On my right pinky finger I have a bright white scar from a deep cut caused by an accident with a whittling knife over 30 years ago. That cut was glued and taped up and has long since healed. I have the thin bright white scar to prove it. But when I bump that scar… Continue reading Why is Scar Tissue so Tender?
“Come to me.” Jesus whispers as He stretches out His hand.“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) When we come (back) to Him, accept His gift of salvation, repent and are forgiven, Jesus offers us a place to rest under His… Continue reading Take 5: Come to Me–Refinement and Restoration
Jesus’ offer of rest isn’t just for our bodies and burden-laden lives, but for our souls. Our hearts. Our minds. It’s a total package. Once we’ve surrendered our life to Him and accepted His gift of Salvation, He invites us to repent of our sins and unbelief. Our greatest oppression isn’t a result of the… Continue reading Take 5: Come To Me–Repent and Be Forgiven
What are we to do? Overwhelm. Anxiety. Uncertainty. Fear of the unknown—all are very real right now. Stress is elevated to unprecedented heights. Mental illness is plaguing many we know and love—including ourselves. And we’re walking on eggshells, afraid one misstep will cause the chaos, destruction, and mayhem to erupt again. What are we to… Continue reading Rest: Come to Me
God demonstrated the pleasure and joy found in work done with excellence. (read more about that here) And then… He passed that same pleasure and joy onto us. As creatures created in God’s very own image, we were always meant to work. And work was intended to bring us pleasure and joy—total satisfaction from a… Continue reading Rest: Work is a Gift
Is it possible to take pleasure in your work? Yes! We often go to work dreading what the day holds. Dreading being with the people we work with (even if we’re self-employed). Dreading the tasks, challenges, and demands we’re about to come face-to-face with. But we can change our attitude when we determine to re-adjust… Continue reading Take 5: God Will Give You the Desire and Power To Do What Pleases Him
The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps. (NASB) According to Proverbs and the rest of Scripture, we’re commanded to make plans for the future knowingour plans may be altered, redirected, or nullified by God’s purpose. All my life I’ve believed this is because God knows our future, the end… Continue reading Take 5: Make Your Plans. But God Directs Your Steps
I’m writing this post on the heels of our first family vacation in 5 years. During our time away, I learned 3 things about rest We need to know what relaxes us and facilitates our rest—and what doesn’tSabbath is a discipline, a holy habit that needs to be cultivatedHard work is a gift and a… Continue reading Rest: Do You Know What Facilitates Your Rest?
When is the last time your perspective about something changed dramatically? In other words, when is the last time you had a complete about-face after an in-your-face confrontation? For me, about two weeks and continuing… I shared in Running on Empty God recently confronted me about the work-rest imbalance in my life and ministry; exposing… Continue reading Rest: The Work-Rest Imbalance
Do you wear a mask? Pretend everything is okay when it’s not? Do you smile and laugh with those around you but inside you’re hurting? Lonely. Afraid. Dying. Do you spend a lot of energy building up and encouraging those around you while not addressing your own doubts and fears? Not facing your own brokenness?… Continue reading Let’s Combat S.A.D.–part 1
