rebelling against low expectations
I had an unplanned chat with God today. I sat on the cold floor, crying. He sat with me, Said, “I see you trying.” I spilled my heart out, Bleeding, tired. He held my hand, Waiting, quiet. He didn’t say much… Allowed my heart to fall apart. So, I watched it rip to pieces, Leaving scars I can’t erase. Fractured bits swirled in the waters, He took my hand and held my gaze. And then, I stood, So...
Praise in the midst of pain is probably one the most difficult things we are called upon to do as Christians. When things are going well, we have plenty to thank God for. When life seems good to us, praise often flows more easily. But when hard times hit, the thought of being grateful can leave us cringing. Yet we are told to rejoice in the Lord always (Philippians 4:4) and give thanks in...
We live in a very joyless society. People claim to be ‘happy’, but depression, despair, and suicide run rampant. Individuals are increasingly seeking happiness in the temporal—drugs, entertainment, work, and relationships—or some ‘connection’ to the spiritual realm through meditation, new age remedies, and soul-searching sessions. But when we look inwardly to find the source of our satisfaction...
A company of twinkling stars do battle against an ever-growing darkness. A clash of glittering hope and ravaging despair that does not even spare its own servants. While an army of starlit souls press on the black tides, two lone stars have crossed the line of shadows to thrust the light into its ever-darkening heart. Within this pair a different battle wages, it is one thing to press against a...
Allow me to unfold the incredible story behind the beloved hymn, It Is Well, so that you may know, just like the Spafford family, that your soul can be well, even though sorrows high as sea billows roll through your life. This story is both heartbreaking and amazing at the same time. The reality that one man and wife could experience so much heartache and loss, while still glorifying God is an...
A beautiful yet deadly woman sits poised upon the back of a dragon. Both are covered with the blood of innocents. Both sparkle like black fire. Both smell of smoke and strong perfume. Dark clouds boil in the sky, unleashing bolts of crackling lightning. The woman’s nostrils flare as if she can smell the children and saints hidden among her followers. She reaches down, stroking the scaley beast...
My heart ached as I stared down into the freshly dug grave. Oh, how dark the muddy, cold earth looked around the little box that held my cousin’s stillborn baby girl. Death had come to our family again and in a crushing defeat. No joy would come, no hopeful celebration of a new little life. It was all taken away from a family who would have loved and cherished her. Death. The separator of close...
A couple of years ago, a struggling friend told me, “Everyone always leaves.” Around that time, whenever she and I talked, we would pretend we were sitting on a bench in a park, just the two of us. Because somehow the world felt a little lighter that way. When she mentioned her fear of my leaving, I told her I would stay and, without hesitation, she asked, “What if it rains?” A couple weeks ago...
Is it possible to have hope when your world feels like it’s crumbling around you? What can you practically do to stay grounded in times of loss, suffering, and pain? Randy Alcorn joins the podcast today to talk about the reality of the hope we have in Heaven (and what Heaven is really going to be like) and how this hope has sustained him through his own seasons of loss and suffering. If...
Trees stand cold and bare like great brown skeletons. Grass lays brown and crunches with frost. The earth is hard like stone. Snow and ice lay in freezing, crusty piles. The days are short and dark. Your breath leaves your mouth in clouds, and it feels as if you are exhaling your soul as frigid air makes your lungs ache. The wind stings your face and causes your eyes to water. January. Christmas...
rebelling against low expectations
