If Christmas is the loneliest time of the year for you, you are not alone. Not only does a Google search reveal that half a million elderly adults will find themselves alone this holiday, other articles write of the millions of singles who struggle with the holiday too. The weird thing about being lonely is you can be feasting on …
God Makes No Mistakes, Even In Suffering
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 2 …
Preparing Our Hearts to Worship this Christmas Season
A LONG time ago (when I was in college) two women came to the tiny Methodist church where I worked as a youth pastor, and they taught me how to worship. Their instruction would affect my life for years to come. The message was simple: “Worship God intentionally everyday in every mundane detail whether you feel like it or not.“ …
If You Only Knew How Important You Are
“You will never know how important your role has been in that place.” A dear friend encouraged me with these words as I bemoaned my frustrations. Her words were kind. I appreciated them, though secretly I had my doubts, and I prayed that they be true one day. Deep down we do want to make a difference, don’t we? We …
A Witness of God’s Grace
Are you a witness of God’s grace? Have you experienced His kindness when all seemed lost? Or when you deserved it the least? This is what Naomi and Ruth experienced this week in our journey through the book of Ruth. When Naomi’s family moved to Moab, their move wasn’t pleasing to God. Though we could justify this decision because of …