Happy. Sad. Good. Bad Up. Down. Smile. Frown. Which of the above words describe your week? For most of us, it’s been a mix. Best-laid plans disintegrate when illness or unexpected expenses strike, and hopes are dashed when expectations prove false. Fear of uncertainty can grip us. As my husband and I teach in missionary… [ read more ]
Posts Tagged: Psalms
The Cure for Anxiety
I’ve got a ton of stuff on my mind today. I’m thinking about my half-finished book proposal that I’d hoped to complete by last weekend, an article that’s due today, and two training sessions this week for our summer ministry volunteers. I’m planning for my upcoming trip to Atlanta, GA and then leaving for Eastern… [ read more ]
Short Prayers are Okay
What’s prayer, anyway? I like J. I. Packer’s definition: “The prayer of a Christian is not an attempt to force God’s hand, but a humble acknowledgement of helplessness and dependence.” Prayer takes different forms. Sometimes it’s liturgical and recited aloud in a formal church setting. Sometimes it’s private, penned in one’s journal for only… [ read more ]
What’s Wrong With the Human Race, Anyway?
Once upon a time, a king strolled through a village nestled in a valley below his palace. There he saw a woman clothed in rags, scrounging through a dumpster. His heart hurt for her, and so he called out, “Come with me to the palace, and I’ll prepare a banquet for you. I’ll trade your… [ read more ]
A Mind-Boggling Answer to Prayer
I want to give God a praise shout-out this morning. Here’s why: As national co-directors of International Messengers Canada, one of the most difficult tasks Gene and I face every year is finding volunteers to minister with us among Romanian teens living with life-threatening illnesses. We believe cost is the factor. Volunteers must raise… [ read more ]
How to Begin and End the Day in a Good Way
More than three decades ago I realized the importance of dwelling on positive thoughts specifically when I wake and when I fall asleep. The lesson came after my fiancé broke our engagement. In the first days and weeks following the breakup, I’d fall asleep focused on my pain and feelings of rejection. I’d wake… [ read more ]
Why Easter Brings Joy
Do you remember these lyrics? I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart Where? Down in my heart Where? Down in my heart I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart Where? Down in my heart to stay! I sang this tune as a kid in Sunday school…. [ read more ]
A Promise for Those in Painful Circumstances
Sometimes I wonder how much more pain the world can tolerate. I’ve been following the mystery of the missing Malaysian airliner and praying for the families and friends experiencing an emotional rollercoaster that twists and spirals with every new bit of information received. I’ve also been praying for the Ukrainians whose future and freedoms… [ read more ]
God Created Everything and He Can Do Anything!
“God created atoms and angels and ants, crocodiles and chiggers and clouds, diamonds and dust and dinosaurs, raindrops and sweat drops, dewdrops and blood drops, and me! And you! “The greatness of His power to create and design and form and mold and make and build and arrange defies the limits of our imagination…. [ read more ]
What Does it Mean That Christ is Our Hiding Place?
“You are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory” ( NLT). In 2001, I had the privilege of visiting Corrie ten Boom’s family home in Haarlem, Netherlands. It stands as a museum today, a tribute to the ten Boom’s courage and sacrificial kindness in hiding… [ read more ]
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