When I speak to singles groups, the question I hear more than any other question is, “How did you know John was the one?” Before we were married, like most other singles, I had my “list”. I knew what I wanted. I wanted someone older, sophisticated and well established and although John was nice, he […]
“I can’t make it to Titus 2 today. I’ll meet up with you at church,” I told John. I didn’t think I could contain the emotions that felt like they would burst at any moment. I didn’t think I could manage to talk to anyone without unleashing the bucket of tears I was trying to […]
My last post was about bitterness and how important it is to guard our heart. Today, I want to give you a real life example about how I first learned to guard my heart. If you’d rather call it boundaries, that’s fine, too, but scripture is clear: It’s our duty to put ourselves in a position where we’re not vulnerable to bitterness. […]
Did you know bitterness is a poison? Bitterness not only affects our emotions, but left untreated, the toxins produced by bitterness eventually seep into our body as well. Resentment can cause all kinds of physical ailments. In her book, Who Switched Off My Brain? Controlling Toxic Thoughts and Emotions, Dr. Caroline Leaf reports, “A massive […]
“And now I’m going to tell you who you are, really are. You are Peter, a rock” (Matt 16:17 Message). Alan didn’t know his father would die from a heart attack at age 39. If he had, maybe he would have bit his tongue. “I hate you!” he declared one day in anger. The words […]
One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan (Luke 17:15-16). I used to admire the young girls in my church raised by Godly parents who affirmed them and brought them up in peaceful […]
It is for freedom that Christ set you free. Stand firm then, and do not let yourself be burdened again with the yoke of slavery (Galatians 5:1). “Hey, Mom! D’ya miss me?” Garrett said as he swung open the door and dropped his bags on the floor. “Of course I did! Did you miss […]
Praise the Lord, o my soul, and forget not all his benefits- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion (Psalm 103:2-4). When my first marriage ended in divorce, I thought the shame of dealing with drug addiction was […]
Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it (Luke 17:32-33). Have you ever been a Chreathen? When I first met my husband, John, in 1997 I was straddling the fence with one foot in the world and one foot in church. I […]
“he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth” (Hosea 6:3b). As I dressed for work, I pondered the question that had troubled me for months. Exactly what is my destiny? Now that my children were older, my career as an Executive Soccer Mom was slated […]