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Are You a Spiritual Hoarder? Three Ways We Withhold Ourselves—and Our Stuff—from Others
Hoarder: “A word that describes anyone that feels the need to find, collect, keep, [or] pack any and everything because they do not know how to throw things away” (Urban Dictionary). Several years ago there was an entire TV series about hoarders. There are entire companies devoted to helping hoarders clean up. And there are even medical disorders related to hoarding. Innate within each of us—to varying degrees—is a desire to hold on to something. Hoarding is more than just stowing away our stuff in some dark closet. Sometimes it means we keep our deepest selves locked tightly within us. Here are three ways we withhold ourselves from others and…
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Life Map: Why God Seldom Gives Us the Particulars of His Plan
When it comes to maps, I’m hopeless. Instead I prefer directions that go something like, “Take a right at the first stoplight. When you get to the second stop sign make a left. Turn into the shopping center with the green and white stripped bakery awning. I’ll meet you there for lunch at noon.” Now you’re speaking my language. You too? So often we like clear directions with lefts and rights, stops signs, and land markers. And sometimes we demand the very same thing of God. I want to know when we’ll start our family, where we’ll live five years from now, and how we’ll pay for all of…
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Rest Amidst Stress
I took another drink of coffee and braced myself. After a week off on vacation, I knew the day would bring a flurry of emails, reports, errands, and chores. Have you ever noticed how much harder Monday feels after being away? In my mind, I started making my lists. But then my eyes settled onto these familiar words: "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" (Ps. 46:10). I've read those words—even memorized them—countless times before. But now I needed to know what they meant. Was God really calling me to sit while life swirled? I…