Posts with the tag “spiritual-growth”

When we lived in Africa my husband planted a grapevine at the edge of our patio. He hoped the vine would grow up to the roof poles where it would not only produce clusters of delicious grapes but also provide some much-needed shade. The vine did poorly, however; and no matter how carefully we cared for it, it remained more like a weed that never seemed to go anywhere.At that same time, our dog had...  Read More

After we have placed our faith in Christ, God calls us to die to self and live for Him. That’s what Paul means when he says in Romans 12:1 that “in view of God’s mercy” to us we are to offer our “bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God” and that this is our “true and proper worship” of Him. It is as we continually die to our selfish desires and live according to Christ’s will that w...  Read More

Have you ever struggled to hear the Lord (or, feel close to God)? Ever struggled to really know what it is that He’s saying to you?Perhaps the first question we should really ask is, Do you even think that there is a God? And if you do, do you believe that He speaks to people today? Or do you think He is pretty much uninterested and uninvolved in the concerns and cares of people like us?If we are ...  Read More

If you have grown up in the care of loving, kind parents you are blessed! Over the years I have met many people from difficult family backgrounds. A friend of mine once confided in me that her own father had never kept his word to her growing up. He would promise to take her to the park or the store; but when the time came to go, there would always be some reason for him not to follow through on his promise. Consequently, when she came to faith, she somehow transferred her father’s failure and inconsistency onto God. She struggled to trust that her Heavenly Father would keep the promises in His Word, because, without realizing it, she expected Him to be just like her earthly father had been.  Read More

A friend and I were talking one day about the different pressures we were facing — deadlines on projects, family concerns, new opportunities that were presenting themselves — and she asked me how I paced myself…how I refreshed my mind and recharged my batteries for the next push. And because she’s getting to be a good friend, she didn’t laugh when I said, “I watch cooking shows.” It’s a natural th...  Read More

Jesus has the most remarkable way of saying in one short sentence enough to bring you up short and change the direction of your life! One of those sentences is found in Luke 9:62 where He says, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”  Read More

Some time ago a good friend of mine went through a very difficult circumstance that I knew she would find very painful to talk about. I loved her and wanted to help, but I also wanted to allow her the space she needed to process and come to terms with how she was feeling. So I sent her a short letter to say that I was there for her and was willing to talk as soon as she felt she was ready.I didn’t...  Read More

Paul reveals in Romans 5:3-5 that though we would not willingly choose to suffer, our trials do have a purpose. He declares that we can “rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us….”  Read More