I'm happy to announce that Renew Daily Retreats is open for registration!
Centered around 5 main themes: inspire, rejuvenate, create, connect, and Sabbath, this 20 module course is designed to inspire women to take a few moments each day for self-care and renewal.
Read MoreI’ve had the chance over the past few weeks to talk to many of you who are stuck in some really difficult situations.
In the past few days, I’ve spoken with one person who would like to leave their job, one person who'd like to change churches, and another person who’d like to get a raise for the extra workload they have taken on at their job.
All of these situations require wisdom, delicate handling, and much prayer.
Read MoreWe had been trying to teach our four-year-old the importance of telling the truth.
Jokingly, Derek told Trent that his nose would grow long, like Pinocchio's, if he told lies.
If only we had known then, what problems this would cause. Poor Trent. He really believed Derek- and no matter what else we said, he was still scared of his nose growing long. He also started checking out everyone else's noses. It wasn’t a healthy fear.
Read More“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” James 1:2-3
Joy is not usually the first word that comes to mind when I’m frustrated and overwhelmed. I’m still a work in progress. Self-pity is too often something I struggle with. But I want more joy in my life. I read the words of Jesus’ brother, James, to “count it all joy” even in trials, and I know that these hard words were inspired by God. They’re true and they’re helpful. The testing of my faith does produce steadfastness. I’ve experienced it and I’ve seen it experienced in other people’s lives. By the grace of God, I trust, that as I grow and mature in Christ, someday it will become ever more of a part of who I am. I want to be the kind of person who counts it all joy, even the trials. I pray the same for you.
Read More"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. " Lamentations 3:22-23
These words of encouragement from Lamentations were first written by Jeremiah, a prophet during the last years of Judah before Babylon plundered the country and took its people into captivity. Jeremiah had a hard and dangerous job, a lonely job- but he trusted in the faithfulness of God. God had sent him to warn the people of what would happen if they continued to follow the evil ways they were living. Jeremiah was imprisoned and tortured for speaking the truth, and he eventually did witness to the destruction of his country.
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