Know When to Let Go An integral part of being angry and not sinning is knowing when to let go of your anger. Perpetuating anger perpetuates sin, which perpetuates unforgiveness, which intensifies the anger response. You no longer are dealing with each infraction of displeasure; you are dealing with an accumulation of many infractions against…
Being Unoffendable: The Ridiculous Idea
Okay. So this may sound like the dumbest thing you’ve ever read, but here goes: You can choose to be “unoffendable.” I actually heard a guy say this at a business meeting. That is striking to me for a few reasons: (1) I’d never, ever thought about that before; (2) I remember something from…
Forgiveness and Entrusting Justice to God
Revenge builds a lonely house. Space enough for one person. The lives of its tenants are reduced to one goal: make someone miserable. They do. Themselves. No wonder God insists that we “keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time” (Hebrews…
Stop Driving Your Kids Crazy
Stop Driving Your Kids Crazy One of the most important opportunities we have as parents is the opportunity to teach our children genuine mercy. This teaching begins with us. Our treatment of our kids is the first place they learn about mercy and forgiveness, and so it is one of the most powerful and enduring…
We Don’t Have Enough… But God Provides for us
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus. — Philippians 4:19 Maybe you’ve had an initial “but God” experience, but now find yourself doubting His ability to love you, to provide for you, to rescue you, to intervene for you. You feel like you never…
Why God Allows Trial and Temptation
God allows temptation and trial because they can be good for us. Seriously? Yep. The same Greek and Hebrew words are used in Scripture for both temptation and trial. The distinction depends on intent and motivation. Is the difficult situation for the purpose of tearing down? It’s a temptation. Is it for the purpose of…
Emotions You Can’t Live Without: A Healthy and Holy Dose of Anger
A man is as big as the things that make him angry. ~ Winston Churchill, British prime minister As she walked the slums of Nansana, Uganda, Shana Gilbert couldn’t hold back her indignation at the injustice of what she saw. Hundreds of children slept on dirt floors, many of whom were abused and neglected. They had little to no clothing,…
Words to Dream On
Time flies. Period. It’s sad but oh so lovely experiencing it. I cherish every second I have with my little ladies and pray for many, many more years of this!! We only get about eighteen years with our kids. If you’re a parent, you already know how fast time soars by once you have a…