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How To Build Your Log House and Lose it too; Finding perspective for 2022
Once upon a time, circa 1955, my Dad fell in love with log houses. While he loved log houses, he loved Jesus too. This is a story of love, loss and life but mostly about eternal perspective. Along the way I interviewed him about his encounters and experiences with log houses, and that interview is hiding somewhere in a journal. So, what is left feels like the things that have been most impressionable. In the mid 1960s my Dad purchased about 30 acres of land in a rural area an hour outside of Atlanta, Georgia. It was the beginning of a life long dream of his, to actually use his…
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Thankfulness As Our Purpose
As the calendar winds down on another unprecedented year, we gladly enter this joyful season of giving and thanksgiving. Many of us feel a gentle nudge toward understanding God’s call to purposeful daily life. Have you ever asked God about His will for your life?
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The Secret to Beautiful Feet
These days, we have access to more foot products than ever before. But feet aren’t judged on the way they look. Feet are judged on the message they carry. So what’s the secret to beautiful feet? Beautiful feet bring...
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Christianity 101
What takes place in the following verses were Jesus’ last teachings to His disciples. In verses 31-33 He tells them that He is going away and that they cannot come with Him. Then just after this sad revelation, in verses 34 and 35 we find one of His last teachings, “’I give you a new commandment—to love[ one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. Everyone[ will know by this that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another.’”
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The Mix of Truth and Love
“…we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ…” Ephesians 4:14-15. She sighed and said, “So…how do I tell him?” My friend had confided that her husband had been criticized by a church leader, one whom they both respected. He was understandably hurt and defensive, a normal reaction. The conversation turned, however, when she gingerly mentioned there could be some merit in the criticism. Her…
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Feeling Weary? Ready to Quit? Let Love Prompt Your Labor
I was weary. Tired of serving the same folk, sick of repeating identical tasks year after year. Discouraged by lack of results, and convinced my striving made no difference, I wondered if it was time to step aside. I turned to my Bible for some help and found the Apostle Paul’s encouragement to the believers in Thessalonica: We recall in the presence of our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and endurance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 1:3 I began my study of this verse by comparing different versions, making observations, and writing lists. What did Paul remember about the Thessalonians?…
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Don’t Be Anxious?
Living our best life––or at least a life characterized by peace, joy, and healthy rhythm––has never been more difficult for many working women. Myself included. Are we doing something wrong? How do we experience peace in anxiety-riddled days...
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Loving and Giving
“For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
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Hearing Well and Being Heard Well
Everyone wants to be heard well, but are we as willing to hear others well? In order to understand ourselves and others, different ways to categorize people have emerged over the years such as Myers & Briggs, DISC, and Enneagram. I recently read about another way to categorize people in a book dealing with how we communicate, 5 Voices: How to Communicate Effectively with Everyone You Lead.[1] The book describes 5 different voices with which people communicate—the Pioneer, Creative, Connector, Guardian, and Nurturer. Each voice (think communication style when I use the word voice) has positive inclinations and negative tendencies. In analyzing the book through a biblical worldview, I discovered…
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An Audience of one
Whether in person, online, or on social media, we spend a lot of time performing for other people. If we center our lives on pleasing others, living out each day gets harder and harder. It can feel impossible to create a new life script.
