When joy seems to be hard to muster, do you question why you struggle to be happy even though you’re a Christian? Do you feel guilty about your downhearted disposition? You aren’t alone. We all
Read moreRecalculate For Joy

When joy seems to be hard to muster, do you question why you struggle to be happy even though you’re a Christian? Do you feel guilty about your downhearted disposition? You aren’t alone. We all
Read moreFor six years—except when the battery died—she had cranked…but not now. During a cold snap in December, I noticed the key proved difficult to slide in and out of the ignition of my old Ford
Read moreI sat along the river’s edge beneath the shade of a willow leaning precariously across the water smooth as glass. The glint of sunshine twinkled and skipped as the river coursed through the mountain gorge carrying my thoughts with its never-ending flow.
I thought about God.
I thought about life’s twists and turns, its burdens heavy, its forward motion sure and constant as it stumbles across debris that clutters the heart.
Read moreOutside the wind is howling. Ice clings to the trees and shrubs — blades of leftover grass crunch beneath my feet. My eyes tear from the sting of the cold making me want to hurry home.
Once inside, I’m warmed by the crackle of the fire. The belly of the woodstove glows with red and orange embers while flames consume the wood and warms our home. I throw a couple more logs in, grab a cup of coffee and curl up on the couch for a few minutes of rest.
As I sit and think, I’m reminded of the winter of the soul — seasons of hardship, loss, sorrow … brokenness. Some days it feels as though the season will never end with its darkened days and veiled light.
Read moreThis is a hard post to make and maybe one of the hardest I’ve ever made. But this month on Inspire a Fire is about losing sight of perspective, and boy have I done that!
Read moreby Nan Jones @NanJonesAuthor Give thanks in all things … all things. Seems counter-intuitive, doesn’t it? I’m learning this truth speaks of surrender — a recognition of the Lordship of Christ, the Sovereignty of God.
Read moreSo I was working on my post — a complicated, truth wrestling post — choosing the strongest words to capture a period of discouragement I recently experienced. You being able to resonate from my drowning
Read moreI am grateful for the gift of mental illness that upended my life 15 years ago. Why? Because of what I went through, I am more grateful, more apt to refrain from judging others, and
Read moreDepression was a constant battle, bringing on overwhelming feelings of sadness, anger, even rage, and hopelessness. It crippled my mind, heart, spirit and soul and destroyed every part of me. When the depression hit…
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