I am the Risen One who shines upon you always. You worship a living Deity, not some idolatrous, man-made image. Your relationship with Me is meant to be vibrant and challenging, as I invade more and more areas of your life. Do not fear change, for I am making you a new creation, with old…
Hope of Heaven
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! — 2 Corinthians 5:17 Heaven is both present and future. As you walk along your life-path holding My hand, you are already in touch with the essence of Heaven: nearness to Me. You can also…
Christ-Centered Easter Traditions for Kids
One of the best parts of being a parent and having my own family is getting to pass on family traditions, as well as starting new traditions of our own. Growing up, on Easter, I always wore a new Sunday Easter dress, went to early worship service then headed to my aunt’s house for a late…
Man’s Windfall
As youngsters, we neighborhood kids would play street football. The minute we got home from school, we’d drop the books and hit the pavement. The kid across the street had a dad with a great arm and a strong addiction to football. As soon as he’d pull in the driveway from work we’d start yelling…
Learn to Let It Go
I’ve learned that when you try to control everything, you enjoy nothing. ~ Anonymous I like to think I have it all under control. I mean, you already know without even knowing me that I don’t. Girlfriend, I’m just gonna let you in on a little secret right now: no one has everything under control,…
Do I Belong?
Before You Go to Study Before your Group Gathering this week, take a few minutes to prepare your heart and mind using the prompts below. PREP Belonging is a big deal to us humans. To really be a part of something. To feel truly wanted and accepted. To be connected to others in meaningful…
Rhythms of Renewal OBS Week 3 — Restore
God invites us a wholeness that isn’t just mind, isn’t just body, and isn’t just spirit. But, it’s the culmination of all those things coming under submission to what God intends for us. Physically, mentally, and emotionally. Restoration brings us back to life. ~ Rebekah Lyons I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest…
Names Reveal Value and Meaning
For years, I didn’t really know the significance of the name that had been chosen for me. Similarly, I’m afraid we have lost the significance of naming in our culture today. Many of us don’t appreciate the power inherent in names that confer meaning and value. That wasn’t true of those we meet in the…
Know Your Identity
Editor’s Note: Nineteen years ago, Gabe and Rebekah Lyons’s life took a dramatic turn when they learned that their newborn son, Cade, had Down syndrome. Remembering the day they received the diagnosis, Rebekah said that she collapsed. “Something died in me the day Cade was born — a controlled plan for my life,” Rebekah said. “But…
God’s Greatest Gift: The Christmas Child
After spending nearly two years investigating the identity of the Christmas Child, I was ready to reach a verdict. For me, the evidence was clear and compelling. Yes, Christmas is a holiday overlaid with all sorts of fanciful beliefs, from flying reindeer to Santa Claus sliding down chimneys. But I became convinced that if you…