(Un)Answered Prayers

“When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:32)   I’m sure I’m not the only one who has asked God to step in and provide wisdom or rescue from a situation,…

Read More

Heating Up

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.” (Daniel 3:16–17) Are you facing a…

Read More

Bewildered

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. (Isaiah 55:8) When the clouds show no sign of breaking, and when there’s no hope on the horizon, I have choices to make. I can slip into doubt, or I can cling to hope. I can grow ever more…

Read More

Desert Places

…fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2) Are you in a desert right now? If you find yourself walking with sand between your toes,…

Read More

Trust Me

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18) “What are you scared of?” I heard a father say to his little girl, who was hanging from the monkey bars at a…

Read More

You’re Building A Life Right Now

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Right now, at this very moment, you are building a life. Even during this pandemic. Even though everything seems to have come to a screeching halt. Even though it may not look anything like the life you expected to be living right now, or the…

Read More

Fearless

In preparation for my first marathon, I scrawled the words of Joshua 1:9 on a scrap of paper and tucked it in my running pouch. The verse reads, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever…

Read More

The Greatest of These is Love

Love is one of the most beautiful and powerful emotions we experience. Growing up, I recall my British parents using this phrase, “Love will draw you further than gunpowder will shoot you.”  They were referring to romantic love, the kind of head-over-heels love that spurs you to go to great lengths for the object of…

Read More

Joy to the World

I will never forget the intense feeling of joy I experienced when I first met Jesus. I remember the drive to church that day, my eighteen-year-old self sitting sullenly in the back seat and staring out of the car’s window. I uttered a silent prayer to God asking, “If you exist you better show me…

Read More

Finding Peace

Isn’t it paradoxical that the season meant to usher in the most peace has become one of the most hectic times of the year? There are lights to hang, presents to buy, packages to wrap, parties to attend, guests to host, Christmas baking to complete, cards to write… the list goes on. The frenzied pace of…

Read More