Last year I lost two dear friends within three months of each other. One passed away after a years-long battle with cancer, leaving behind his wife and four children. My other friend passed away suddenly in a tragic car accident, leaving behind his wife and two young children. Both were
“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also
“Now it was during this time that Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and he spent all night in prayer to God.” – Luke 6:12 I love Jesus, and His humanity while on earth makes me love Him all the more. He was fully God and
We sat in a room in the basement of the church that was typically used by a middle school youth group. Although I had attended several women’s studies at the church, this was the first one that my husband and I chose to do together. I couldn’t tell you the
There is an old hymn that, to me, captures the very heart of Advent and today’s passage: The hymn’s first verse says: Come, Thou long expected Jesus Born to set Thy people free; From our fears and sins release us, Let us find our rest in Thee. Israel’s strength
I can remember sitting in Sunday school when I first heard the story of Jacob wrestling with God. I was confused by the idea of a man wrestling with Almighty God and I was even more confused at the purpose of the story. Why did God wrestle with Jacob? Why
“He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your disease.’” – Mark 5:34 Desperation. Last resort. Despair. What makes you turn to Jesus? Time and time again in the Gospels we read of people who approached Jesus with a personal
Have you been in a place for so long that you feel like there is no way out? That you are too far gone? That you are a lost cause, unseen by God and overlooked by others? In John 5, there is a story of a paralytic, a man who
When I read this Psalm and meditate on the verses, it reminds me to shift my attention to who God is. It encourages me to look to God with thankfulness and gratitude, not because of my current situation (weary and exhausted after a long ten days working at camp), but
As we continue in our study of Genesis, we see Abraham recognize God’s care for the righteous. God chose to reveal to Abraham His plan to destroy the city of Sodom. God did not need to tell Abraham what He was going to do, but He chose to allow Abraham