Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 One of the things I find stunning in the scriptures is the confidence of Jesus regarding His purpose. I have never chalked it up as, “Oh, He’s the Son of God, so of course He should know…”–although I know this is true. But instead it has intrigued me because we are made ...

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 When I was preparing for Facing the Mirror to be released, I mulled over a few titles trying to decide which one best described what the book would be about, while also wanting a title that intrigues people to want to read it. Without a doubt, the book is about righteousness, so ...

There’s a certain scripture in the Christmas story that has always intrigued me. You know the story… an angel visits a young girl named Mary and announces to her that she will become pregnant with God’s Son (Luke 1:26-33). Her fiancé Joseph learns of her pregnancy and secretly plans to break the engagement when an angel appears to him in ...

Bah Humbug. I’m not sure if the phrase originated with Mr. Scrooge or not, but it’s become the go-to statement when someone isn’t in the Christmas spirit. And one year, that was almost me. My husband had been teasing me about how much time and energy it took to get all my Christmas containers down from the attic. But after moving ...

This article first appeared on The Christian Broadcasting Network | “If your faith remains strong, even while surrounded by life’s difficulties, you will continue to experience the untold blessings of God! True happiness comes as you pass the test with faith, and receive the victorious crown of life promised to every lover of God” (James 1:12, TPT)! Perspective is a ...

Have you ever been so thankful that you’ve asked yourself, “What can I give back to God for the blessings He’s poured out on me?” The writer of Psalms 116 asks this very question: “What shall I render [give] to the Lord for all His benefits toward me?” Like many of us at times, he recognized GOD IS GOOD and His benefits ...

Greetings can tell you a lot about a person. For example, I have a friend who always answers, “How are you?” with “I’m grateful.” Another man, the husband of another close friend, always answers, “Better than most folks.” Both of these people live and share their gratitude daily. I looked it up and was surprised the word grateful isn’t found ...

To be all in is originally a poker term meaning to bet all you have on one hand. But in modern lingo, it can also mean to be totally committed to something. I guess we could use God and Jesus as an example. When it came to saving the world, they were ALL IN. The opposite of all in would ...

This article first appeared on The Christian Broadcasting Network | “Now, friends, read these next words carefully. Slow down and don’t go jumping to conclusions regarding the day when our Master, Jesus Christ, will come back and we assemble to welcome him” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-2, MSG). These words could’ve been written in 2020, but they are actually from about AD ...

The Bible says the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). We could say these are character traits of our God. In other words, you can be assured that as a good Father, God’s thoughts and actions toward you will always line up to these characteristics. So, in taking this ...

A minister once said, “You cannot find in scripture where you are to trust people. The Bible only tells us to put our trust in God.” If you’ve never thought about this before, it is a bit surprising at first. But with more meditation, it is not only true, but makes sense. “It is better to trust in the Lord, than ...

If you’ve tried to rent a movie lately, or even scrolled through your TV guide to watch something, you’ve noticed the plethora of scary, frightful, even downright evil that has taken over the media industry. Personally, I hate it. And as Christians we need to understand this truth: Fear is the polar opposite of God. How, you ask? The Bible ...

When I was younger, my stepdad was an avid fisherman and hunter. I didn’t care much for either at the time, but nonetheless, I learned about lures, bait, and deer blinds. So when I discovered the biblical meaning of the word pursue, I immediately understood the value of this instruction. To pursue means to follow after like a hunter. So ...

We’ve been sitting in this pot for awhile now. I’m referring to this world we live in, but my reference isn’t limited to those who are over a certain age– this situation we’re in now, it’s been a slow boil for all of humanity. We’re like the boiling frog who didn’t know he was in danger. You see, if a frog is ...

I met a girl recently who talked to me the entire time with her arms folded across her chest and her head tilted slightly to the side as if she was keeping the door in her peripheral view. She was a beautiful girl. I’d say she talked to me, but actually I did most of the talking. Her body language ...

This article first appeared on The Christian Broadcasting Network | Steve Jobs once said, “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.”  I imagine the devil wishes he could’ve connected the dots better before he instigated the crucifixion of Jesus. In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, he said, “…we speak the wisdom of ...

I want to encourage you today to believe the best of every person. You will have opportunity to see the faults in others and therefore, it’s inevitable that you will be disappointed in the actions (or inaction) of people. This is especially true when it’s family or someone you’ve developed a close relationship with, but… Never set your eyes on ...

This article first appeared on The Inspired Woman Blog | Like many of you, I have lots of “favorite” scriptures– not to sound cliche. There’s the one that changed everything in my life (and unknowingly thrust me into the ministry as an author and speaker), then there’s those powerful “ka-bam” scriptures that remind you God is on His throne and ...