More than Unbroken

 

This post will be brief, but I feel it necessary as we collectively watch the peaceful transfer of power which is a hallmark of our nation and democracy. No matter which side you were on, as Christians, we have a responsibility now to pray for our leadership.  I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. (1 Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬) Considering that Paul is telling Timothy to pray for the Roman authorities, who publicly and proudly persecuted and killed Christians, this could be considered a difficult command.  What we know is that God is sovereign over all. Nothing takes Him by surprise. We are not called to complain. We are called to pray.  Complaining about a situation or outcome we don’t like doesn’t change the situation. Prayer is what changes things. And s...

Anyone else love the cruise control in your vehicle? I personally look forward to opportunities to just turn on the cruise control and coast on the highway. But there’s a catch. For one thing, you can’t cruise in the rain. It puts you at risk of hydroplaning. If there’s a lot of traffic, you’ll find that cruise control isn’t very useful because of everyone traveling at different speeds. Sometimes I think we treat life like the cruise control in our car. As long as things are coasting comfortably, we are content to just move along. Don’t get me wrong: I enjoy seasons of contentment. But if we aren’t careful, I think we can put our walk with Christ in jeopardy if we try to just “coast along.” I will lead those who are blind by a way they have not known, In paths they have not known I will guide them. I will turn darkness into light before them And uneven land into plains. These are the things I will do, And I will not leave them undone. ( Isaiah‬ ‭42‬:‭16‬ ‭NASB) But prove yourselves doe...

In all honesty, the holidays can be a struggle for me. This is nothing new. When I was sixteen, I lived through Christmas knowing that my Daddy planned to leave after one last holiday together as a family. Despite this, I hoped he would change his mind. When he didn’t, I was devastated. Later in life, we lost loved ones and had to navigate the difficulty of moving forward with an empty place around the tree. It’s bittersweet, especially when we recognize that those we love are with our Savior in Heaven. So how do we beat the holiday blues? We fix our eyes on the hope that Jesus brought when He left His throne in Heaven to make His home among us. This hope is our comfort that, even in this fallen world, we can have the profound peace and joy that Christ came to give us. This year, I’m grieving the loss of my Daddy in a new way. He passed from this life in April. It’s not been easy to cope with his loss. We had a strained relationship for many years, but God restored our connection over ...

I recently had a week that was one of those difficult stretches that felt like too much to bear. I don’t need to go into the specifics—those close to me and those who have been praying for me already know what I’ve been facing. But I wanted to share something with you. As a believer, I’ve learned that even in our darkest moments, there’s something powerful about being open, vulnerable, and transparent. So today, I’m sharing what God taught me during a tough season, hoping it might help someone who’s walking through their own struggles. I’ve been a Christian for years, but the truth is, believers still go through hard times. Sometimes, it feels like everything is out of our control, and in those moments, it’s easy to forget where our help comes from. It was Friday morning, after a week of heavy emotions, that I stepped outside onto my back porch with my coffee and journal. It had been cooler, and the calm was a relief. Journaling has been such a tool for me—something I learned in therap...

How far are you willing to go for the sake of the Cross? As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: “O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying, ‘Why were the nations so angry? Why did they waste their time with futile plans? The kings of the earth prepared for battle; the rulers gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah.’ “In fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will. And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, gr...

In recent weeks, there has been a tremendous shift from optimism within my circle. Storms, politics, and supernatural phenomena all have us looking with longing to the eastern sky as we await the rapture of the church. But that doesn’t mean we can stop and sit in defeat. Check out the video: For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. (Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭20‬-‭23‬ ‭NIV‬)‬ © 2024 Jill Cook. All rights reserved.