Something Beautiful

When you think of what is beautiful, what comes to mind? Perhaps it’s the majesty of creation – the vast blue oceans, the splendor of the mountains, the diversity of the green lush forests. Maybe it’s taking some quiet moments to relish the beauty displayed in artistic paintings or other pieces of artwork. When we

Prepare Him Room

While singing Joy to the World during worship at church, the phrase “prepare Him room” took on a whole new meaning as I considered what it really means to prepare room in our hearts for Jesus during the Christmas season. I am not referring, however, to simply slowing down from the hustle and bustle and

Name Above All Names

One aspect Scripture places on trusting God is the emphasis on trusting in His name. Psalm 33:20-22 says, “Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” But what

The Goodness of God

“God is good.” While this is certainly a true statement of our heavenly Father’s character, in times of suffering God’s goodness often comes into question. How could such a loving God and Father allow us to endure such devastating circumstances? Why doesn’t He stop the pain and suffering? Certainly the all-powerful and sovereign God of

Heaven In Our Eyes

I think one of the greatest challenges we face in the midst of suffering is keeping our focus on the eternal. When we are weighed down by the weight of our trials, our eyes naturally fixate on our burdens and what is going on around us. So how do we change our focus from the

By Faith

Unquestionably, many are familiar with 2 Corinthians 5:7: “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” This is certainly a Scripture verse that gives us hope and encouragement as we journey through life with its many trials, but I wonder how many people actually understand this verse in its context of what Paul is writing. Here is

Triumphal Procession

Our world is in the midst of a great crisis and pandemic with COVID-19. Incidentally, we are also in the midst of Holy Week, a time of reflecting upon Christ’s triumphal entrance into Jerusalem and culminating in the celebration of His resurrection on Easter Sunday. Yet, we celebrate Easter in hindsight of events that, some

Hope Against Hope

I was reading Romans 4 the other day and verse 18 jumped off the page at me. Ever have one of those moments? You know the Bible story or passage well – have read and studied it numerous times – and suddenly you see something you’ve never seen before. In telling of Abraham’s faith regarding

Because He Lives

Fear. Uncertainty. Panic. These are just a few of the many human reactions to the Coronavirus that is affecting our world in unprecedented ways. Add to this our own personal trials that are affecting our ability to cope with life, and we wonder how we can possibly survive an international health crisis amidst our daily

Burdened Beyond Our Strength

Undoubtedly, we have all been there. Life’s circumstances have completely consumed us and we feel like we just can’t take anymore. Overwhelmed with our trials and the drudgery of day-to-day living, wondering when we will ever find relief, we despair of life itself. We never imagined that life would get so difficult or that our