Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob! Raise a song; sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp. Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our feast day. (Ps. 81:1-3 ESV) When I think about listening to God’s commands, I typically think…
We all want peace, from our homes and workplaces to the halls of state and national governments around the world. We want to live in harmony with others. We want the absence of conflict. We want to end fighting and destruction. What does it take to have peace? In our homes, a short-term peace might…
With tears streaming down her face, my client said, “I don’t know if I’ll ever be free of this way of being, of feeling like no one cares about me.” I sat still as she shared her despair, listening with compassion and deep faith. She talked about how, as she was growing up, her parents…
“It is not as a child that I believe and confess Jesus Christ. My hosanna is born of a furnace of doubt.” ~Fyodor Dostoyevski When our oldest was little, she had epic rage/distress attacks. Years later, we would learn Tourette’s syndrome was the cause. At the time, I only knew that when she felt most…
If a prophet sent by God told you that whatever you’re going through would be used for a greater purpose, I’d bet you a million dollars you’d leave the conversation mid-sentence. Not only would you leave the conversation, but you’d wonder, Is this really happening? You’d think to yourself, This person is crazy. Whatever angel…
I used to be a quitter. I don’t usually share that part of my life because it’s not something I am proud of, but it’s the truth. Back in college, when I pledged to be in a sorority, I ended up quitting during pledge week. I thought protecting my trusted binder from frat boys who…