This is a question I’ve asked myself before. When life has extra projects going on, it can be a game-changer. But if you’ll pause and pay attention, I guarantee you’ll sense the grace and peace of God all around you. Instead of being stressed, you can look forward to tackling your projects. But be careful… busy seasons can change some otherwise ...

This article first appeared on The Christian Broadcasting Network | Have you ever had the thought, “What’s the point?” “What am I doing here?” “Is what I’m doing even making a difference?” I have to imagine you said yes. Who hasn’t wrestled with those thoughts? We can look back in time and find such questions being asked over two thousand ...

A lady in my church once told me, “Pastor Tod shouldn’t get upset if he sees us fall asleep in church. Some of us live in such chaos that we just can’t help but nod off in the peace and presence of God.” I laughed when she said this, but then realized how true it really was. Our world has become ...

I hope the title caught your attention! It did mine. I was recently meditating on Philippians 3 where Paul talks about counting everything as loss “for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:8). And as I usually do, I read these passages in the Amplified, the Message, the New Living, and then opened the Passion Translation. I ...

Let’s talk about fruit. Can you imagine, if you were a fruit tree, what it must feel like to have your branches trimmed back or cut off altogether? Doesn’t sound like fun. But wait… the Bible says God’s children are designed to bear fruit, which means we can relate. But this also means when our branches aren’t producing as they should, the ...

People pay big money to attend seminars on how to be successful. It’s in the heart of every person to succeed (at something). It’s our heart because God wired us that way. And although I could go down a proven list of steps for success, I want to highlight one that can be overlooked– but is no less crucial than ...

With flashlight in hand, I carefully made my way down the uneven dirt path. As I walked, I prayed. I poured my heart out to God in the stillness of the night. It was cold, yet my heart was warmed by His abiding presence. “O God, you have placed a dream in my heart that I cannot run from…” As ...

You may or may not have heard this story before, but I want to look at two men who both did something honorable. Remember, righteousness isn’t only what Christ has done for us, but what we now do for Him. Righteousness is an action as well as a position. In the Second Book of Samuel, we find that King David ...

Here’s a quick lesson in reconciling: Most of you have some type of bank account, and every month you receive a statement from the bank showing the pluses and minuses for the month. Now whether you do it or not, the bank sends you that statement so you can reconcile your information with what they have on file. Reconciling is ...

In my humble opinion, I believe there’s an attack on identity like never before. It may be more prominent in the United States, but I believe it’s world-wide. It’s an outright attack on people made in the image of God. For example, June is recognized as PRIDE month. First instituted by President Clinton in 1999 in response to riots in ...

This article first appeared on The Christian Broadcasting Network Funny story: my stepdad doesn’t like tomatoes but he planted 120 tomato plants this year. He’s not a farmer. He’s a retired plumber. He doesn’t grow anything else but tomatoes. Why? First because his wife loved them and ate at least 2 a day before she passed away. But secondly, because ...

People who struggle with insecurity know what it feels like to be an “outsider.” Whether they really are or not, there’s a real feeling of being left out or pushed to the back. It’s a tool of the devil to keep them timid– and therefore, quiet. I was once that person.I still could be if I let myself go there… ...

I had to look up the definition for clarity. As I was praying for several people around me, I realized the common denominator was struggle– they were all struggling in some form or fashion. The dictionary defines struggle as “to contend with an adversary or an opposing force.” This is the first definition and was honestly what I expected. But ...

Do you have things in your life that were once exciting that now feel like a chore? Maybe it’s your job, or your studies, or (God forbid) your marriage. My point is, we should never be led by how we “feel.” I’ve wrestled with weariness myself, but I have to remember my flesh is simply being tested. Why else do ...

When my husband and I first married, he had to get used to an extended family— not because he married into mine, but because my side of the family had multiples. My parents were divorced and remarried, so not only did our kids get extra gifts at birthdays and holidays, but we also had extra family get-togethers versus his family ...

There’s an old song that rises up in my heart occasionally. The lyrics start out like this: Who is like You, Lord in all the earth?Matchless love and beauty, endless worthNothing in this world can satisfyJesus, You’re the cup that won’t run dryYour presence is heaven to me It reminds me of the model prayer Jesus gave to His disciples. ...

When you think about it, emotions are an interesting attribute of our human make-up. And yet, God saw it fit to equip us with these feelings that influence our behavior. Emotions cause us to laugh, cry, yell, and sigh. They produce giggles, sobs, joy, and peace. And if we’re honest, some emotions are attached to sin– and yet God uses ...

Years ago, my husband and I decided to paint the trim of our house one summer. We only had one ladder so I had the bright idea that an old milk crate, turned upside-down, would be a perfect pedestal for me to stand on to reach the under-hangs of our house. And it worked for a little while, until I ...