Are you a rule follower? There are rules for everything. Rules for games and sports. Rules for punctuation, and rules for completing math problems. Even rules for how we behave at work and at school.
In some cases, the word guidelines might be more effective. Some of us simply aren’t rule ...
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The Christian Life
Meaningful Quiet Times, Consistent Bible Study, Praying with Purpose— these deepen our relationship with God. The Christian life is where we walk it all out. When God's Word changes us, we treat others differently. We love more sincerely. We forgive more readily. We move to meet needs more quickly. As a result, the world sees Jesus in action. How will others know that a relationship with God makes a difference, if they don’t see it?
In these posts you’ll find encouragement as you wrestle with brokenness, forgiveness, struggles, and suffering. You’ll be challenged as you grow in godly character and spiritual intimacy. And you'll find hope. Many posts show my spiritual growth in the Christian life as a mom of teenagers. (Can you relate?)
Celebrating One Year Alcohol Free!
I debated whether to write this post. In fact, I’m a little nervous about how life will go once I post it! But a year has passed since I obeyed and said yes to God’s no regarding alcohol consumption. I wish I could say it's been five years, or more! I resisted far too long. It hasn't been easy, but ...
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From Empty to Filled with Joy
Often feeling empty and distant from the Lord is caused by our not spending quality time with Him every day. Our relationship can be restored simply by re-establishing our daily quiet times. Sometimes, however, our loss of fellowship is because we harbor unconfessed sin. When we make a mess of our ...
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5 Ways to Get an Infusion of Hope
We work our bodies hard to build strong muscles. We eat the right foods to keep our body systems healthy. And to stay spiritually fit, we feed our hearts and minds a healthy diet of God’s Word. But we are still human, not immune to one of the most common maladies: a sense of hopelessness. Sometimes ...
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Carrying The Fragrance of Christ
“Mmmmm. You smell like you. I like this.” After parenting for almost twenty years, a contented sigh and these words in the midst of an embrace never get old. I’m a wearer of perfume, and I have several favorites. But for my girls, one particular fragrance stands out. It’s their favorite on me. When ...
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When You’re Stuck In A Muddy Pit
Living on the Gulf Coast affords lots of opportunities to enjoy things that are uniquely Texas. Galveston Island is less than an hour away and a favorite family get-away. On one such trip many years ago, our family took the ferry across the ship channel to Bolivar Peninsula. As lovers of Texas ...
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When We Sacrifice Because of Love
Love is in the air. Dove chocolate now takes the shape of hearts. Stuffed frogs with pink, kissy lips beg to be taken home. School clubs are selling carnations candy-grams to be delivered to friends and sweethearts. A few days ago, I bought a box of heart-shaped Little Debbie’s and placed them just ...
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Wishing You Christmas Joy!
Joy.
I don’t know of a more delightful word. Just saying it does something inside me. Christmas Joy is extra special.
Joy was the angel’s message to Zechariah, when he announced the birth of John the Baptist.
But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your ...
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![This week in our small group study, I felt the Lord’s gentle chastisement.
We looked at the promise in Luke 11:28, “He [Jesus] replied, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.’”
At first glance, the promise of blessing comes from obedience. But it’s much more.
In the preceding verses, Jesus had cast out a demon that caused a man to be mute. The crowd accused Him of casting out a demon with Satan’s power.
Jesus explained how ridiculous it would be for Satan to drive out his own demons. Then a woman cries out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you,” (v 27).
This is the sticking point. Jesus was in the middle of an important discourse when this woman interrupts Him. He corrects her with this:
✨ Blessed are those who HEAR the word of God and obey it.
That word HEAR means to LISTEN with FULL ATTENTION.
✨ We cannot truly obey God if we don’t know what He’s saying to us.
Basically, Jesus told this woman, and the others in the crowd, “Pay attention!! Don’t get distracted from my voice. I have important things to tell you. You won’t know what they are and what I want you to do, if all you’re thinking about is what you want to say or how you can gain attention. Put your attention on ME.”
It’s never fun to be Jesus’s object lesson.
The questions I’m asking myself …
✨ What keeps me from spending time alone with Jesus?
✨ When I finally get alone with Him, what distracts me?
✨ What keeps me from focusing on God’s Word?
✨ What causes my kind to wander when I’m praying?
➡️ Eliminating distractions …
➡️ Exercising discipline …
… to bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5)
… brings true blessing.
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