Every member of our family finds security and comfort in the familiar ebb and flow of daily life. The predictable patterns of our activities work in sync with our body’s internal rhythms to provide the framework of mental wellbeing. However, when new situations interrupt the rhythms of our life, our biological rhythms get out of sync, or additional stresses pop up, we can find our mental health wavering. We wonder, ...
Read More
Never bring up mistakes of the past. Stop criticizing others or it will come back on you. If you forgive others, you will be forgiven. – Luke 6:37
Read More
I'm really good at worrying. Nope, not proud to admit that. But it seems like there are so many things to get anxious about. Whether it's poverty, wars, gas prices, inflation, that awful health diagnosis, or a friend grieving the loss of a parent, there's a lot to worry about. When someone I love is in crisis – one of my parents, a friend, or one of my 11 nieces ...
Read More
At our core, we all want to make a difference. Who wouldn’t want these words spoken about them: “I am so glad they were on this planet. They made such an impact in my life!”
Read More
Thomas Edison once said, “Many of life’s failures are people who didn’t realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” Persistence is the courage to continue pursuing your dream despite unexpected setbacks, undeserved criticism, and unrelenting hard work. In the book of Proverbs, Solomon had a lot to say about the benefits of persistence:
Read More
The first-century church in Ephesus did many things right. The risen and ascended Jesus Himself commended the church for its arduous work for the Gospel, its faithfulness to Him in the face of persecution, and its commitment to the truth (Rev. 2:2–3). But despite all this high praise, the task-oriented, tough-minded, truth-telling fellowship at Ephesus lacked a crucial element. In His letter to the Ephesian church in the book of ...
Read More
At one time or another, we all have used excuses. Now, there’s a difference between a reason and an excuse. A reason is legitimate; an excuse is not. One of the best definitions I’ve ever heard for the word “excuse” is this one: the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie.
Read More
In a well-known study on delayed gratification, researchers invited young children to eat one marshmallow right away or wait for a few minutes to receive two marshmallows. After observing the results and tracking the children for many years, Stanford University researchers determined that the children who waited for two marshmallows grew up to be more mature successful adults than those who didn't wait.
Read More
In the Middle East, the relationship between the shepherd and the sheep is special. Sheep know their shepherd's voice, and they follow him when he calls. If a stranger comes along, the sheep shrink back.
Read More
This psalm begins with fretting but quickly moves to a place of intentional trust. It’s as if the author, King David, is saying, “Don’t give up! You have followed God closely up to this point. Why would you consider compromising now? His plans for you have not changed.”
Read More