The Habit of Spiritual Exercise
For years I have had an on-again, off-again relationship with exercise. I would make up my mind to “get healthy” and would join a gym, start jogging, or buy some dumbbells to use at home. I would go all in and spend an hour each day working out, sure that this time I was changing my life and becoming a healthier person. But each time, things would fizzle out in a matter of weeks or months. Circumstances would change, time would become scarce, or something else would interrupt my methods and motivation, and before I knew it, I was back to being a couch potato, feeling like a failure for not sticking with it.
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Fatal Temptations Faced in “Seniorhood”
Having entered “seniorhood” I realize that my temptations are not the same as those faced by the younger generation, but I must constantly remind myself that Satan is relentless in his efforts to lure me into thought patterns and actions that can embarrass me and negate my influence.
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Never False
By measuring seismic activity across the continent, scientists have concluded that over 400 miles beneath the earth’s surface is a vast ocean — a body of water three times greater than all the surface oceans combined. When I came across this science report, I immediately thought of the flood in Genesis 7, where it says, “the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.”
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Lot, Costs and Benefits
In the first book of the Bible, we read about a man named Lot, the nephew of one of the most important characters in history: Abraham. Lot was a good man, and his life was full of promise and opportunity, but he ended in disgrace and tragedy. We don’t find overt sin in Lot’s life, but we do find a man with misplaced priorities and a failure to consider the costs of his decisions.
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The Value of a Good Name
What is your name worth to you? The Bible says in Proverb 22:1, “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.” We don’t transact in silver and gold as they did in Biblical times, but we do transact in money and in what money can buy. What do you enjoy that money buys you?
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Lasting Influence
Looking back over 2023, I am amazed at how quickly the year flew by. Each year, it seems to go faster and faster (I know, I know—I am getting older, and it works that way), but on the positive side, I am also becoming more reflective. Who did I influence this past year for the good? In what area did I make a difference? Will my investment matter or even last past the moment? I think each of us desires that our lives would count in eternity, but the question is: How will I make it count and last?
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Why Sing?
Throughout Scripture we are commanded to sing. Whenever we see commands like these, it is good to compare them to what Jesus calls the two greatest commandments – to love God and to love others – as we are to “hang” all commandments on these.
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Giving so it Counts
Our giving to the Lord can be done with so many different motives. We can do it because not giving is robbing God. We can give out of a sense of duty, a willingness to do our part. Or, we can give out of a heart of cheerfulness and generosity.
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Growing and Guiding: Reflections on the Nuances of Parenting
Just between you and me, I don't usually struggle to develop ideas for writing. I have a note app on my phone with resources for book ideas, articles, and pithy one-liners. When "motherhood" was suggested as a topic that I weigh in on, I assumed it would be easy and went to my trusted notes app to find ideas. The only problem was there were none.
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The Power of a Smile
We often view smiling as an extra quality that some people are born with or are more apt to do, but for the Christian, smiling is our testimony, our light to this dark world.
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Be Careful With Your Criticism
In the Book of Numbers (chapter 12), we read a story about three siblings who hit a rough patch in their relationship. Moses, the leader of Israel, married a woman whom his brother, Aaron, and sister, Miriam, greatly disapproved of.
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Hospitable Worship
We all play this game when it comes to having guests in our homes: We tidy up every visible spot in our house. We clear the dining room table. We sweep and mop the floors. We dust the shelves and the top of the piano. We wash the windows, clear away cobwebs in the corners, straighten the pillows, and turn on the essential oil diffuser. We check that everything that can be seen is in its place. Anything that gets in the way of the appearance of neatness and order is stuffed into the closets, under the bed, up in the attic, or down into the basement.
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How Can Giving Bring So Much Joy?
In Mark 12:41-43, Jesus uses the example of a widow who offers all that she has, just a few mites, to teach us several significant lessons. Lessons like, it’s not how much we give but how much we are willing to sacrifice. Lessons like, God looks at our heart not the dollars in our wallet. Think for a minute about the joy that can come through understanding and applying the truth of this story.
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The Folly of Forgotten Wisdom
If I was a Canaanite around the year 1400 BC, I would have likely had one singular thought: “This does not look good. In fact, this really does not look good.”
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Grace-Filled Parenting
I was exhausted. It was a long day of work. I had accomplished much that day, and yet I was overwhelmed by the fact that I still had so much work to do. As I pulled into our driveway, I asked God to give me the strength, energy, and focus to engage my wife and children well.
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An Annual 4th of July Tradition
What an amazing time we had together last week at our annual Independence Day celebration! Our church is thankful to be able to meet each week to worship God and share His gospel message. We realize that we have this privilege and freedom because of the wonderful country we live in. Each year we celebrate our American freedoms and our nation’s founding with a fantastic fireworks show and fun-filled festivities!
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Spiritual Growth
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).
Not long ago I read this verse and came to the realization that I had been looking at the idea of fruits of the Spirit all wrong. I used to see this verse and feel discouraged, knowing how imperfect I am and how impossible it seemed that I could ever muster up all of these fabulous character traits. It seemed to just be a list of things at which I frequently failed. But this time, I noticed the importance of the word "fruit." The healthy tree that has been well planted, pruned, and cared for will, in time, mature into a fruit-producing tree. The longer the tree's needs are met, the more fruit it will produce. If a tree is healthy, we don't question if it will produce fruit, we simply know that it will.
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Gifting Our Children with Strength
Parenting is one of the most difficult and challenging responsibilities in the world. However, when parenting is well executed in love and by following biblical principles, there is no greater joy than to see your children walk in truth as they grow older. That same joy can also be enjoyed during the process while little ones are still at home, but many parents forfeit this ability to enjoy their children while young and endure far too much strife and anxiety in the home.
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Finishing Well
“Would you like the world to be a better place for your having been here?” This is the question posed by Ken Blanchard in his forward to Bob Bickel’s book Finishing Well. The premise of the book and its entire focus is on individuals who had a plan that they followed in an effort to make their later life one of significance, not just one of success. Bickel speaks of “Life I” when we have to “prove ourselves” and “Life II” when we should “give back and make a difference.”
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Resting in the Lord - Part 2
How can I rest? We as women work so hard on the outward—focusing on our appearance and responsibilities—that we totally neglect our rest. What peace and joy we could have if we would spend as much time on resting in the Lord.
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