Work is a blessing because it gives us purpose, a rhythm for our days, and, of course, a means of living. But even if we love our work, we can burn out. Hence proper rest is a necessity. Even God rested, why wouldn’t we? Sometimes rest is out of our reach and that is hard. But sometimes fear keeps us from seeking rest and renewal. As you know, fear is not a good guide. Fear usually leads us astray. Only…
Summer is here. I love it. And I need it. Or, more accurately, I need time for rest and restoration. How about you? Are you exhausted too? Thankfully, the month of July can be a month for renewal. God is ready to bless us the way we need to be blessed. And those blessings may surprise us in a very good way. May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness;may they always say, “The Lord be exalted, who delights in the well-being…
Last week, I was preparing a talk for the last Sunday of the church year and as I read a little background on the text of the Old Testament book of Daniel, I came across these insanely wonderful verses. They spoke to me right away and I feel like this will bless you too. Believe me, my friend, you are dear to God. Then the one (Gabriel) whose appearance was like that of a man touched me again, and he…
Do you feel that you’re not making your mark in this world? That you’re a failure for some reason? This post is for you. Mary DeMuth exposes ten lies and shares ten truths in her latest book Stop Living Small: Ten Truths Toward Your Significant Life. This post will tackle the eighth lie which is “Your life makes zero impact” by reminding you that the world needs your unique contribution. You are an impactor much more than you can imagine. The culture…
Often we wonder how God guides us, how we will know if something is God’s will, right? We tend to make it something complicated yet it really isn’t. When we are tuned in to God, he does stir us to do the things he wants us to do. God moves our hearts to move us. Just like he did in the times of Ezra. Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites—everyone whose heart God had…
Summer is here and everyone is supposed to chill out and enjoy life. But maybe you are not feeling it. Maybe something weighs you down. Life is confusing and complicated for sure. But I want to make sure you’re not burdened down with guilt or shame or sin. Because there is grace to free you from it all. Maybe you know this in theory but you haven’t really embraced it. Or maybe you have misunderstood it. The Gospel is not…
Epiphany is one of my favorite holy days. The pressure of Christmas celebrations is over, now it is time to join the wise men worshiping Jesus and bringing him the best we have to offer. This calls for some reflection and self-evaluation, don’t you think? It is also great time to plan how we want to spend this new year. How about doing it with the mind of Christ? Therefore see that you walk carefully [living life with honor, purpose,…
Some of you may have known that for the past year our family has prepared for a year in Ethiopia. I was called to teach at a theological seminary there. Then the pandemic happened and our year was first postponed and then canceled altogether due to financial difficulties of the Mission organization. Perhaps needless to say, our family was shocked. All our dreams for a year in Africa came crashing down. How did we take it? And how do you…
I don’t know about you but for a long time I was afraid I could mess up God’s plans for me. The fear was real and it somewhat paralyzed my decisionmaking process. But blessedly, God did not leave me to live in fear. He reminded me of his awesomeness. So I am happy to tell you God is greater than your mistakes. God’s will is not dependent on us. With the words of Lysa TerKeurst “God’s promises are not dependent…
We live in uncertain times for sure. It’s hard to plan but we can’t stop living. So we need to move forward in faith. Sure, it’s easier said than done but it is possible. It all starts with prayer. Always with prayer. And it continues with prayer. Always with prayer. You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don’t see him, yet you trust him—with laughter and singing. Because you kept on believing, you’ll get what you’re looking…
