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Thankfulness: Make It a Hard Habit to Break
Fall spices. I love them. The aroma of cinnamon throughout the house. The punch to the palate of ginger and cloves. The gritty texture of nutmeg and cardamom. When no one’s looking, I usually double their amounts in any recipe whether it’s pumpkin pie, gingerbread, or molasses cookies. And chai tea lattes? My favorite. Sprinkled…
Read More Unmanufactured Righteousness: How Not to DIY Good Deeds
“Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.” Romans 10: 3 NIV [emphasis mine] How-tos. DIY. I love hands-on projects. I love learning new things. I love the discovery. I love the control. But when it comes to righteousness, God’s righteousness, all the effort in the…
Read More How to Endure Hardship Like a Soldier—Spiritually
“Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer.” 2 Timothy 2:3-4 NIV Three days after graduating from college, our oldest left for the Navy’s boot camp in Great Lakes, Illinois. When we saw him eight…
Read More How to Keep Dismay at Bay
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 NIV Dismay. The word caught my eye as did God’s instructions through Isaiah, “do not be.” “Overwhelm” or “anxiety” may be more familiar…
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Correcting Faulty Perspectives: How to See Through God’s Lens
“Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes.” Acts 9:17-18…
Read More Permission to Fail: How to Push Past Your Limits
“Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.” 1 Timothy 4:14 NIV It was Test Week at my CrossFit gym and I dreaded it. For several months we lifted weights with a slow count and higher than normal reps. For example, one…
Read More What are You Worth? God’s Take on Your Value
Master craftsmen have signed, stamped, and stitched their marks on their work for years, ensuring their value. Michelangelo’s signature traverses Mary’s sash of his Pieta. Leonardo da Vinci used intertwining knots as his signature (Check Mona Lisa’s bodice.). And God? He placed His imprint on you, His masterpiece. The mark of a master determines the value of a…
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A Strong Finish: Laying Down Your Life
In the 2010 Zheng-Kai Marathon, elite runner Jaqueline Kiplimo spotted a disabled Chinese runner having trouble opening a water bottle. The runner had no hands and was dehydrated. Kiplimo not only helped him with the water bottle, she also slowed her pace and ran with him from about Mile 6 to Mile 23, aiding him…
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Truth vs. Lies: Can Your Kids Tell the Difference?
Discernment. Do you have it? How about your kids? Culture presents the idea that truth is relative: You have yours. I have mine. Compromise is okay if you have a good reason. How do we help our kids navigate these minefields of truth and lies? We train them in discernment. When Harry Potter came out, I chose…
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Rootbound: How to Get Untangled
Rootbound plants are wrapped in their own roots. Like an ingrown toenail, growth has gone inward instead of outward. And inward is no place to grow. Roots should spread. Deep and wide. Spiritual roots can bind too. Squeeze. Tighter than duct tape, they can hold us hostage. I felt stuck. For years. Scripture speaks of several…
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