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Prayer-Full Persistence
Does our persistence in prayer, our ongoing requests, bother God? I think not. Jesus tells us a parable in scripture (Luke 18:1-8) that actually speaks of just the opposite. The main point He wants to make in this story is stated clearly: “…(we) ought to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). Jesus’ parable calls attention to the attitude of…
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Equipped to Do the Call
Did you know that if you are a follower of Christ you are equipped with the power of God? Does this mean that you can part the Red Sea like Moses or call fire from heaven like Elijah? Uh, probably not; but what it DOES mean is this: you are fully equipped to do every good work that God has…
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The Power of Gentleness
What is gentleness? Is it a weakness of character when one chooses “to be soft”? I asked the Lord these questions and He gave me an opportunity to learn by experience… Last Saturday, I took some newly purchased clothes over to my parent’s house for my mother to try on so she wouldn’t have to enter stores at this very…
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No Peace? Know Peace!
Are you in the midst of a storm today? Are you desperate for some peace? Allow me to direct you to seven short verses in the Bible, Mark 4:35-41. In this passage, Jesus is asleep in a boat in the middle of a storm while his disciples are trying to arm-wrestle the wind and the waves without Him. As things…
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Comfort: Good for the Body, Great for the Soul
Dumb question, but have you ever been really sad? Maybe it’s now. Maybe you have suffered a loss recently, whether it’s a loss of a loved one, a relationship, a job, or a dream. When I was thinking about how the Lord describes Himself as the Comforter in Scripture, I prayed, “Lord, please speak. Bring things to mind that help…
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Discipline: Never Wanted but Always Needed
Twenty-ish years ago I was a mother to a 3 year old, a 4 year old, a 6 year old, and an 8 year old. Not only was I “mommy” to these darling-made-of-dust-angels, I was also their homeschool teacher. By God’s grace, much of these years are a distant blur, but let me just say, when I couldn’t handle some…
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Living, Moment by Moment
How is life for you right now? What is your state of mind? Are you living…I mean really living? These are questions I asked myself when I read this simple yet thought-provoking phrase in scripture: He lived among the tombs (Mark 5:3). The passage surrounding this verse tells of one of the many miracles of Jesus. By merely speaking, the Messiah cast a legion…
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A Holy Conversation (in the kitchen)
Have you believed the lie that you “have to have it all together” to meet with God? Well, let me remind you of the story of Zacchaeus. He was that “wee little man” that some of us used to sing about in our childhood Sunday school class. Can’t you envision this short-legged-long-robed man running ahead and climbing a tree in…
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Take Courage, He Stands by You
About a week ago during one of my quarantine days I was curled up alone in my bed feeling quite pitiful due to a relational spat I was having with a very special someone. (I will not mention names, but bottom line, he took a long drive and I had a big ugly cry). We can both chuckle about it…
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The Initiator
We love, because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19 For much of my young adult life I can compare my journey of faith to someone who is running on a treadmill; however, the treadmill itself is not turned on. This one factor, of course, creates a completely unnecessary struggle. To compare this thought to my spiritual life years ago,…