Tag: jesus
When the Christmas Spirit Feels Elusive— Celebrate Anyway
If you’ve noticed that I haven’t written lately or posted much on social media, you would be correct. It feels like I’ve fallen off the face of the earth and I’m just beginning to climb back on. Can you relate? The last few months have been particularly tough for me…
Disposing of What’s Dead for New Growth to Emerge
This morning, I spent some time dead heading my prolific Christmas Cactus. Disposing of what’s dead for new growth to emerge is a necessary process. As I removed the wilted blossoms, I noticed something interesting. Next to each dead flower a new bud had formed. If I hadn’t removed the…
Staying In Tune with the Spirit
Our world is full of so much noise, it’s often impossible to listen. A busy work schedule, social media distraction, 24/7 news from around the world, all vie for our attention. How are we to stay in tune with the Spirit if a constant barrage of static interferes with our…
Give Me Some Good Old-Fashioned GRIT
GRIT. It’s not a term I see used much anymore. Perhaps it’s out of vogue to say someone has GRIT. But as I watched again the poignant photos of the firefighters and police rushing into the twin towers on 9/11, I couldn’t help but think. These brave men and women…
Never Forget—It’s Not About You
In this life, it’s easy for me to lose sight of my real purpose. This is especially true when I’m recovering from an injury that’s taking much longer to heal than I ever anticipated. My mood tends to go to dark places and I begin to question whether the goals…
Am I Faithful in My Focus?
Where is your attention right now? Is it caught up in the chaos of all the recent changes we’ve experienced as a nation? With all the media hype, it would be difficult to not feel at least a little anxious about what’s coming next. I guess a person could avoid…
Relinquishing Our Right to Always Be Right
Life is very confusing. I feel as if I live in an upside-down world. What am I to believe or not believe? A drove of information surrounds me but very little truth. Everything seems to be relative based on who it benefits. Entitlement consumes our culture. We each shout loudly,…
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Remember What Freedom Is Not
It’s easy to get caught up in the traditional festivities surrounding July 4th and miss the true celebration. Don’t’ get me wrong. I love the fireworks, the picnics, and the parades as much as anyone. But it’s always good to step back and ponder the deeper significance of freedom: What…
The Art of Story: Offering Hope in This Weary World
Earlier this week, I woke around 3:30 am and no matter what I tried, I simply couldn’t go back to sleep. Unfortunately, this is not uncommon. I often have trouble either falling asleep or waking too early. The burden of being a light sleeper has plagued me since my nights…
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Learning to Love Beyond Labels
The human brain is an amazing superpowered personal computer tailored uniquely to each individual. It recognizes, analyzes, and labels inputted data within seconds. No matter how much we try to mimic it, nothing quite compares to the mind’s ability to imagine and create. For good or for bad, our brains…
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Encountering An Easter Morning Surprise
Jesus was dead—or so they thought. Mary Magdalene and the other women had witnessed the horrific act of crucifixion from the foot of the cross. Who could possibly survive a Roman execution? In modern times, we try to downplay its brutality with the gold crosses we wear as jewelry. In…
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In a World Full of Discouragement, Be a Barnabas
We live in tough times. Even a casual glance at events in the national and global news leave most of us shaking our heads. Add personal problems with finances or health to these outside forces and it’s easy to lose heart. How do we combat the darkness that threatens to…
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Lord, Let Me Offer My Breath as a Prayer
The mountain air is clear and crisp this morning. I inhale its freshness, releasing a deep sigh. Oh, how thankful I am to return to Appalachia. Its sheer beauty calms my troubled soul. I offer my breath as a prayer—not knowing exactly what to pray, I allow the Spirit to…
Every One of Us is An Influencer
Every one of us is an influencer whether we realize it or not. We can’t change the fact that we impact the world around us. But we do have a choice how we exert that influence. With all our words and every action, we make a decision. Will I spread…
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Look Up: Behold a Great Light
It’s chilly in the mountains these last days before Christmas. Yesterday evening I hurried out in the cold to take a bag of trash to the garage. With gift wrapping, we unfortunately make a lot of trash. As I shuffled my feet to avoid slipping on the new crust of…
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