Praying in Jesus’ name is something I’ve done from childhood. Why? Because I heard my parents, my Sunday school teachers, youth leaders, and pastor end their prayers with, “In Jesus name, amen,” so I followed suit. I’ve been guilty of rattling off these words without much thought to their significance. It has done me good… [ read more ]
Posts Tagged: Philippians
How to Remain Confident When We Feel Like Giving Up
How can we remain confident when we feel like giving up? By ignoring the little voice that feeds us doom and gloom. You know how it goes…. Worry whispers that inflation is going to make it impossible for us to pay the bills and we’ll soon end up a homeless statistic. Anxiety assures us that… [ read more ]
How Can We Stay Connected to Jesus?
Once upon a time we lived in a house bordered by a fence upon which grapevines grew. Every summer, we watched these vines produce bunches and bunches of grapes. I wish I could say I turned those grapes into jellies and jams, but alas, that wasn’t the case. Without fail, furry masked bandits… [ read more ]
Finding Peace in the New Year
Every so often I review, update, and recycle my archived blogs. This one, originally published in December 2019, remains eerily relevant. Scroll down to read the first paragraph, and you’ll probably feel the same way I did: it sounds just like this year except COVID isn’t mentioned. When I wrote the following words… [ read more ]
Why Our Morning Thoughts Matter
What are the first thoughts that come to mind when you wake up? Here’s a multiple-choice quiz: It’s morning again. My to-do list is a mile long; I don’t know where to begin. Good morning, Lord. Thank You for the gift of a new day. Our thoughts shape our beliefs which in turn influence… [ read more ]
Why Pray in the Power in Jesus’ Name?
“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name.” ( ESV) How do you close your prayers? I usually say, “In Jesus name, amen.” Truth be told, I’m probably guilty of rattling off these words without much thought to their significance. It does me good to pause and… [ read more ]
3 Keys to Hope When You Don’t Know How the Story Ends
When we read a story, we have a distinct advantage over the characters involved: We know how it ends. As the protagonists struggle with various conflicts, we want to cheer them on: “Hang in there—you’re going to be okay.” Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery when he was about seventeen years old. Later, his… [ read more ]
How our Thoughts Determine our Destiny
Our thoughts determine our destiny. Seriously. Here’s how it works: The thoughts we habitually think shape our beliefs. Our beliefs influence our behaviors. And our behaviors determine our outcome or destiny. I reflect on my life experiences and see how it’s proven true both negatively and positively. Take, for example, the summer of… [ read more ]
When is it Good to Look Back?
We hear mixed messages about looking back at our past. Some voices warn against it. Remember the story about Lot and his family? Angel voices urged them not to look back as they fled Sodom before God destroyed it. “Run for your lives!,” they cried. “Do not stop anywhere in the valley. And don’t look… [ read more ]
Finding Peace
“These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (). Yesterday a news broadcaster reviewed the past year’s many tragic headlines from North America and beyond. They told of floods and fires, plane crashes, the opioid crisis, mass shootings, genocide, displaced people, and war. The… [ read more ]
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