What do you do when life overwhelms you? Even the happiest people can be overwhelmed with grief. Things happen. Circumstances can blindside you. You may be the most hopeful, optimistic person, and suddenly you wake up with only darkness in your soul. It is awful. When the children of Israel were taken captive by KingContinue reading “Ecclesiastes is the Book for Those Overwhelmed With Life’s Disappointments. Psalm 137.”
Category Archives: Gratitude
Gratitude Will Make You Happy; Comparison Will Make You Unhappy. Jeremiah 45:3-5.
Some lives are harder than others. They just are. Nothing is “fair” and things do not even out. Most of us today live in an age of antibiotics and vaccines for childhood diseases. We have clean drinking water, pasteurized milk, and more food than we can eat. Many parents will never bury a child. ThoseContinue reading “Gratitude Will Make You Happy; Comparison Will Make You Unhappy. Jeremiah 45:3-5.”
Don’t Make Your Job Complicated—Obedience is Simple. Jeremiah 22:3.
What is your job description? Some are clearly defined: ride the back of the trash truck and empty trash cans into the truck at each stop. Others are loosely defined: be my personal assistant, show up at 8 every morning and do whatever I ask until I send you home. What is the job descriptionContinue reading “Don’t Make Your Job Complicated—Obedience is Simple. Jeremiah 22:3.”
Humiliation Stories. Isaiah 2:11-17.
The tales are legendary. Ford rejected the minivan, arrogantly believing Americans would buy what Ford told them to buy—more station wagons. Struggling Chrysler, led by former Ford executive Lee Iacocca, said yes to minivans and saved its business (sinking the station wagon forever). Hitler paid his architect, Albert Speer, to design a new Berlin—a capitolContinue reading “Humiliation Stories. Isaiah 2:11-17.”
Make a Pros and Cons List (What Could be More Romantic?) 😉. S.O.S. 6:8-9.
One tool that can help with decision-making is a list of pros and cons. If you were considering a job offer, you might make such a list. The left side of the page would be labeled “Pros” and the right side “Cons.” In the Pros column, you list all the reasons to take the job:Continue reading “Make a Pros and Cons List (What Could be More Romantic?) 😉. S.O.S. 6:8-9.”
IF THERE WERE A SECRET RECIPE FOR JOY, WOULD YOU FOLLOW IT? Hebrews 1:9
When I cook, I almost never use a recipe. I like to be creative and “let the spirit move me.” But I also cook things that are easy and that I am used to cooking (you could argue there is a recipe; I simply memorized it). But if you cook challenging meals for large groupsContinue reading “IF THERE WERE A SECRET RECIPE FOR JOY, WOULD YOU FOLLOW IT? Hebrews 1:9”
“I’M NOT RELIGIOUS. I’M SPIRITUAL.” Colossians 2:3,8-9.
It’s the latest cliché: “I’m a spiritual person.” I’d like to ask, “How is your spirituality different from someone who reads poetry while sipping coffee and admiring nature? What is ‘spiritual’ about it?” Most who claim “spirituality,” focus on a mindset: they appreciate beauty, they think about gratitude, and they acknowledge there may or (mayContinue reading ““I’M NOT RELIGIOUS. I’M SPIRITUAL.” Colossians 2:3,8-9.”
GRATITUDE. Luke 17:15-16.
When I fell out of the garage rafters as a child and hit my head on the iron car bumper, I was happy not to be paralyzed. I was on the concrete floor doing sit-ups (to shake off the pain) with my hands clasped behind my head, and I was so thankful not to beContinue reading “GRATITUDE. Luke 17:15-16.”
THINGS ARE GONNA GET BETTER! Psalm 30:5; Psalm 126:1-2,5-6.
Sometimes life is hard. It just is. There is the grief of emotional loss. There is the pressure of responsibilities. There are health concerns and disappointed hopes and crushed dreams. You gained weight when you were trying to lose it. You gave up three walks when you had a chance to strike them out. AnotherContinue reading “THINGS ARE GONNA GET BETTER! Psalm 30:5; Psalm 126:1-2,5-6.”
SURRENDER YOUR EXPECTATIONS. Ezra 3:11-13; Zechariah 4:10.
What do you expect God to do for you? Do you think “I’ve obeyed Him, so I know He will give me _________”? Examples: You work hard in school, so you expect God to bless you with money. You are pure with the opposite sex, so you expect a rock-star spouse. You give your talentsContinue reading “SURRENDER YOUR EXPECTATIONS. Ezra 3:11-13; Zechariah 4:10.”
Household Words: 