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6 Tips to Help You Learn to Love God’s Word
I spent many of my early years as a Christian being inconsistent in the discipline of reading and studying the Bible, and I so wish I could go back in time and change this. I grew up in the church. I knew all the stories, but it grieves me that I didn’t understand the crucial point: that His Word is my very life.Over the last several years, I’ve learned to love the Word, and that love has radically changed my life. I used to think…
When God Says "No"
“I think your daughter was nearly trafficked,” the social worker said. “The police got to her in time.”
My stomach dropped to my toes in pure terror. The child we had raised from a toddler and adopted had become an out-of-control teen. We committed her to a mental hospital, but she made false allegations against us and refused to come home. I had been praying for years that she would feel loved, would tell the truth, and would choose to obey. The prayers were endless.
Now she was…
Are You Praying It Safe?
Let’s face it, life is NOT safe. From risking your heart in loving someone to stepping out to try something new, anything really worth doing is NOT safe. And let’s face it, life would be boring if it was safe. Yet often I find…
Keep Christ in Us This Christmas
I love everything about this time of year – the lights, family dinners, and parties full of great food, laughter and silly presents. But this year, much like Easter and Thanksgiving, Christmas feels somehow threatened by the looming presence of COVID-19. In my superficial attempt to bring a bit of joy to our home, I broke my rule…
Is He My Stronghold?
Recently I heard a sermon about prayer, and they stopped on Psalm 27 … and it has been playing on repeat in my mind for almost two weeks now, both challenging and inspiring me. I would love for you to take 56.62 seconds (yes, I timed it) and read through it … I’ll wait …
A Child Shall Lead Them
Looking back over the first nine months of 2020, most of us would agree that these are unprecedented days. We are susceptible to fear, confusion, anger or helplessness. But we can also be surprised by blessings of inspiration and gratitude.
During these times of
Ministry Spotlight - House of Hope
My name is Phyllis Phelps, and I am the director of House of Hope NH. I would like to tell you about House of Hope NH and what the Lord has done in our 2%-churched area.
In 2015, my husband and I began seeing a rise in overdoses resulting in deaths. So we began seeking the Lord as to how He would use us to reach those struggling with addiction, and their children.
REST: Replenishing the Spirit
Feeling depleted, stressed, and exhausted should not be our norm. And yet, if you are like many women today, it seems to have become just that. Sure, there will be seasons that demand that we live beyond capacity, but I believe there is, and I have personally experienced, supernatural grace for those times.
God, however,
Gentleness in Stressful Times
It’s been a tough time, even for the healthiest of us. We are learning to live in a new reality, a new way of looking at ourselves and others. Some are coping well, some not so well. We tend to disagree about how this time is being handled by our leaders, our friends, our families.
Gentleness in a time of crisis is vitally important. When we
Trusting in the Dark
“For we live by faith, not by sight.”2 Corinthians 5:7
That verse has been a constant theme for me over the last several months. Our journey comes down to one thing … our faith in who He is and who we are in Him. Faith seems so counter-cultural in a world where we want to see and feel everything. We want to see proof before we sign on the dotted line. God’s Kingdom is the complete opposite. His Kingdom is one where there is an expectation of trust and belief even when we cannot see.
Something For the Soul
Summer is finally here … though it might look different than any summer we have experienced! Here are three poems to hopefully help you GAZE at God and His promises and GLANCE at all else.
2020 Vision
It was a glorious, sunny October day. Just a bit windy, though. Like every Sunday, we – aunts, uncles, cousins – were gathered at my parents’ home for dinner. Just as we were settling in someone noticed a tiny plume of smoke off in the distance. Several of the adventurous uncles – including Bob, my husband – decided to investigate. “We’ll be right back. Start eating without us” they called as they piled into a car. …
Why Is It So Hard to Believe God Loves Me?
Not feeling very loved today? Perhaps circumstances of life have left you feeling trapped or unworthy – or even far from the God who made you and loves you. My favorite love verse in the Bible occurs when God’s chosen people have strayed far from Him. God reminds the Israelites of His great love for them through the words of His prophet Jeremiah, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness” (Jeremiah 31:3 NIV).
This is God’s promise to you and me today! Then why don’t more women choose to see ourselves as deeply loved?
Times of Uncertainty: Seven Tips for Living in the Present
Not that many months ago, we felt pretty certain about the future. We made plans to travel. We expected to go to church on Sundays. Shopping for groceries surely wasn’t a concern. We never imagined masks as required accessories. Then, just like that, we found ourselves in uncertain times.
As the wife of a military retiree, I’ve had quite a bit of experience with uncertainty. I remember
The God of Your Journey
Have you ever taken your eyes off a child for a moment or two, only for them to become lost? Whether the separation lasts minutes, hours, or longer, the horror of their disappearance time-stamps your brain with trauma. …
Are You Fighting the Waves or Riding the Current?
This was the turbulent view out my window on a recent ocean cruise: rolling seas as far as the eye could see, with 20-foot swells, 60 mph winds, and dreary skies. Not exactly the kind of day we’d hoped for on our first morning of a long-awaited tropical vacation.During one of the many times I was awake during the night, a …
Trust God and Do the Next Thing
Recently, I received some challenging news regarding my current employment. I need to make a decision whether to continue my counseling with my current practice group or establish my own private practice. The director of our practice group has been talking to the clinicians in our four locations about his plans to retire in a few years. However, we assumed we had at least two years before we had to decide what to do after the practice closed its doors. Apparently, finances have become challenging to the point where the director felt it necessary to make some hard decisions. As a result, t