Spirit-Wind living doesn’t only have an element of unpredictable direction, this life also includes unpredictable timing. Yet as humans, we are very concerned with time, aren’t we? The specific minute of our birth is recorded and, from that moment on, our lives revolve around hours, days and years. Granted, some of us are less regimented than others, but …
What Collar Do You Wear?
We felt our way onto the creaky boat as our eyes desperately adjusted to the inky blackness of night. Easing quietly onto the wooden slats that would be our bench for the next hour, I could only imagine the mountainous shoreline I’d seen earlier in the day. As the bank of the Li River was quickly swallowed by darkness, we wondered …
Gardening with Prayer
“We should plant a garden!” Now you would think that a farmer’s daughter would understand the magnitude of what she had just suggested, but somehow, I remained oblivious until midway through that summer of 1986. Our large backyard had no shade and the expanse of grass was scattered with weeds. Digging it up and starting over …
First steps of Kingdom perspective
This week, we’ve been grappling with worry and its cure: seeking the Kingdom (Matthew 6:33). You realize that if you are one of the Kingdom kids, then you have the innate ability to understand Kingdom mysteries (Matthew 13:11). It’s a given. The ability to discern is yours. It comes with your adoption papers. …
Got a new wineskin?
If you have any changes in your future, you are probably dealing with anxiety. Yesterday, we decided that we were going to purposefully replace our looping thoughts with an aspect of God. How did you do? Okay, so seeking His Kingdom is a vital cure for anxiety (Matthew 6:33). Yet, how much do we …
Pesky Thoughts
“You anoint my head with oil” (Psalm 23:5) So what’s up with the oil? For the shepherd, it is a staple in his medicinal toolkit. Linseed oil mixed with sulfur and tar is a highly effective repellent to the irritating flies that pester sheep. As gross as it sounds, these flies regard the sheep nostrils as …
Worry and Control
My friend Kathy and I recently discussed this idea of worry and worship. She said, “We want to control the situations that affect us. When we realize we can’t, we turn to worry.” Hummmm. That’s true. But He has promised to accomplish all that concerns me and you. Then isn’t worrying about it a lack …
So How Can I Just Stop Worrying?
Practice listening to the Lord’s Word while seated at His feet (Luke 10:39). Okay. That sounds like a plan (but what does it mean?) Well, there is a word that is used over and over in the New Testament. It combines two existing words into one word – conveying the idea of humbling oneself like a beloved …
“Don’t worry about it”
How many times have you heard that? How many times have you done it? Actually, this is one of the few Biblical phrases in our English language that is still widely used. You might recognize it from the pages of your grandmother’s King James version as “be anxious for nothing.” They basically mean the same thing. …