Today at church a guest pastor preached. And I mean preached. And it hit me right upside the head. Both this week and last my pastor, and the pastor who preached today, brought a message about the sovereignty of God and how it is that people come to salvation by God's election from Romans 9.... Continue Reading →
Three Practical Ways to Take Refuge in God
Photo CreditI've been thinking a lot these last few months about what it means practically to take refuge in God. Refuge isn't a term we use often personally. On a political level we may think of refugees, and the place they go to flee the danger in their homeland as a place of refuge. But... Continue Reading →
Love. Suffering. And the Heart-Stream Turner.
(Old pic, boys have grown a lot in a couple years.)Here it is approaching midnight. I so wanted to sit down and write out some thoughts from today earlier but a neighbor popping in, a child wanting to play cards, a husband not feeling well and soap to be made stood in my way.So, here... Continue Reading →
Martha and I
Every time I read the account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, I'm taken back by his exchange with Martha. I see in Martha's words my inevitable human inclination to not get God yet act like I've got him figured out.It's what Martha says. Jesus has finally showed up at the scene of his... Continue Reading →
Hard
It's a hard and heavy thing. But I wouldn't want the Rock of my life to be anything else. I wouldn't want my Rock to be soft when hurricanes or cancer or an abandoning spouse or a present unbelieving one or disrespectful kids or scorpion infested apartments or anything else that shatters a person's foundation... Continue Reading →
The problem of evil
I was asked tonight why God doesn't end the evil now, why wait? I was asked why pray to a God who is going to let evil continue? "Why pray He's not going to change His mind, He's going to do whatever He's going to do anyway!"I feel like I failed miserably in my attempts... Continue Reading →
What are you learning?
Whoa! What a day!What am I learning?Where do I start?I'm continuing my reading through the Psalms and have been really impressed by the emphasis in the Psalms on God's trustworthiness when it comes to making sure right is done by His kids... even if it doesn't seem like it at the time.I've also been recalling... Continue Reading →