We all have dreams and desires. When we marry, we dream of the happily-ever-after life and all that comes with living with the person we love. When we have children, we dream of them growing up and becoming the next great leader, inventor, doctor and such. When life turns in an unexpected direction, what about our dreams? Did we miss God? In Genesis 37, we read about how Joseph dreamed that his brothers would bow down to him. Not just…
In life, we experience storms and floods. And those in Southeast Texas and Louisiana are in the midst of it and Tropical Storm Harvey does not seem to be relenting. When the storms and floods come, we must continue to press into prayer. Those who are not in it must rise up and pray for those who are. Let’s pray: Lord, we ask for Your hedge of protection over those who live in the area where the waters are rising.…
The Lord God our Creator is amazing. His work cries out His glory. Look around you and what do you see that astonishes you? Today, Monday, August 21, 2017, is the total solar eclipse in America. Who else could orchestrate such a majestic display other than our God? People have traveled from all around the world to line up along the path of the total solar eclipse to view this magnificent display. For me, and I hope for you, it…
Most readers of this blog attend church on a regular basis. Which is a good thing. But take a moment to think about the kind of programs your church offers to foster spiritual growth and development. Perhaps your church offers: Ladies Bible study Men’s Bible study Meals for the infirmed Mother’s Day out MOPS AWANAs Divorce care Celebrate Recovery Prison ministry About prisoners, according to the Prison Policy Initiative…. “The American criminal justice system holds more than 2.3 million people…
As we live life, we naturally become accustomed to our ways. Habits form; routines set in. And frankly, we become comfortable with our lives. Even if we don’t necessarily like everything about our lives, we are used to it and any change will disrupt the pattern we’ve adapted to. We are focused on our present circumstances. The disciples were a lot like us in that regard. They had traveled the country side with Jesus. In Mark 9, as they traveled,…
In the previous posts, I shared how there will be times we need to advocate for our incarcerated loved one. (If you’ve missed those posts, click here for Part 1 and here for Part 2.) We need to learn to keep our emotions in check and find that right balance of when we should make those calls and when to leave things alone. It is beneficial if the prison staff knows that we watch out for our family member’s needs. Yet, we…
Jesus stood up in the synagogue and read from the scroll, what we know as Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” (Luke 4:18-19 NLT) Jesus came to “proclaim that the captives will be…
When life crashes around us, the last thing we feel like doing is singing a “hallelujah” chorus. The problems drain our energy—physically, emotionally, and mentally. That is when we must refill ourselves with the presence of God. No matter where you are on your walk with the Lord, whether a new believer or if you are a seasoned veteran, if we’re not continually refilling ourselves with the Lord presence, we become weakened vessels. One of the most powerful forms of…
In Part 1, I shared how there will be times we need to speak up on behalf of our loved one in the penal system. We must learn to find that right balance of when to make those calls and when to not. We do want the prison staff to know that we watch out for our family member’s needs. Yet, we do not want to exasperate the staff with too many requests or demands as then they may not…
In a previous post, I wrote about Resolve to Trust God where we looked at Joseph’s life. His brothers hated him and sold him into slavery. After about a decade of slavery, his master’s wife accused him of attempted rape. That false accusation landed Joseph in prison. Both as a slave and as a prisoner, Joseph trusted God. That is evident as God’s favor was upon Joseph. (See Gen 39:21.) While in prison, the Lord was with Joseph and whatever Joseph…