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There’s so much we can learn from the story of Naaman. Here was a man, wanting so badly to be healed of the leprosy he’d been suffering from for so long, and when he finally goes to Elisha to be healed, Elisha’s response is somewhat unexpected.
Read MoreWhen we have hardened hearts – when we don’t have a posture of humility and teachability – the work God does within us hurts. It stings. It’s uncomfortable. And it pokes at our pain points. A hardened heart makes conviction so much more painful than it needs to be. And it makes it a lot more difficult for us to grow and mature in our faith.
Read MoreWhen I was reading my Bible yesterday, I spent some time studying a passage from Luke chapter 7. In this particular passage, Luke describes the time when John the Baptist sends messengers to ask Jesus if He is really the Messiah, or if they should be waiting for someone else. To be honest, I’ve skimmed through this passage a lot in the past. I know I’ve read it, but I’ve never really studied it, until yesterday. And as I dove deeper into this story, my heart started to break for John the Baptist in a way it never had before. His humanity became so evident to me in this story, and it encouraged me in one way and saddened me in another.
Read MoreI recently took a trip back to Georgia from our home in Kentucky so I could attend my sister’s bridal showers. It’s normally around a seven-hour-long drive from my house to my parents’ house. So with coffee in hand and plenty of podcasts in the queue, I headed off on my journey.
Read MoreIn the spirit of this wonderful holiday, today’s devotion is going to be a little different. I know this year has been difficult for all of us in one way or another. And I realize that it can be difficult in the midst of tough circumstances to find things to be thankful for. But I have no doubt that if we take the time to really think hard and reflect back on this year, we can find the blessings hidden beneath the struggle.
Read MoreGratitude is all about perspective. Are we willing to widen our gaze to see what unexpected blessings came along this year? Or are we going to remain focused on the disappointment and unmet expectations? Are we willing to dig a little deeper to identify all that we can to thank the Lord for? Or are we going to hold onto our surface perspective, zoning in on what we wish didn’t happen this year?
Read MoreA couple of years back, I went to watch a few of the girls I coached in basketball play in their district championship soccer game. While I was there, I was talking to one of my player’s moms, and we got into a conversation about basketball tryouts from the year before. As it turns out, this player, who we’ll call Grace*, almost didn’t try out for basketball that year. We had heard from over 20 girls that they were interested in playing basketball before tryouts, so Grace was hesitant to try out because she wasn’t sure she would make the team.
Read MoreWhat are some things you’re grateful for in your life right now? Are you grateful for having a job that you enjoy? Are you grateful for your friendships? Are you grateful that the cold weather is finally here? (That’s me!) These are the things about our life that are easy to thank God for. But what about the parts of our lives that don’t foster gratitude so easily? What about when we feel like we’re stuck in a season of waiting, and we don’t know where God is leading us next? What about when we are dealing with the aftermath of rejection? Or what about when we’re feeling lonely?
Read MoreIt’s pouring rain today. And much to my own disappointment, as my husband and I left Kentucky to make the trek to Northern Ohio for the weekend, the rain followed us the entire journey. Usually, I love the rain. Because I work from home, rainy days are normally cozy and chill, giving me an excuse to stay locked in the house all day long. But for some reason, once I saw the rainy forecast for this weekend, I found myself wishing the rain away.
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