Have you ever wondered how we can hear God speak? I’ve often read stories in the Old Testament and have been a little bit jealous that God spoke audibly to people like Moses and Elijah. I feel like it would be so much easier if I could hear God just as easily as I can hear my husband or my kids. Wouldn’t you agree? And yet the truth I am discovering is that God is always speaking to us. It’s just that I’m often too busy to listen. Or too distracted to pay attention. But as I slow down and spend time with Him, I’m finding it becomes a lot…

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Many of us have memorized or at least heard of Jeremiah 29:11. This verse can often be found on Facebook memes, plaques, decorations, coffee mugs, and much more.  Do you know what verse we never see on any of those things?   Jeremiah 29:10.  This verse comes right before Jeremiah 29:11 and it reads:  “You will be in Babylon for seventy years.”   Wait. What????  The Pain of Waiting on God The pain of waiting on God can be seen in this passage.  …

In a survey of over 1600 Christians, the number one reason people cited for not sharing their faith was due to fear.   Many of us are scared to talk to people we don’t know.   We fear saying the wrong thing. We worry we won’t be able to answer their questions. Or that we will just end up looking like fools.   We’re afraid of how people will respond.   Will they lash out at us? Make fun of us? Or decide they no longer want to associate with us?   Sharing our faith can also be scary simply because of the culture we live in. It’s nerve-wracking to engage with people who are…

When I first received my chronic illness diagnosis, I felt both comforted and devastated.   On the one hand, I was relieved to finally have answers for why I was feeling so awful all the time. But on the other hand, I was frustrated because this condition was chronic.  Which meant it would never go away.    I was going to have to adjust to a life with limited mobility. To accept a new normal. And I did not like it.   Have you ever been there?   In a place where you realize life is never going to be the same?   How do we trust in God’s plan during moments like this? When…

When dealing with health issues, it can be so easy to focus just on our physical health.   Managing the symptoms. Taking our medications. Getting to our doctor and therapy appointments. And all the other things that living with health issues requires of us.  And while it is important to take care of our physical health . . . we are not just physical beings.   We also need to take care of ourselves mentally, emotionally, and most importantly . . . spiritually.  What is spiritual health and why is it important? Spiritual health care is all about taking the time to focus on your soul.   It’s about making it a priority…

Be content with what you have.  We’ve all heard the saying. We all know we should do this. And while it seems so simple . . . it can be really hard to do. There are many things that can cause us to feel discontent.  The political climate. The state of the economy. The difficult job we are stuck in.   The friends who betray us. The loved ones who walk away from us. The kids who drive us crazy.  The body that betrays us. The pain that won’t go away. The medical diagnosis we were given.  Many times, we have good reasons to be discontent with our lot in life. And yet,…

Questions raced through my mind.   What should I do now? Is this really my new normal? How am I supposed to live like this? When the doctor said it was a chronic condition, did he really mean it would never go away?  I felt scared. Angry. Worried. Anxious. Confused.   Because being diagnosed with a chronic condition meant my life was never going to look the same. I would always struggle. Always suffer.   I would always deal with limitations. Obstacles. And hurdles other people would never have to face.   I didn’t know what to do.   I just knew I was afraid . . . and I didn’t want my life to look…

The person and power of the Holy Spirit was first seen at the dawn of creation when by His power the entire world came into being. (Genesis 1:1-2)  In the OT the Holy Spirit’s power was seen when He empowered men to do the will of God. He worked in them and through them to accomplish things they normally would not have been able to do.   But this power wasn’t permanent. (Psalm 51:11) Then came the NT.   After Jesus ascended to Heaven the Holy Spirit descended to be with us. Permanently.   Because of Jesus’s death on the cross, the Holy Spirit and His power now dwells within every believer.   Jesus…

I’ve said I trust God many times throughout my life. I’ve declared my faith in Him. My belief that He loves me and is for me.  But if I am honest, while the words came out of my mouth . . . they didn’t come out of my heart.   Because while trusting God is easy when everything is going right. It’s a lot harder to keep trusting God in difficult times.  When I was diagnosed with a chronic illness, I discovered the difference between saying you trust God and living out of that trust.   Because I spent years praying for God to take this illness away . . .…

One of the hardest things about living with a chronic illness is realizing your suffering is never going to end. That you will always struggle with this debilitating health condition.   While you will have good days and bad days . . . it will never completely go away.  And that can be quite disheartening.   But God doesn’t want us to stay in this place. He wants to show us a way to hold onto hope even while dealing with a health issue that won’t let go.  Because as we lean on Him . . . He gives us the strength to persevere. To keep fighting the good fight. And…