By: Shea Politte Last fall, after a big freeze, there were more birds than ever all over our front yard. After the temps dropped drastically the week before, my pretty fall pumpkins got soft and mushy. I was headed out of town, so I asked my boys to trash the pumpkins while I was gone. They strategically dropped one pumpkin …
“May I set the topic today?” Here between the morning light and my first cup of coffee, the Spirit arrested me and gave me pause. “You know I love to hear your heart,” He continued. “Your highs and lows, your hopes and anxieties. But We have covered this particular ground already, haven’t we? We’ve talked about these fears extensively over …
By: Carrie Vipperman I’m convicted of something I had let into my life recently, and it wasn’t pretty. It’s a monster that eats away at your joy, your peace, your ability to see all that you have to be thankful for, and so much more. This monster enslaves you, as all sin does. Worry. You probably don’t instantly think of worry as a sin, …
Anxiety was eating me alive. Like thousands of fiery ants, doubt and worry swarmed over me as I fell to my knees. At first, I’d resisted and stamped furiously against the attack. But in time, continual bombardment gnawed with such ferocity that I stopped fighting and went down. I was not unfamiliar with fear. I’d stood up to this spirit …
By Hannah Svebakken “If God doesn’t build the house, the builders only build shacks. If God doesn’t guard the city, the night watchman might as well nap. It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don’t you know He enjoys giving rest to those He loves?” (Psalm 127:1-2 The Message) Maybe …
I get discouraged. Discouraged at my unanswered prayers. Discouraged at my slowness of growth. Discouraged at my tendency to fail. I used to think that after some mature moment in my Christian walk, this wouldn’t happen anymore. However, I’ve realized that as long as we live in this world, but not of it, God’s children can struggle with discouragement. A …
We felt our way onto the creaky boat as our eyes deliberately adjusted to the inky blackness of night. Easing quietly onto the wooden slats that would be our seating for the next hour, I could only imagine the mountainous shoreline I’d seen earlier in the day. As darkness quickly swallowed the bank of the Li River, we wondered if our …
Father, Thank You that You are the Unmovable Rock of my salvation (Psalm 18:2) and are far greater than my anxious and quavering heart (1 John 3:20). You tell me over and again in Your Word, “Do not fear,” but I forget easily and allow my heart to be heavy and weighted down with worry (Luke 21:34). Yuck. My …
Holy Father, We praise You that Your reign has no geographic boundaries or cultural limits (Psalm 22:28). You sit upon Your throne ruling and directing all the nations, despite their exalted view of their own wisdom (Psalm 47:8). Thank You that indeed one day You will be exalted in all the earth and that Truth will one day …
“His faithfulness is a shield” (Psalm 91:4). These words from the Psalmist continued to stir in my mind. “His faithfulness is a shield.” For years, part of my spiritual armor has been to take up “the shield of faith” to extinguish the enemy’s missiles of doubt and deceit. But all too often, this shield constructed by …
