“The joy of the Lord is amplified in the presence of lament. As my close friend and colleague Russ Ramsey once said in a sermon, lament is a necessary skill in the art of rejoicing. Lament is a skill, and rejoicing is an art form. I like how that sounds. Don’t you?”- Scott Sauls Scott […]
“Knowing we are deeply loved by our Creator frees us to pursue a life of significant, enduring achievement — a life not driven by fear and anxiety but one that springs from a deep well of joy and gratitude for the love and grace God has shown us.”- Ken Shigematsu In his Introduction (“Struggling with […]
“The cross of Christ shines through each of the four sacred gifts (value, strength, grace, joy) of our God-given callings. We all stand equally condemned under God’s righteous Law, yet equally forgiven and redeemed by His grace. The cross is the lens through which I must interpret every human interaction and relationship.”- Rev. Jeffrey Leininger […]
Equally dangerous, however, is the false god of the future — the forward-staring face of Janus. This false god can take a number of forms, but the most prevalent is that of godless anxiety. . . . we become hindered with constant fear, worry, and uncertainty. A thousand doubts and what-ifs arise as we pay […]
“Where’s an area where I can handle the pain of work better than the people around me? The area where you are more well-equipped to suffer is the work you were meant to do.”- James Clear, entrepreneur In Chapter 4 (“You Can Stop Feeling Self-Indulgent”) of Your Blue Flame, Jennifer describes what happens when you […]
“Settle yourself into the hammock of God’s affection. And as you do, and to the degree you do, you will give that love to others.”- Max Lucado “So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, […]
“Joy is such a precious commodity. Why squander it on a quibble? The phrases we use regarding our pet peeves reveal the person who actually suffers. He ‘gets under my skin’ or ‘gets on my nerves’ or is such a ‘pain in my neck.’ Whose skin, nerves, and neck? Ours! Who suffers? We do! Every […]
“Finding the new life of love, joy, and peace the Bible promises requires less obsession and more devotion. I can’t possibly overstate that truth. . . . obsessions cannot do what we want them to; they can’t deliver us from the old life and move us into the new. We have to put God at […]
“Within each narrative there are almost always shades of gray along the way. And it’s important to name those too. That’s what makes it a narrative and not just a moment. . . . a story and not just a plot point. That’s what makes it a life.”- Emily P. Freeman Emily P. Freeman concludes […]
“When we cry out for grace, we’re often already getting it, but it’s not the grace of release; it’s the grace of rescue and transformation, because that’s the grace we really need.”- Paul David Tripp Paul David Tripp continues Chapter 12 of Suffering with the second reason to hope in the middle of our suffering. […]
“Despair will not rule the day. Sorrow will not last forever. The clouds may eclipse the sun, but they cannot eliminate it. Night might delay the dawn, but it cannot defeat it. Morning comes. Not as quickly as we want. Not as dramatically as we desire. But morning comes, and with it comes joy.”- Max […]
“When you spend time with God, don’t leave your unwanted thoughts and feelings at the door. Instead, befriend them — and invite Jesus to be near them too.”- Alison Cook and Kimberly Miller “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are […]