“It isn’t always easy to surrender our plans, but it’s incredible to see what unfolds when we have faith. God uses our stories of deliverance and freedom to point to his mighty power.”- Meredith McDaniel “But Moses pleaded to the LORD, ‘I am not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not […]
“Our limitations are not weaknesses that leave us unworthy to be loved; they are entry points for God to do His work. God is an ever-present help in time of need (Psalm 46:1), and when we know His names, we get a better glimpse of who we are and how we are provided for. . […]
“We must discard whatever will hold us down. We must discard the wrong priorities that keep us from what matters most.”- John Ortberg “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance […]
“I only find true freedom when I bring every part of my heart into the light, letting unconditional love pour water onto the destructive fires of shame and fear.”- Christa Black Gifford As Christa Black Gifford concludes Chapter 7 of Heart Made Whole, she notes the scary nature of intimacy. Especially to a human heart […]
“When we aim at our symptoms, hacking away with our own strength . .. we might expect temporary change through self-restraint, but never permanent freedom.”- Christa Black Gifford “The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out. But I, GOD, search the heart and examine the mind. I get […]
” . . . if we remain paralyzed and if we refuse to risk staying tender and needy before God, then we are risking . . . missing out on the opportunity for closeness and intimacy with him and with others.”- Ann Swindell Ann Swindell concludes Chapter 8 of Still Waiting as she underscore the […]
“This is an important truth: Sometimes God wants to see if we will serve others amid our own pain; this becomes a source of healing for others and a catalyst that leads to our own freedom.”- Os Hillman “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in […]
“Sustainable spiritual growth happens when I actually want to do what I ought to do (emphasis author’s).”- John Ortberg As John Ortberg continues Chapter 4 of The Me I Want to Be, he asks this proven conversation stopper. He queries, How are your spiritual disciplines going? Most people, John quips, mention a very short list […]
“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”- Dr. Tony Evans “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from […]
“The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.”- Genesis 2:15 “Soul satisfaction is tied more to responsibility itself than a particular role or dream job.”- Judah Smith Today Pastor Judah Smith presents the second element of a healthy soul environment (Chapter 2, How’s […]
“During a season of blocked doors, we can grow frustrated.”- Max Lucado In Chapter 8 (“The Right Doors Open”) of More to Your Story, Pastor Max Lucado tells of a problem with Molly, the Lucado’s nine-year- old golden retriever. When Molly wants out of the house, she scratches the door. As a result, marks decorate […]
“The call of God is that we trust Him in the darkness as we trusted Him in the light. He has not changed, even though our circumstances have been painfully altered.”- Dr. Gary Chapman Gary Chapman begins Chapter 11 (“When You are Angry with God”) of Anger by observing that “Christians often experience anger toward […]