Do you ever feel lonely? Recently, I was at an event full of people. Everyone else seemed gabby and was effortlessly making easy connections with others. I just felt out of sorts. Someone had said something to me earlier that day that hurt my feelings and knocked me off kilter. It was one of those…
When God Gives You More Than You Can Handle
There’s no easy way to attach the word cancer to your world and not make all who love you cry. I kept thinking about that statement everyone loves to throw out in times like these: “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” But that’s not actually in the Bible. God does say He…
The Weekly Weigh-In
You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. — Psalm 4:7 NIV Thought for the Day: It’s easy to do the right things when we see immediate results. But sometimes it pleases God more to do the right thing even when the results are not so immediate.…
New Devotionals Roundup
December is here and it’s the perfect time to start a new devotional! We have a few favorites we want to share with you. We have something for everyone – and they make excellent Christmas gifts at up to 40% off! 1. 365 Devotions to Love God and Love Others Well In our culture, where social…
Top 10 Book Gift Ideas 2018
Sing with us now!.. It’s the most wonderful time of the year!.. And, it’s time to decide which books we’re giving our family and friends for Christmas! We love giving faith-building books to our loved ones. Here are some of the best current books and devotionals by some of our favorite Christian authors. Enjoy! Us…
This Is How I Start My Day: Preparing for Adventure
Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law. — Psalm 119:18 Oh, how we underestimate the power made available to us when we spend time with God. Our earthly eyes are so limited because they don’t allow us to see what is happening in the heavenly realm. A daily battle is…
Unanswered Prayers
It’s easy to slip into the mentality that we somehow fell through the cracks of God’s good plans. Things are too final. The ink is too dry. The page has been turned. Their heart is too hard. Your heart is too hurt. The doctors have said impossible. The account is too bankrupt. The biological clock…
The Birthplace of Disappointment
Welcome! (2 minutes) Welcome to Session 1 of It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way. If this is your first time together as a group, take a moment to introduce yourselves to one another before watching the video. Then let’s get started! Opening Discussion (10 minutes) Answer the following questions to prepare for this week’s…
It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way: Dust
I grabbed my chest while tears slipped down my cheeks in an unending stream. The pain in my heart wasn’t physical. But the stabbing emotional hurt was so intense I could hardly breathe. My hands were shaking. My eyes were wide with fear. My mouth felt paralyzed. My life had gone from feeling full and…
It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way: Between Two Gardens
Genesis tells us that the human heart was created in the perfection of the garden of Eden. Can you imagine what the world looked like when God first created it? When He said it was all good. Very good. And it was all perfect. Perfection’s symphony filled the atmosphere. Everything ebbed and flowed in complete…