Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have
Read moreSlowing Down
Tag: Choices
Obedience is Not Optional
Obedience is not optional. Samuel spoke these words to King Saul: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to
Read moreIf One Falls Down
True friends remind us of the truth in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NIV). “Two are better than one … if one falls down, his friend can help him up.” We grieve a loss. A friend stops by
Read moreBorn with a Purpose
When the announcement time came at the end of our worship service, he proudly proclaimed he had just celebrated his ninth birthday for the ninth time. He had been born with a purpose, after all.
Read moreFaith Over Fear
Fear over faith or faith over fear? You choose. Fear says: Life changes. Change hurts. I’ll stay where I am. God says: Chance change. Grow through pain. I’m with you all the way.
Read moreAre You Making Good Decisions Every Day?
A Good Decision? Maybe Not! In middle school, my daughter brought a friend home one afternoon, and I offered the only snack I had in the refrigerator: leftover fries. Even when I offered the fries
Read moreChoose Joy
Little did we know, as we delighted in food and family, how soon we would face a life-altering decision: Choose sorrow or choose joy. Gathered around our dining room table, joy overflowed that all our
Read moreThe Need of Sabbath
I told them the story and watched confusion cross their faces. One thing I love about teaching middle schoolers entails telling them stories about how things were when I was their age. When I was
Read moreRiding a Roller Coaster in the Middle of a Storm
“It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.” So begins Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities. My husband and I can say the same about the past eighteen years. After
Read moreSeven Leadership Lessons from Deborah and Barak
Although Deborah held several roles atypical for a woman in Israel’s patriarchal society, she did not back down from her responsibilities. God called her. She obeyed. Her straightforward response served her and others well throughout
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