After my son was arrested, I shared our situation with a trusted colleague. She told me over and over, “Shonda, remember to be kind to yourself.” Each time she said that, I said, “Okay.” But I didn’t know what to do to be kind to myself. I am a wife and a mother. I’m busy taking care of my husband and son. I’m busy volunteering at the sports field, working in the concession stand, running errands, etc. After some years,…
Adam and Eve walked with God every day and knew Him on a very personal level. Due to this intimacy, they knew God’s heart. But then the serpent showed up? How did he get Eve to take the forbidden fruit? He did not force it down her throat, but he cunningly tricked her by asking, “Did God really say …?” Ever since Genesis, the enemy has twisted the truth, lied, schemed, and fooled believers. No one is exempt from this…
The following opinion piece was submitted by Tommy an inmate in a Texas prison. ~~~ The times we are living in right now are very troublesome. The fear that mainstream media is pushing out daily has not only our cities and state at a standstill, but the whole world is living in fear. As Christians, God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). As I…
Every year in the US on July 4th, we gather together for parades, fireworks, hamburgers, and watermelon. In 1870, the US Congress made the 4th of July a federal holiday. This holiday reflects our nation’s patriotism regarding our freedom. As Americans, we celebrate the anniversary date that the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence, which was on July 4, 1776. Did you know that it was seven years after the Declaration of Independence was signed that Americans were actually…
Sometimes, we feel God moves at a snail’s pace. We pray a prayer. Get up, shower, and go about our day. We go to bed and get up the next day and pray for the same issue. Our God is not bound by time. He works from an eternal perspective while our thoughts and actions have been conditioned around time. Peter wrote, “Beloved, do not let this one thing escape your notice: With the Lord a day is like a…
“But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the Lord” (Jonah 2:9 NASB). Jonah was called by God the go share the gospel to the people in Nineveh. However, this assignment was not one that Jonah had in his planner. This trip was not on his agenda, so Jonah attempted to flee from the Lord by buying a ticket to a different city. However, the Lord,…
Sometimes we may be caught up in the trials of life and feel overwhelmed. When we become consumed by the pressures of life, it may be difficult to think of reasons to give God thanks. Even while in the midst of our tough seasons, the Bible teaches us to give thanks. One my toughest seasons came when my son was arrested. The tragedy of the situation felt like I lived in a nightmare and I couldn’t wake up. However, the…
God desires for all of His children to live victorious lives. First John 5:4-5 reads, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (NKJV) When we believe in Jesus, we are born again of God. Then we must learn how to fight our battles from a position of victory in Christ. The Lord equipped…
A warning sign alerts us that there is danger ahead that we cannot see. Based on the type of warning sign, we either proceed with caution or turn around. Negative emotions may be a warning sign that we have a heart issue that needs to be resolved with the Lord. Unresolved heart issues will lead to hindrances in our walk with the Lord. Sometime back, I came across a Facebook post with a news media link that two juveniles were…
My husband and I read through the Bible each year following a one-year Bible reading plan. Presently, we are in the book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel means “God is strong” and if you read this book, you will understand why Ezekiel needed to be strong! The content in Ezekiel unfolds like a graphic movie. And if someone today were to share the visions he wrote about, we might ask, “What are you smoking?” But the words of Ezekiel are the Word…