Looking back, grief should have been obvious, but its face stayed hidden from me as I struggled to forgive my offender. I did not realize that the first step towards forgiveness was to grieve over what had happened. In fact, I didn't realize that I was grieving until I was months into the struggle. Why we often miss grief as the first step in forgiving others: Who willingly signs up … [Read more...] about How To Acknowledge Your Grief First To Forgive Your Offender
healing
How Our Deepest Ministry to Others Comes From Our Darkest Moments
Have you ever wondered what on earth God is doing in your life when all seems dark around you? In our darkest moments, we can lose hope and despair of Jesus even being aware of what we are going through. We may think that He could not possibly allow anything good to come out of the chaos, confusion, and sorrow in which we find ourselves. We have a few phrases we throw around (sometimes … [Read more...] about How Our Deepest Ministry to Others Comes From Our Darkest Moments
Why Favoritism Robs Us
My son asked me to pick up a library book for him last week for his social studies class assignment. I am an absolute history LOVER. If I could plan my dream vacation, I would make the theme around some locations in which the history of our country happened on a grand scale. I guess my love of history can be summed up as a study of human reactions to circumstances. I love trying to understand why … [Read more...] about Why Favoritism Robs Us
Election Day Psalm
Restore us again, O God our Savior, and put away your displeasure toward us. 5 Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger through all generations? 6 Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? 7 Show us your unfailing love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation. 8 I will listen to what God the Lord will say; he … [Read more...] about Election Day Psalm
From F.E.A.R. to F.A.I.T.H.
One of the greatest ways an enemy can defeat an intended victim is to not present himself as an enemy at all, but actually someone who makes a lot of sense. If somehow the enemy is able to convince the one he is trying to defeat to believe lies about the support and protection available to the one the enemy is attempting to bring down, he has found a very effective strategy that does not require … [Read more...] about From F.E.A.R. to F.A.I.T.H.
Storms
I picked up my fifteen-year-old son from school yesterday and, to my shock, he grinned and said, "Hey, Mom, we haven't had a date in a while. I'll even talk about my feelings if you buy me a meal." With high school graduation just three short years away, I take Chase up on the opportunity to have a date anytime he asks. I don't think I can put a price tag on the conversations we have had … [Read more...] about Storms
