It’s funny how a small thing can become a big irritant. A splinter in the thumb, an eyelash in the eye, or a blister on the toe – all can disrupt your sense of peace and rest. So it is spiritually. It doesn’t take much for your intimate life with Christ to be upset or […]
Escape temptation
Covid lockdown motivated some people to adopt healthier eating habits and lose a ton of weight. Then there’s the rest of us. Whether it’s due to boredom, easy access to food, or a renewed interest in baking, we seem to have located the pounds others have lost. If you’re like me, and you feel stalked […]
Vultures and fixers
Anyone who suffers with chronic mental or physical illness will understand this quote by Eugene H. Peterson, “Suffering attracts fixers like roadkill attracts vultures.” When someone we care about suffers, we want to help. So we circle, ever ready to offer advice. The thing is, God doesn’t ask us to fix sufferers but to direct […]
Stop trying to please God (part 2)
In the first part of this series, we talked about how God wants us to practice presence before pleasing. We must learn to stop trying to do anything for Him until we first take time to be with Him, basking in His glory, and absorbing the warmth of His Son-shine. Only when we spend time […]
Stop trying to please God (part 1)
You may read this title and think, “Wait. What? But I’m supposed to please God, right?” Absolutely! The thing is, it’s not the pleasing He wants you to stop, it’s the trying. In an effort to live a good Christian life, we like to set goals or make vows. We say things like, “I’m going […]