Wasting Time Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8 (NIV) I started reading fiction again after a conversation with one of the elders from our church. I had been neglecting novels for years in favor of more...
There is often enormous pressure to keep up with the non-stop noise and activity of our modern world. Jesus offers us an alternative to this frantic pace but following Him and resisting the pressure around us will require a simple act: kindness toward ourselves. Is...
So much about the pace of life conspires against us. We might even be convinced that the faster we go and the busier we become, the more we’ll get done. But what does that kind of toxicity do to our souls? Could it be that God invites us to find Him through a...
The Struggle Is Real Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay...
What I NeedAnd my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:9 (ESV)ve not been sleeping well lately. Lots of things on my mind combined with the need for a new pillow and a minor cough (not Covid,...
Savoring Stillness This is the day the Lord has made, let us be glad and rejoice in it. Psalm 118:24 (ESV) his morning, I’m standing in my living room looking through the windows to watch my dogs as they scamper through the morning frost. As I...
An Everyday LessonL ast month, I headed off to Iceland ready for an adventure… and also asking God for a big revelation about the trajectory of my life. The daily grind of work, life in the COVID era, and personal commitments had worn me out. I was excited to spend...
Enjoy the Silenceost summers we vacation at the beach with my entire family. That’s 23 people in one house. It’s loud, it’s chaotic, it’s unpredictable, it’s fun. I have so many good memories with my wife and my kids and with my family as a whole...
Plans For a Slower Paceefore we even became parents, my husband and I dreamed of a life where he would bring home the bacon, and I would quit my job as a teacher to raise however many children God gave us. Before we knew it, there were two little...
Rowboat or Sailboat? For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel:“In returning and rest you shall be saved;In quietness and trust shall be your strength.”But you would not. Isaiah 30:15 have been thinking a lot about God’s way of love and...
Salvation is often viewed as a singular “event” or moment in our lives. By God’s grace, we receive salvation by believing in the death and resurrection of Jesus to save us. There is a sense in which this is absolutely true, from the moment of belief we are saved...
Rest in Me Pray continually. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 rolls on. Summer is fading into fall and we still are feeling the effects. Strangely, as restrictions have loosened up, life seems to feel heavier. The simplest things, falling asleep, staying...
When we find ourselves moving in a certain direction and focused on our goals, it can be jarring to feel like God suddenly is taking us in a new direction. It's hard to consider that what we are currently building is no longer necessary or worse, futile all along. We...
Songs are powerful things. The combine melody and harmony. They express both truth and emotion. They can fill us with joy and hope or with lament and sorrow. Through the beauty of song we worship, we celebrate, and we mourn. In the Psalms, the worship songs of the...
Coping in Crisis: Five Ways to Maintain Mental Healtho one wants to have mental health issues, but the truth is that life can be painful and difficult at times. As humans, we can and do break. For the overwhelming majority of us, mental health...
he first time I heard the term "self-care" what came to mind was the hundreds of thousands of articles and YouTube videos of twenty-somethings as they vlogged their way through yoga, bubble bath, and green smoothie routines. I wondered if this...
There is a powerful connection between how we think and how we live. We’re not always aware of those connections, but what we think about and how we think about it directs our actions and responses. The Bible draws a direct connection between spiritual transformation...
Family involves many times and seasons of life. Our roles within our family change, but each role and each season is part of God's plan for family. If we're fortunate, one day we'll find ourselves in the last season - Old Age. While this is a season some of us would...
Sabbath Rest Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:28-29 ast month I read the...
Last words are important words. Books have been written and lists compiled about the last things that famous and influential people have said. This week in our study of 2 Timothy, the Apostle Paul will write his last and most important words to Timothy, his protégé....
Begin with the Rocks 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 or years I was in the habit of getting up early and spending time with God. One day, about a year ago, I...