More than Unbroken

Our lesson this week in Kids Church was about comparing ourself to others. This is a terrible trap that I have fallen into many times in my life, so I recognize this pitfall when it shows up. It is so easy to look at what others have or what they have accomplished and judge myself as unworthy by comparison. The enemy wants me to believe the lie that I must measure up to other people’s standards. But the people refused to listen to Samuel’s warning. “Even so, we still want a king,” they said. “We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will judge us and lead us into battle.” 1 Samuel‬ ‭8‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Although the Israelites had the God of the universe as their King, they desired to be like other nations. It didn’t matter that God had delivered them many times through the generations. In comparing their practice with pagan nations, they began a free fall into the human kingdom that would bring much suffering, ending with the exile into Babylon. As I have grown older, I recog...

God has been dealing with me this week about learning to live beyond just surviving. For me in particular, this involves loss. This blog was born out of great loss, and we have experienced significant losses over the last several years. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and discouraged when it feels like your life is simply a series of gains and losses. No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. (Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭37‬ ‭NLT‬‬) I know God has called us to more. We shouldn’t be simply moving from one loss to the next and living in fear or anticipation of what may come next. The fact is we are MORE than conquers. So, at what point do we start living in that mindset? For me, I have to verbally encourage myself in the Lord until I begin coming out of the haze. Sometimes situations come up that threaten to suck us back into the vacuum of tragedy. Living and not just surviving is a choice we make every day. What will you do today, and in the coming week, to ...

For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. (Psalms‬ ‭91‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬) Pray for your kids. Seriously. I mean, every day, hedge of protection, angels watching over them prayer. Let them hear you pray over them. You never know when those prayers will be answered. This week, my older son, Wess, was in a vehicle accident that could have been very bad. He wasn’t at fault, but his truck is probably totaled. And he walked away. This is hardly the first time we have had near disasters with Wess.  When Wess was thirteen, two days after Hurricane Michael ravaged our area, he was in an ATV accident that resulted in a open compound tibial fracture. He was a quarter of a mile from the house since he had been moving debris. But God gave him strength. He army crawled until he was able to wave down his dad and get help. Seven months later, he was released from the orthopedic doctor with only a slight limp when he ran. Today, the limp is practically nonexistent. For sure, Wess has ...

I’m a week in with my decision not to decide, and God is already showing me what this means. What He is asking is something deeper than just waiting for Him. Now, I am moved to step back from forcing an outcome or seeking that outcome every day.  But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. (Jeremiah‬ ‭17‬:‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬) I can honestly wear myself out trying to think through how something will turn out. Even if the thing I anticipate is a promise from God, it’s not healthy for me to spend my time in the present trying to think through what will happen in the future. So, I find myself back at the heart of my Father in Heaven. Do I really trust Him to take control and work all things-my family, my relationships, my job-for my good? At the end of the day, that’s what He’s asking me to do. Trust him.  This won’t be an easy assignment for me. I’m an overachiever. In fact, I pride myself on thinking through “worst case scenarios.” I...

I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” ‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭3‬:‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬ 2023 is upon us, and as I reflect on the last year, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. There were many changes this year, and these changes have allowed me to step back and take a breath. Still, I find myself busy with life. After all, I am in a season of busyness with a thirteen-year-old in middle school and a high school senior.  I’ve been thinking about my “resolutions.” I don’t necessarily like to make bold declarations at the start of a year that will ultimately end in failure. For me, these “resolutions” are really more like decisions. For example, last year, I decided (resolved) to read at least two books each month. Not only did I meet my goal, but through listening to audiobooks, I far exceeded it. Now, though, on this first day of 2023, I find myself unsure. My job change has allowed me to spend more time with family and in ministry. Now I seem to be in a season of ...