When I see whisps of clouds blowing by and orangy-pinks splashed around at sunset, I wonder sometimes if it might be God letting loose His artistic side. He paints with both abandon and purpose. His palette is a brilliant, broad spectrum and His canvas is the universe. For the sky and vast expanses of the … Read more
We’ve all been hurt at some time by someone we love, someone we trusted. Those negative words and actions against us can be easy to hold on to. The problem is, if you hang on to them, there’s less space for the good memories. Rehashing the negative serves no good purpose. It just keeps you … Read more
I recently read Max Lucado’s book Fearless (review forthcoming). In it, he discusses that one of the main messages Jesus gave us was “Do not be afraid.” Several times, his disciples are tested and, humans that they are, they give in to fear. Jesus asks them why they are afraid when he is with them. … Read more
Here’s a secret. You’re not perfect. You sin, repent, and sin again. But God loves you anyway. He’s constantly working on you and in you. When you stumble or fall, and you will, cut yourself some slack. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and know that any scrapes or bruises you’ve received are there because … Read more
Barrie Davenport at LiveBoldAndBloom.com posed a question to her readers, “What’s the boldest thing you’ve done?” The article really spoke to me on a personal level because I’ve dealt with many of the same issues she has. Some of the things I’ve done might seem bold to others, but don’t feel bold to me. I’m … Read more
When you’re wondering what God’s plan is for your life, listen carefully. We’re always looking for that definitive answer we can point to and say “That’s His plan for me!” But sometimes His guidance can be as subtle as a butterfly flittering by on the breeze. Keep your eyes and ears open. Look for that … Read more
I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened. ~Mark Twain Worry often rules our daily lives. We worry about getting to work on time. We worry about the finances. We worry about if we’ll keep our job in a down economy. We worry about our … Read more
As I was sitting during my quiet time today, I happened to look over at the window. I could see through the blinds that it was a sunny, beautiful day outside. I debated for a moment on whether I should open the blinds and let the sunshine in. It then occurred to me that there … Read more
How often do you listen to yourself? Do you really give thought to your actions, analyze your behavior, and be honest with yourself when you fall short? More and more, it seems, people are too busy, too distracted, too self-involved. Kindness is sometimes a casualty in our hectic world and our actions become more and … Read more
“Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are.” -Chinese Proverb I came across this simple thought earlier today and it really made me pause and think. I would expand on it though. Tension is not just who you think you should be, but who you think others think you should … Read more