Tag Archives: fear

Studying Ishmael’s life and specifically his rejection reminds us that life is not always fair. Sometimes the people who should take care of us and protect us from the cruelties of the world fail to do. Other times, the people we love most are the very ones who inflict pain ...

Not sure why I was heading to the farm, I found myself there anyway.  The long barn stood strong and beautiful above the two plowed and planted fields.  At the far end of the fields, the farmer stood observing his work.  I turned the old Pontiac into the center of ...

Esther 4:14 is one of my favorite Scriptures of encouragement, hope and purpose. Esther was raised up from a lowly peasant girl, a nobody, to a queen. All that she could ever hope for and imagine was at her fingertips. She had it all. Then one day, the tables were ...

“Jesus loves me this I know … ”.  For many, the song is ingrained in their soul; we’ve sang it since childhood.  We say we believe it.  Living faith is a different story. Sometimes our hearts cry, “THIS is what love feels like?”  The bank sends a foreclosure notice. The ...

Have you ever told someone, “That’s just me,”? That comment usually follows someone’s criticism of our character or a habit. It’s a defensive punch, with an implied offensive follow up: “You’re being judgmental and unfair.” Is this a valid excuse for bad behavior? Recently, I helped a friend administer the ...