Wednesday's Word

I long to be strong full of vitality energy to spare wide awake brain in gear muscles ready motivation engaged purposed possessed raring to go unstoppable zeal a competitor a completer the envy of others no frailties no worries no regrets But you have rendered me weak unable to be what I once was ever again not in this life the old me gone I cannot live as I once did I cannot do what I once did I cannot press through what you have chosen for me I cannot escape I... Read More

It was a surprise visit from an unwelcome visitor. I didn’t know that on October 19, 2014, Mr. Hardship would knock on my door, barge his way in, and take residence in the most intimate rooms of my life. And I didn’t have any idea how his presence would fundamentally change so many things in my life. I watched Mr. Hardship go from room to room, rearranging everything. I wondered what life would be like if and when he finally left. If I could have, I would have evicted this... Read More

You never just suffer the thing that you’re suffering, but you always also suffer the way that you’re suffering that thing. Let me explain what I mean by that phrase, through the experience of my sickness. In 2014, I went to see a doctor with what felt like minor symptoms. Before I knew what was happening, they admitted me to the hospital for what became an excruciatingly painful ten-day stay. The abbreviated story is that I was in acute kidney failure, and had I waited... Read More

“So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:21-24) I am a mass of contradictions; I don’t want to be, but I am. I preach a gospel of peace, but my life isn’t... Read More

The older you get, the more you move from being an astronaut to an archaeologist. When you’re young, you excitedly launch to worlds unknown. You have all the significant decisions of life before you. It’s a time of exploration and discovery. It’s a time to go where you’ve never been and do what you’ve never done. In your younger days, you spend much of your time assessing your potential and considering opportunities. But as you get older, you begin to look... Read More

Have you ever had the painful experience of breaking a bone? Perhaps even more distressing is having to watch a young child break a bone. As somewhat educated human beings, we’re able to understand why our bodies ache and what the doctors are trying to accomplish. Even if we don’t have a medical degree, we have a foundational awareness of the healing process. For a young child, however, the physical pain might compound itself with the pain of confusion and unfamiliarity.... Read More

Have you ever been invited to a costume party? Or a masquerade ball? When you live in a fallen world, you receive the ultimate invitation each and every day. Temptation does its best work in a costume. Evil masquerades as anything but evil. The fact that sin looks so good is one of the things that make it so bad. This reality requires us to live with sober minds and watchful eyes. The devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, seeking to devour us (1 Peter 5:8). Sometimes the attacks... Read More

God doesn’t want you to come to Him empty-handed. No, you can’t come to Him full of yourself, And you can’t come to Him based on your track record, And you can’t use your performance as a recommendation. No, you can’t come to Him based on your family, Your personality, Your education, Your position in life, The successes you’ve had, The possessions you’ve accumulated, Or the human acceptance you’ve gained. But God requires you to... Read More

My family and I were in church and had just heard a powerful sermon from the Ten Commandments. I turned to my wife said, “I am so glad our children were here to hear that sermon!” She didn’t even have to say anything to me. She simply gave me that look. You know, the one that says, “I can’t believe you are actually saying what you are saying.” I felt embarrassed and grieved. It had happened so subtly and quickly. I had placed myself outside the circle... Read More

The fourth and final identity in our series is that of saint. Remember, we can’t properly understand what this life is about and what we’re supposed to do unless we first know who we are. “I am” always precedes and determines “I will.” By better understanding who we are, we can better understand how to act in the situations, locations, and relationships of everyday life. So who are we? Creature. Sinner. Sufferer. Saint. Identity #4 - Saint ... Read More