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A Deep, Quiet Assurance: Knowing God’s Leading
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.Isaiah 26:3 Behind every life-changing, heart-gripping event, there is a story beneath the story. It is sometimes never told, at least to the crowds. Rachel Saint, missionary to the jungle peoples of Ecuador, told the story beneath the story of the martyrdom of her brother Nate Saint along with four other missionaries on January 8, 1956. In Ethel Wallace's gem-of-a-book The Dayuma Story,… Read More
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Like My Father
For my only true Father in heaven on Father's Day God created humankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them.Genesis 1:27 We all have a Father, and we were made to look like Him. When we know who He is, we will know who we are. It was almost Halloween, and my mother asked me to climb up in the attic to find the… Read More
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Seed Beginnings
Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.Zechariah 4:10 I lay there in the dark, alert and ready to leap out of bed at any given second. The sound of the rat running back and forth on the bedpost inches from my head had me frozen in place, immobilized and afraid to breathe. What on earth is he carrying in his mouth with such dedication? I wondered to… Read More
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Even Peter
Run and tell his disciples, even Peter, that he is risen.Mark 16:7 Even Peter. How curious that the angel sitting in the empty tomb on the Morning of all mornings would emphasize the disciple who denied Jesus in his darkest hour. The angel was a servant messenger of the Most High God, and he was doing just what the Master had instructed. His words conveyed Jesus’ heart. Do not forget Peter especially. He needs to… Read More
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Honor Outcry: What Racial Outrage Reveals About the Human Heart
for Erick George Floyd, you were caught trying to buy a pack of cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 bill, according to the news reports. As you placed that bill on the counter in hopes of getting one more drag from a cigarette you had no idea you stood on the razor-fine edge of a precipice, your life an inflection point for an entire nation. You had no clue you would soon ignite an honor outcry.… Read More
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Mountain, Go Throw Yourself Into the Sea, Please
"Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."Mark 11:22-23 I have a list in my journal titled, “Mountain,… Read More
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Relationship Reset
A global pandemic is a good time for a relationship reset with Jesus. What does the forced halt in productivity reveal in your relationship with God? The tribe I once lived with in East Africa called us outsiders “wazungu”, which literally means “people who spin around and around.” We sure did spin around and around in the beginning, running here and there with our fancy projects and new ideas, keen on doing something Important. But… Read More
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One Mother to Another
Grab a cup of coffee and pull your chair up close. I want to talk to you, one mother to another. There are some things we need to get straight, and I think we can help each other. We are both pulling this load, carrying this bundle, pushing this cart, holding tight to this privilege called motherhood. First, I want you to know that you can’t ruin everything. You're powerful, that's true. You are mighty… Read More
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Mind Your Manners
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Philippians 1:27 We all glanced around, wondering who would go first in front of the dairy case. I needed cream cheese. After a woman finished her selection, I moved forward to grab mine. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed an elderly gentleman patiently leaning on his cart across the aisle. Did I step in front of him? Oh, no, I… Read More
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When Grief Comes
You who are my comforter in sorrow, my heart is faint within me. Jeremiah 8:18 I sit by the water, watching a leaf trickle through the air on its journey to the rippling surface. The sky is blue and the clouds’ edges are so sharp they look frazzled and irritated. The perfection of their silhouette against brilliant azure seems to frustrate them. They want to frizz out a bit and break the blissful facade. Kind of… Read More