Here in Washington state, snow tends to bring things to a screeching halt. I sit here in my nice warm home so grateful that I have the provisions to stay cozy while the winter wonderland invades with its 20 degree temperatures outside. Here in Washington state, snow tends to bring most things to a
I love nature! When we look around the outside world, we see so many reminders created by God showing us how to model our behavior. Although I am a lover of all things wild and natural I am no green thumb – truth be told I have a reputation for killing plants. I am
Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey on the day we remember as Palm Sunday. Mark 11:7-11 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and
It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is
It seems every year we anticipate what the new year will bring, as if flipping the page on the calendar could SOMEHOW magically change our current existence. It seems so ridiculous, but every year we look forward to the new year and leaving the old behind. A fresh, new beginning! This is going to
Don’t hold onto anything so tightly that Jesus can’t take it from you. Hold everything in your hands lightly, otherwise it hurts when God pries your fingers open. – Corrie ten Boom I think often we hold onto THINGS tighter than we hold onto our FAITH in God! Stop! Read it again. Are you holding
Matthew 6:25-26 Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor
Phillipians 1:6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. This scripture stopped me in my tracks the other day. I have heard it many times before, but this time was different. This
There are two stories in the Bible that remind me how differently I would behave compared to how the people in scripture reacted to God sparing them from a difficult situation. It reminds me that God is a whole lot more concerned with us becoming holy, than happy. He is more concerned with saving
Imagine for a moment a situation – imaginary or experienced – where you believed your demise was eminent. Think of an experience that the adrenaline was pumping and you had fully embraced survival mode because you were convinced you wouldn’t live to tell the tale of what you were currently enduring. Do you have
We define ourselves in so many different ways. American culture seems to pull us in a hundred different directions if we allow it to. There are so many different roles we play for our jobs, kids, spouses, friends, church, etc. The list could go on and on. Then there are preferences to where and
Do you have a sense of urgency to share your faith with everyone around you? Do you feel desperate to convey the gospel to anyone who will listen….. or are you keeping the hope of salvation quietly tucked away where very few people ever catch a glimpse of it. I heard the following story
How much guilt from the past do you carry around? Perhaps sins or inadequacies in your character that you feel are much too massive for you to EVER be completely forgiven for. Maybe it is self-loathing due to present circumstances you have allowed. How about self-condemnation for decisions of the past? Many of us
Do your everyday actions and attitudes glorify God? We are repeatedly reminded throughout scripture to glorify God in ALL that we do. Our blessings are gifts from our heavenly Father and not due to our own striving and they should glorify him. It should be our primary objective in prayer that God would be
Do you have the courage to ENcourage those around you? Do you ever feel like God is pushing you to share an uplifting thought or word? Often it takes courage to step forward and lift someone up, but why? Is it because we are afraid of how they might respond? Afraid we might sound