My Blog
The power to change your Life
What would you like to change about yourself? Would you like to be more confident or more relaxed? Perhaps you’d like to be more outgoing, less anxious, or less fearful. Most of us are more than a little interested in changing because we realize there is always room...
How we’re getting through – Rick Warren
Have I told you lately that I love you? You see two waters up here today. That means you’re going to get a double-barrel sermon. In the past sixteen weeks since mental illness took Matthew’s life one of the passages of the Bible that has encouraged me the most is 2...
Stages of Grief
While degrees of emotion vary from person to person, grief almost always runs this course: Initial shock. The moment when the news first comes, either over the phone or in person. Sometimes this initial shock leaves the survivor stunned, numb to the huge surge of...
Grief & Bereavement – Billy Graham
Grief – an intense emotional suffering caused by personal loss Grief involves acute sorrow, deep sadness, suffering, pain, and anguish. Bereavement – the grief that follows the death of a loved one. This person will often feel that his/her experience is unique, that...
Grief – Man’s Questions, God’s Answer
“Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.” Isaiah 53:4 Grief is one of the most painful emotions we will ever experience. Grief is our reaction to the loss of someone or something...
Grief and Loss
Grief and loss are inevitable parts of our lives. Most of us have experienced different kinds of grieving and loss, and the longer we live, the more we tend to see. Since they’re unavoidable, the question becomes how we can face such devastating impacts on our lives....
F-Bomb
(Romans 12:19) “Dear friends, don’t try to get even. Let God take revenge. In the Scriptures the Lord says, “I am the one to take revenge and pay them back.” Truths About Forgiveness Forgiveness does not represent weakness. It is the portal (way) to power. Forgiveness...
Insights of Forgiveness
Luke 23:34 (NKJV) 34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots. We all do things that hurt others that we might not even realize. Jesus forgave them before they asked. Jesus forgives us...
Forgiveness
Forgiving others when they have hurt us is always a difficult thing to do. That does not mean that forgiveness is impossible. Forgiveness starts with a choice. We have to choose to forgive. We can ask God to give us a willing heart to forgive the people who have hurt...
Fear – Billy Graham
A moderate sense of fear may be considered normal, even healthy. It may be simply an awareness of impending danger—a defense mechanism. It may be just the pounding heart, flushed face, and sweaty palms in anticipation of being called on in class or being asked to make...
10 things to do when Depression hurts
“It never fails to surprise me how badly depression can physically hurt.” It is an indescribable pain growing somewhere inside your torso. You can’t even understand where it lives, but you feel it pushing down on your stomach, reaching up inside your rib cage, and...
Overcoming Anxiety
Pray that God will give patience in the process. (Psalm 40:1-2, GW, NLT2) You can know what the process is, even if you don’t fully understand it. (Jeremiah 29:11, NKJV, NLT2, CEV) Because you know the purpose of the process, it helps you have patience. Be still and...
Thank God
The goodness of God is beyond description. (Psalm 106:1-5, TLB; Psalm 106:5, TLB) Thank Him for loving us continuously and forever. Thank Him for His mercies that are new every morning. Thank Him for sending His Son to die for our sins. Thank Him for giving us the...
Favor with a Purpose
Your purpose is what you live out, not what you just talk about. Even though we have purpose and favor, it does not mean we will not have problems. Jesus had a purpose with favor. (Luke 2:52, NKJV; Hebrews 12:2, NKJV) When our pain has purpose, it makes it easier to...
Favor is for Life
God’s favor is still with us even in the bad times. (Psalm 30:5, NKJV, ESV) Make sure you activate the favor of God. The Holy Spirit never leaves us, but there are things we can do that grieve the Holy Spirit: (Ephesians 4:25-32, NKJV) Bitterness. Rage. Anger. Harsh...
The Favor of a Wife
A true wife brings strength and joy. (Proverbs 18:22, NKJV, AMP; Proverbs 14:1, NCV) A wise woman applies God’s Word and principles to the marriage which strengthens it. A true and wise woman knows that marriage will need repairs and will help do her part to keep it...
Leaders Grow from the Inside Out
Grow from the inside out, be bigger on the inside than the outside. (Psalm 119:11, NKJV) Allow God’s Word to transform you. (Romans 12:2, NKJV; Luke 6:45, NKJV; Matthew 23:25, NKJV) Qualities of leaders who grow from the inside out. They value people more than...
Favor Beyond What You Can Fathom
Abraham’s response to God’s representatives help us understand why he finally received the favor he had been waiting on. (Genesis 18:1-15, NCV) When God comes into your presence, do you want to beg Him to stay? Do you see yourself as God’s servant rather than God...
God’s Continuous Favor
Continue to ask God for His favor. (Psalm 90:16-17, NRSV) Can we grow in God’s favor? Yes How do we grow in God’s favor? Salvation and Wisdom. (Proverbs 8:35, NKJV, AMP) Wisdom is knowing the mind of God in a matter and then knowing how to apply it on a day-to-day...
Achieving Leadership Goals
Stop being goal-oriented and be more growth-oriented. Getting promoted past your personal growth is a land mine waiting to happen. Happiness is a by-product of oneness. Trying to be special because of achievement won’t bring happiness, it brings separation, fear, and...