Read: 1 John 3:19-24 Guilt is related to the things we do. Sometimes guilt is hard to shake and comes as a result of actual wrong deeds or perceived wrong deeds. Guilt keeps us from enjoying freedom in relationships, whether the guilt is real or imagined. I love this scripture. John points out that God …
Out of the Chaos
Inspiration for living outside of the chaos.
Read: 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 Before anything else, a person must believe that when he/she comes to Christ he/she is a new creation. It is a do-over, a new day, a second chance – whatever you want to call it. Read: Romans 8:12-14 Here is the next hard truth. We are declared a new creation in …
It’s a little scary how quickly time passes. It seems like only yesterday I looked forward to my mom coming to help me when my first child was born. That was 30 years ago. Now, I am enjoying the arrival of grandchildren and helping my children when babies are born. As I reflected on that, …
We spent Saturday with our children, grandchildren and friends. During supper, Finley, our 2 1/2 year old granddaughter, put Ryan, our 28 year old son, into timeout. When asked what he did to get put in timeout, she said, “He hit the dog.” (He didn’t.) His timeout period was quite lengthy. After some encouragement that …
Oh, what joy for thosewhose disobedience is forgiven,whose sin is put out of sight!Yes, what joy for thosewhose record the Lord has cleared of guilt,whose lives are lived in complete honesty!When I refused to confess my sin,my body wasted away,and I groaned all day long.Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.My strength evaporated …
Last week flying home from vacation, my granddaughter sat in my lap during the descent into Chicago. As often happens, there were a few bumps coming through the clouds. The first time the plane shook, she looked up from what she was doing and looked toward the window. Then the plane shook again, and her …
Today I awoke with a weariness that I couldn’t shake. Unsure of the source of this disturbing companion, I did the only thing I was certain would help me. I set myself before the Father and laid out my case. I talked to him about all that was whirling through my mind, all the confusing …
Thought: responsibilities of life and a cause worth fighting for can cause weariness. Sometimes we lose sight of the value of how we spend our time. Providing for families, paying bills, working jobs, supporting causes – all take their toll. Henri Nouwen once said there are three big lies: I am what I have. I …
Thought: Communication that goes unanswered leads to weariness. I have pondered this thought today. And I decided it isn’t just that communication is unanswered, it is the waiting. Waiting can be weary. My nephew and his wife just had their second child at a bit over forty weeks. They waited. Ready to see the baby, …
As a person who struggles with depression, I am too familiar with what it means to be weary. But that is only one kind of weariness. There is another kind of weariness common to all people, not just those, like me, who know depression. Before I go any further, I want to say that I …
Out of the Chaos 