Sugarcane and banana trees stand in rows as far as I can see, and the sky is a watercolor-wash of blues and grays heavy with the coming rain. We walk the rutted road, the dust rusty beneath our feet and the air presses down thick as we breathe in the heat of the day, my […]
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God is often compared to fire in the Bible. When you read about fire, it usually means one of three things: an indicator of God’s presence, a means of His purification, or a display of His passion. This is part two of the series, how fire represents God’s purification of our hearts. This post was written for the […]
Read more“Oh, that’s easy,” he said, gesturing to the water-damage on the ceiling. “Just cut out that old drywall and pop a new piece in, blend it in with drywall compound, and Bob’s your uncle.” Which, according to the Urban Dictionary, is another way of saying “your success is guaranteed.” Except that Bob is not my uncle. […]
Read moreBurnout. Chances are good you’ve experienced it…if you’ve got a ministry, you know what ministry burnout feels like. Whether you’re a missionary, a pastor’s wife, a counselor, a teacher, a mother, a wife, a worship leader, a Sunday school teacher, a writer, a nurse, an evangelist, a manager…you know what I’m talking about when I […]
Read moreBeing forgiven means we are freed from the chains of sin and death. But it is also a gift meant to allow us to live a life of joy and freedom! You can have the assurance of salvation but miss out on the part where you live as a free, worthy, precious child of God. And […]
Read moreAn un-named 19 year old lighting his birthday candles with a blow torch Dear Almost-Nineteen, Do you have a moment? Just a little time to chat, I won’t keep you long. You’ve got things to do, I know. Set it aside a moment and walk with me. Listen, I don’t want to preach. I know […]
Read moreThe piece below was written years ago; since then God has given me a lot of opportunity to think about what worship means to me and to the church. I have seen some beautiful examples of worship and some that make me sad. I have had moments leading worship where the voices of the […]
Read moreI have to confess: I have always been a bit of a happiness skeptic. Sure, I know that God intends us to have deep and abiding joy. But somehow the term “happy” seemed to be joy’s cheaper, less durable knock-off. In addition to this, there have been plenty of times in my life that the joy […]
Read moreShe held the box of ice cream cones in her hands, staring at it. For a child who was about to enjoy a cold scoop of ice cream on a sweet, crispy cone, she sure looked glum. “What’s wrong?” I asked. Youngest sighed, set the box of cones on the counter. “It’s just that the […]
Read moreRecently I saw a picture of God’s redemptive love in action when friends of ours brought home the beautiful boy they’d adopted from Africa. Their journey to adopting little Zak* was fraught with roadblocks, political issues, twists and turns, hope and heartbreak. What should have taken less than a year stretched on for nearly three, […]
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