Are you going through a severe test? Maybe you have lost your appetite or you haven’t slept well for weeks or months. Fear and panic have replaced quietness and peace. You experience loneliness, discouragement, and isolation, complicated by unending physical or emotional pain. You’ve prayed and asked others to pray as well. And still, there […]
Read MoreCategory Archives: Crisis
Somewhere Down the Road
Silence has become a friend of mine. But it wasn’t always that way. In case you haven’t noticed, stress can generate a massive amount of noise. Trying to wrap your hands around spilling grief is like trying to catch a roaring waterfall with tissues—there could never be enough to dry it up, but my heart […]
Read MoreJust Wondering
Have you ever wondered what the disciples thought the day Christ died—were they profoundly bewildered? What were Mary’s feelings just before she told Joseph of her pregnancy, or as she watched her baby boy, now a man, hang on a cross? Has it ever crossed your mind to wonder what Daniel’s thoughts were on the […]
Read MoreIs God Really in Control?
Do you ever find yourself wondering, “Does God really have things in hand here, or is my life spinning out of control?” I have. Trusting in Jesus Christ at age 18, I soon concluded that if I simply did enough of the right things, my Christian life would be a steady climb toward maturity. Numerous […]
Read MoreFirm Footing for Life’s Landslides
Few things are more beautiful than Southern California after a heavy winter rainstorm. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, the crisp, clean Los Angeles basin is embraced by snow-coated mountains. However, when the mountains and hills are saturated with water, dangers are not far behind. Years ago, one specific winter was exceptionally stormy. […]
Read MoreThe Lord Bless You . . .
I have the following verses posted on my desk because I need to be reminded each day of the Lord’s greatness in my weakness. I need reassurance of all He can do in my life. “The Lord bless you, and keep you; The Lord make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; […]
Read MoreThe Hiding Place
There are certain days (weeks?) I wish I could crawl into a cave and stay there. At times like those, I find comfort in the poignant words of this hymn. The Hiding Place In a time of trouble, in a time forlorn, There is a hiding place where hope is born. In a time of […]
Read MoreOur Tragedy, God’s Glory
Like the biblical accounts of the blind man in John 9 and the death of Lazarus in John 11, what may seem to us a tragedy is part of God’s eternal plan to bring glory to Him. Some 21 years ago, my son and daughter-in-law became the parents of identical twin boys named David and […]
Read MoreHow Do I Survive Losing a Loved One?
Question: My wife died in a car accident about two months ago, and I am really struggling. The church has been helpful, but in recent weeks the phone has stopped ringing and the meals have stopped coming. I try to keep busy with the kids, but when it’s quiet, all I can think about is […]
Read MoreCommitting to the Road Less Travelled
M. Scott Peck began his book The Road Less Traveled with this truth: “Life is difficult.”1 Writing this reality or reading it is one thing; accepting it is another. Are you wrestling with the struggles of life today, knowing that changing your circumstances is not one of your options? You’re not alone; the difficulty of […]
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