I avoid suffering because it’s uncomfortable. I don’t like pain. It can make me wonder if God loves me. But beauty and growth come through fire, pressure, pruning, molding, and darkness.
Misc Devotional
The ‘One Anothers’ in Scripture Characterize Community
There are over fifty "one another" verses in Scripture (the exact number depends on your translation). One anothering describes how those in the kingdom of God function. It characterizes community, friendship, fellowship, koinonia. I decided to do a fresh study of these exhortations in scripture. Here are my observations.
Be True to Your True Self
“Be true to yourself” they say. “But which self?” I say. "My introverted, organized, third-culture-kid, creative self? Or my true self in Christ?" I’d like to rewrite this phrase: Be true to your true self—your in-Christ self.
Happy Mother’s Day to My Expectant Daughter-in-Law
I sent my first Mother’s Day card to my daughter-in-law who is pregnant with her first child and our first grand. This is what I told her.
Not Forsaken
Was Jesus forsaken on the cross? Educated and religious Jews used a unique technique to recite memorized psalms. And so did Jesus when passers-by yelled insults at him as he hung dying on a cross. He wanted his people to know he was fulfilling a prophecy that predicted his specific suffering.
The Glimpse of the New Kingdom
My former pastor, Pete Briscoe, gives us a “little glimpse into what it might feel like when we get [to the new kingdom].” His description is so beautiful I must share it.
A Life With God
Since my word for 2023 is with, I enthusiastically dove into "With: Reimagining the way you relate to God" by Skye Jethani. The author’s thesis is, "Our true selves cannot be discovered by living under, over, from, or for God. It is something that will be revealed when we are fully with God."
The Difference between Envy and Jealousy
Do you know the difference between envy and jealousy? I did not until I heard a message from Jamin Roller at Citizens Church, Plano, Texas. I owe these thoughts to him.
Pondered Treasures 