“Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.” Philippians 2:14-16 (NLT) An attitude can be described as a way we feel or think about someone or something and is almost always reflected in our behavior. We should always be mindful of our attitudes, but at times when our schedules are overloaded and we are... Read more
“Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise— making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” Ephesians 5:15-17 (HCSB) Our Commitments impact everything we do. Each day, we are given a full twenty-four hours to work with. But, if you are like me, you may try to cram something into every little crevice of your day, leaving just enough time... Read more
“And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.” Deuteronomy 6:6-7 How often do you read the Bible? Do you set aside time each day to read the Bible or do the distractions of everyday life interfere with the attention... Read more
Courage is the ability to face conflicts, career changes, difficult tasks, illnesses, and loss with strength. We all need courage, but the problem is––we are not naturally brave and courageous. In fact, we are instinctively quite the opposite striving to protect ourselves and nurture our own self-interest. Dying daily to self while choosing to courageously embrace what is right and best, over what is safe and ultimately detrimental — is hard. But, the good news is, it’s not impossible. So,... Read more
“Each of us should please his neighbor for their good, to build him up.” Romans 15:2 NIV “Two men who shared a hospital room ended up becoming friends. One was allowed to sit up for an hour every day. His bed was beside the window. The other man spent his life flat on his back. Each day, the man at the window would describe the activity and color of the outside world: the park overlooking the lake, ducks swimming, children playing,... Read more
Grief comes in all shapes and sizes, is processed through various stages, and is experienced in very unique ways based on our individual personalities. Grief can take our breath away; leave us feeling deeply sad, shocked, fearful, angry, guilty, and even regretful. When a tragedy occurs, we experience a multitude of emotions, some overwhelm us with very little warning or understanding. While we all process grief differently, it’s critically important to actually process it and not pretend the pain and... Read more
Our moments are what make up our day and ultimately our life. Often, our minds are anywhere but where we are. When our body is in one place and our thoughts elsewhere, we can miss pieces of life, miss what God is doing in the moment, or a relationship opportunity. Reliving the past, attached or obsessing over outcomes in the present or future makes it impossible to live in the “now”… which is where we can find and engage God.... Read more
“So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.” 2 Corinthians 5:9-10 (NLT) Our circumstances affect every aspect of our lives. When our circumstances are more positive, our lives tend to be healthier — when our circumstances are less positive, our... Read more
“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.” Jeremiah 1:5 We’re all familiar with the children’s song “Jesus loves me, this I know”. It was sung to me as a child and I sang it to my sons. The proof of His limitless love for us was demonstrated through His death on the cross. And, the power of His prevailing love for us was exhibited when He rose from the grave to defeat death once and for all.... Read more
We will be presented many opportunities in our lifetime for our heart to be pulled in a variety of directions. Our worldly culture sets our heart up to be distracted and disloyal to God. God created our heart for one purpose- for Him. Only Him. But we have an enemy whose plan is to part our heart in two. It’s up to us to decide who our loyalty is to and to guard our heart against it parting in two.... Read more
Courage for Life
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