Suffering
Valiant: not based on outcome
I squeezed the mic tightly. And then a little tighter. I looked out over the sea of crowd, but it was all just random blurs of color through my tears. I swallowed, looked down, closed my eyes, and squeezed again. But I just couldn’t do it…how could I? The music began and filled my…
[ Read More ]
The Ache of Life
I look out the window streaked with misty condensation. The coolness from outside combating the cozy warmness from within. The leaves are drifting delicately from the trees, becoming more barren with each passing day. The ground, a blanket of pine needles and an array of colors. My soul aches. An ache…
[ Read More ]Before You Offer Advice to a Hurting Person
We live in a world filled with hurting people. If you pay attention, you see many who are facing tremendous pain and loss. Depression, cancer, miscarriages, heart failure, relational issues, divorce. It seems as if pain is more prone to affect lives than ever before. But many of us are unequipped to know…
[ Read More ]Abuse Doesn’t Have to Destroy You…But This Will
Abuse is terrible and can be devastating. And I’m passionate about helping those who are hurting to find healing from it. I’ve blogged about sexual abuse here and here. But the actual abuse is usually not what causes the horrible destruction in an individual’s life…It’s the aftermath of it. The enemy will do everything in his power to blind them from the…
[ Read More ]When God’s Answer is “No”
If you haven’t discovered it yet, you will eventually face a specific time in your life when God seems to say “No” to your prayer. Or when He allows you to face a life-changing difficulty. No amount of begging, praying, or faith-claiming changes the outcome. The physical healing just doesn’t happen. A wonderful job opportunity…
[ Read More ]Why Silence Isn’t Always Submission
Sexual abuse. I wonder how many of us have been affected in some way by this ugly monster. Your sister. Your friend. Your parent. Your cousin. (I wrote an earlier blog regarding sexual abuse and felt I needed to follow up on it.) It’s time the church takes a different approach in dealing with sexual…
[ Read More ]How the Church Often Fails the Victimized
Sexual abuse/molestation is painful and ugly. It hurts. Deeply. Sexual abuse is one of the greatest violations that can be committed to a person, especially to an unassuming and innocent child. Sexual molestation and abuse can be extremely damaging, yet, the church has for many years failed those who’s lives have been affected by…
[ Read More ]Why Physical Healing Isn’t Always Biblical
When it comes to physical healing, our family has encountered nearly every view regarding it. In spite of that, we’re still learning and seeking the heart of our Father regarding physical infirmities and healing. One of our passions is to reach out to those who’ve been deeply hurt or disillusioned by a wrong…
[ Read More ]What Suffering and Death Teaches Me About Thanksgiving
So yesterday was Thanksgiving Day. You know, the day family, friends and communities gather together, share with each other, and express the gratitude of their hearts. But thanksgiving is more than a day we celebrate. Much more. It’s even greater than the act of giving thanks. You see, we can learn more about God when…
[ Read More ]The Beauty of Brokenness
For all my married life, I’ve faced the many unspoken expectations from others. It can be hard to get away from the scrutiny and assumptions that concur when you’re living in a “glass house.” But with this reality comes the awareness of the greater responsibility to not be a stumbling block to anyone. …
[ Read More ]