The definition of self-control is: “the virtue of one who masters his desires and passions.” What a powerful virtue. All the virtues of the Holy Spirit, like love, joy, and peace play important roles in our lives, but we can’t overlook self-control even though it falls at the end of the Fruit of the Spirit. Like the song says, “What …
The Day Nobody Went to Church
Okay, first, somebody probably gathered in their church building somewhere in the world, but the majority of us did not. Laws put in place to stop large gatherings and prevent the spread of coronavirus kept us home. There has never been a day like this in the history of the world. But despite the mandate not to meet under one …
When I Need Grace to Forgive Myself
Forgive or not to forgive, that’s the question. (But we know the answer is to forgive, right?) Last week I wrote about the grace God gave me to forgive someone who’d hurt me deeply. His grace took away the pain and empowered me to be genuinely kind and at peace with the situation. We also talked about it on our …
Humility Goes a Long Way
Humility Doesn’t Demand She no longer could sit on her hands. Ruth HAD to do SOMETHING. They desperately needed food, so Ruth did what she could. She’d heard that Naomi’s God allowed widows and foreigners to glean in harvested fields, and Ruth was both–a foreigner and a widow. She fit the requirements, so she bravely stepped into a field and …
The Kindness, Mercy, and Faithfulness of God- His Chesed
Chesed is an ancient Hebrew word. One that most Americans don’t know. I have a framed version on my desk at school, and it often receives questions and funny looks. “What’s . . . CH-EES-D?” they ask. I smile and relish the opportunity to tell about my favorite attribute of God, and I think the most important piece of God’s …