Is there anyone who asks God for suffering? That’s a little different from seeing it coming, knowing that if you follow God you will suffer. Even then, we hope to avoid it. But through suffering, we grow in our faith and share the gospel. Through a recent illness of an infant grandson, (he suffered physically,… Read More
Colossians 1:10 1 + 2 = 3
I’m not an equation kind of person–I learn by stories and visuals–but this verse is an equation for life, and God gave it to us. We pray (for ourselves and others) asking for wise minds, attuned spirits, and understanding. Why? So that we can life a life worthy of the Lord (with His help) with… Read More
Colossians 1:9 We haven’t stopped praying for you
There’s no such thing as too much prayer. And what am I praying for–a grocery list of my desires or a growing relationship with the Lord for myself and others? Colossians 1:9 (The Message) Be assured that from the first day we heard of you, we haven’t stopped praying for you, asking… Read More
Colossians 1:3-5 Our future is heaven
When I read these verses, I drew a straight line to represent our ascent and growth in faith and hope when we join in God’s purpose and are filled with his love. But circumstances, sins, doubts, pain–the reality of life–make the line full of hills we struggle up and valleys we careen down into despite… Read More
Tears falling on the pages of our lives
I read Madeline l’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, and A Swiftly Tilting Planet. But it’s only recently that I have read any of her non-fiction works and discovered a wise, loving, open-minded, strong woman of faith. Although she died in 2007, she has recently become a mentor to me. As a child of… Read More
Follow the light, part 2
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13, NIV) Shoulders tense, I lean forward as I navigate the narrow, icy road. There are no painted lines to guide me, and… Read More
What’s my shape?
Do you know yourself—how you are put together? Your strengths and weaknesses? Or have you absorbed a script for your life written by others or by circumstances similar to the examples below? Financial success is an important measure of success in your family, but you have always wanted to find a small homestead and try… Read More
