our lives. We lose track of time. We lose lots of stuff: everything from…
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5 Ways to Spring Into Trusting God More
Some days I don’t want to get out of bed. Last week I woke up excited about life. Today? Not so much. When stuff doesn’t pan out the way I want, my outlook deteriorates quickly. Every unexpected turn brings new challenges, and then I buckle under pressure. I have known this about myself. My closest friends have often challenged me to have more faith especially when things don’t go my way. My husband does his best to encourage me. But as a stubborn woman, I want things to happen my way and in my timing. I tend to cling to me as opposed to Him. So here…
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The Downside of Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day has grown into a major event over the past few decades. I enjoy observing it with my husband each year, just like thousands of other couples do. Love is a wonderful thing to enjoy and to celebrate. So what is the downside of this day? Millions of people feel lonely and deserted on Valentine’s. Some of you have been abandoned by your husbands and left to navigate life by yourself. Many of you singles have never found Mr. Right because you desire a godly husband who is walking with God, and such men are often difficult to find. Others of you haven’t had connections with men that…