What do you and I need to do to walk in all that God has for us? In becoming who God wants me to be there is a lot that I dont have power to make happen. Ultimately, it is the Holy Spirit who empowers us to walk in the identity that God has for us. He has done the work and does the work. We dont make ourselves holy or righteous. But we do have to put ourselves in a position to receive. We have to put ourselves in a position that receives the work that God wants to do...
Unexpected Rescue
It was a Sunday morning. I was a pastor on staff at a church and headed to work. As January mornings often are it was somewhat grey and chilly. This morning seemed a bit misty, but there was no real precipitation. The wet road reflected the grey light. It was a normal commute. Until it wasn’t...
Read moreWhere Regrets Go To Rest
It still haunts me all these years later. My selfishness and insensitivity. I often yearn for an opportunity to speak to her and tell her how sorry I am, but it will most likely not happen this side of heaven.
My best friend and I were renting a townhouse apartment...
Read moreMade For Glory
Everyone struggles with purpose. Deep within the human heart is a desire to mean something. We want to know that our lives matter. Why? Because God created us with that longing. He put it there and He alone can answer that cry.
In the book of Ephesians, Paul declares that we should “live to the praise of His glory.” God created you and me to live a life filled with His glory, to reflect Him to those seen on the earth and those unseen in the heavenlies. You were made to live a glory-filled life. You were made for glory! How’s that for a purpose?
Read moreAre You Crossing the Rickety Bridge?
It was a terrifying moment. I remember exactly where I was. I can clearly see the room around me in my memory. I was about to do something that could potentially rock my world, but I knew that it had to be done. The consequences of not following through outweighed the risk of taking the plunge, so I did it. I prayed Psalm 139:23-24 and meant it! “Search me, God..."
Read moreAre You a Forgiven Forgiver?
There are those moments that become engraved in memory. Often, they are the most beautiful moments. The proposal. The graduation. The birth. But sometimes, they are the most painful moments: The breakup. The failure. The loss. This was one of those kinds of moments.
It isn’t necessary, or wise, for me to share the details with you. It was a moment of great loss, loss of position, loss of hope, loss of future...
Happily Ever After? Really?
I was 14. He was almost 18. It was my first "real" relationship. I remember the moment he said "I love you. And I've never said that to anyone before!" I believed him. He believed himself. We were happy. What else would we be?!
It lasted almost a year...
Read moreDo You Know Who You Are?
If you hadn't noticed yet I may as well tell you that this year my posts are going to focus on identity statements. “Why?” you ask. Because in order to live the YES life I need to say yes to who God says I am, not just what He wants me to do. Sometimes, it's easier to say yes to doing something than it is to say yes to becoming something.
God's ultimate desire for you and me is that we would be reflections of His glory, His character, who He is.
The summer of 2017 was all abuzz with talk of the solar eclipse. In some locations the sun would be totally covered by the moon.
Read moreWorth the Risk
What could have been one of my most terrifying childhood memories has become one of my most treasured moments because someone decided I was worth it.
At ten years old I was already comfortable swimming in the deep end of the pool. In fact, I loved it! One of my favorite games with a friend was to push ourselves from the surface to the bottom of the pool and then back up. We had spent summer mornings at swimming lesson for the past several years. I knew my way around the water and had a great time splashing, swimming and playing water games.
My dad has always wanted to see as much of the world as he can. When you have a family, traveling can be cost-prohibitive, but Dad found that renting a camper for our summer vacations gave us the opportunity to go farther on a smaller budget. One of his favorite activities was planning our itinerary and determining which new places we would visit.
Read moreSet Apart
Every Thanksgiving that I can remember my mother’s table has been set with special dishes that are only used when we are having a holiday turkey. These plates and platters have a special pattern on them called His Majesty that communicates exactly what they are intended for.
When you look at His Majesty you know the exact purpose the set was created for....
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