More than Unbroken

These last two years have left us weary and constantly questioning the next bad news. But there have also been blessings great and small.   I have talked before about seasons and how life is an ebb and flow of good seasons and challenging ones. Many of us have experienced overwhelming challenges this year and last. Some have been life-altering. Some have nothing to do with a pandemic. In any situation, can you still declare that God is good? You see, friend, we are guaranteed troubles in this life. Jesus says so!  “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”  John‬ ‭16:33‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Fortunately, He wasn’t finished when he proclaimed that we would have troubles. He tells us to take heart. This means we should be encouraged. Then He gives us the reason why we should be encouraged. Jesus Himself has overcome the world.  This may not seem like a big deal, ...

 Click the video below for your encouragement for the week: © Jill Cook and Unbroken & Undone Ministries.  All rights reserved.

In effort to focus on the true meaning of Christmas, I got to thinking about things that have been implemented over the years to celebrate the season. One of my favorites is stockings. I remember as a little girl going to my Grandmother's house and being so excited over the unexpected treasures that I would find in my stocking. These weren’t necessarily things that I asked for. They were just small little trinkets. The stockings we have now are very special. A dear friend of ours stitched them out of a pair of Lyndon‘s old jeans.  As I thought about stockings, I began thinking about what stockings represent. Stockings represent expectancy.  The first Christmas, the Jewish people were expecting some they didn’t know what to expect. They prayed for a king and hoped for a warrior that would come in and redeem them from the oppression of the Roman occupation. Little did they know that a young girl would give birth to a tiny baby boy in a stable. This certainly wasn’t exactly the m...

It's the most eventful time of the year! Don't get me wrong, I love this season. Being with family and friends is always special. Family traditions are carried out each year and give me a sense of security in this crazy world. And, most of all, we celebrate the birth of redemption for humanity. Jesus Christ, God with us, came to earth and died so that we may live eternally with Him. What a gift! Even so, I find myself scrambling among the frenzy of Christmas performances, parties, shopping, wrapping, baking, and getting lost in all of the busy-ness of the season.  This weekend, for example, I have attended a Christmas performance, gone shopping for Christmas, wrapped presents, and tonight realized I had forgotten to pick up some meats that I am helping prepare for my son's high school Christmas festival tomorrow night. Needless to say, the day, and the busy-ness, has been a little tiring. As I was driving into town this evening to retrieve the items for tomorrow, I remember...

I am not perfect. Other Christians are not perfect. We make mistakes. We speak out of turn. We even (gasp) sin by gossiping, lying (even little white lies are still lies), and judging. I grew up in church and witnessed lots of spiritual people make mistakes. I saw Christians fall into sin. I even became ensnared by sin. That's because Christians are human.  Unfortunately, people who don't spend a lot of time in church often use the excuse to stay out of church because Christians are hypocrites. Well, to be honest, I can understand that position. If my knowledge of Christianity were limited to hearing about all the things you should and should not do, I would be skeptical when I watch followers of Jesus fail. Here's the catch: I'm not perfect. Jesus is.  He never sinned, nor deceived anyone. (I Peter 2:22) The worst thing you can do is follow my lead! Or any other Christian, for that matter. The best thing I can do is point you to the One who lived a sinless life. If you...

Have you been on one side of a tunnel wondering what to expect in the end? Metaphorically speaking, I have been through several tunnels in my life. Tunnels are often dark, narrow, and a little uneasy if you have a tendency to feel claustrophobic. In other words, they are not always comfortable. But when you come to the other side of a tunnel, you can look back on the unease and discomfort with the assurance that God was there all along. “So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”   Deuteronomy‬ ‭31:6‬ ‭NLT‬‬ I don’t know about you, but I’m a list person. My day-to-day is comprised of tasks that need to be completed in order for me to feel successful at the end of the day. Simply put, I don’t handle surprises well. In the moment of crisis, I can adjust and rearrange plans. But I don’t usually like it, and am left feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. T...

Shame. It’s an ugly monster that eats away at our soul. I have dealt with tremendous shame in my life over past sins and failures. The crazy thing is, shame will sneak up when you least expect it. It comes in and whispers things like: "You don’t deserve the blessings you have.” “How can you be qualified to write about God with your past looming over you.” “Everyone knows what you really are, and you will never be effective for the Kingdom of God.” It’s a spiritual struggle, and it’s real in my life. But if we are being honest, I think most of us deal with guilt and shame on some level from time to time. So how do we deal with it? We embrace the grace. Grace is unmerited favor. It can’t be earned or rewarded. It’s just given because of unconditional love.  God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.  ( Eph. 2:8)  Sometimes, it’s easier to believe that God will show us mercy and grace than other people. I know tha...