Sometimes I’m singing and the words of a song just don’t match up with what I’m feeling. Maybe a song goes “I feel Your peace now,” but instead my feelings are roiling inside. Maybe a song goes “Nothing will separate me from Your love,” but I feel I’m standing across a chasm from God’s presence.Continue reading “When the Lyrics don’t Match Up, pt 1”
Category Archives: Encouragement
I am Okay as I am
A wise man once told me, “We tend to tolerate imperfections in others more than in ourselves.” I had to think hard about that, because I grew up around people who weren’t so forgiving of my shortcomings. For example, my peers who were more athletic than me: they would knock me down when I couldn’tContinue reading “I am Okay as I am”
Writer’s Block
It’s been a while since I’ve posted something. I’ve blamed it on having a new job, but the truth is I have a block. I have about six unfinished entries sitting in my drafts that I haven’t made much headway on. I haven’t made any headway on my fiction either. So I finally figured I’dContinue reading “Writer’s Block”
When I Want to Give Up, pt. 6
Part 5 here I’ve written a little about Job here, and I recommend reading the short post before continuing. In summary, Job was afflicted with all sorts of calamity and pain he believed God unjustly sent. But in fact, the book affirms Job was never a sinner being punished by God, but rather it wasContinue reading “When I Want to Give Up, pt. 6”
When I Want to Give Up, pt. 5
See part 4 To Sleep, Perchance to Die I guess I was somewhat lucky this all took place during a summer. I was only 18, fresh out of high school, but instead of enjoying the sun, calling on friends, and doing other teenage things, I hid in my room, rummaging the internet for answers, anyContinue reading “When I Want to Give Up, pt. 5”
When I Want to Give Up, pt. 4
See part 3 Why Have You Abandoned Me? “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?Why are you so far away when I groan for help? Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief.” (Psalms 22:1-2 NLT) Isn’tContinue reading “When I Want to Give Up, pt. 4”
When I Want to Give Up, pt. 3
See part 2 “To Live is Christ, to Die is Gain” But there is more to that verse. Let’s look at the context of what the Apostle Paul is saying: “My confident hope is that I will in no way be ashamed but that with complete boldness, even now as always, Christ will be exaltedContinue reading “When I Want to Give Up, pt. 3”
The Church Awakens (short version)
“Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” (Ephesians 5:14 NLT) The sun rose and we woke up. But we did more than just wake up, we got up. We left our little piece of Heaven to help others find God. I know in this weather, it’s so muchContinue reading “The Church Awakens (short version)”
The Church Awakens
“The light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” (Ephesians 5:14 NLT) The sun rose and we woke up. Well, maybe not in that order. But we did more than just wake up, we got up. We left ourContinue reading “The Church Awakens”
The Tragedy of Job’s Hopelessness
Job was a broken man. The satan had taken away everything from him except his life. Job’s kids were dead, his flocks destroyed, and his wealth reduced to nothing. Additionally he’d broken out in serious boils all over his body. His wife (who had somehow survived the calamities) encouraged him to commit a type ofContinue reading “The Tragedy of Job’s Hopelessness”
A contemporary log of fragmentary pleasures 