Walking With God

What situations cause you to doubt God? Do fears come because the future seems uncertain? Are hardships a challenge since they make the Lord appear unkind? Or perhaps your expectations and dreams have come crashing down, and it seems God is nowhere to be found. Since our heavenly Father is omniscient, sovereign, and loving, we have every reason to trust Him regardless of the circumstance. God is infinitely wise. We may have all the information that is humanly possible to,…

“Dear Father in heaven, I’m not a praying man, but if you’re up there, and you can hear me, show me the way. I’m at the end of my rope.” That prayer is whispered by a broken-down George Bailey, the character played by Jimmy Stewart in the classic film It’s a Wonderful Life. In the now iconic scene, Bailey’s eyes fill with tears. They weren’t part of the script, but as he spoke that prayer Stewart said he “felt the,…

Living a life of gratitude means having a heart that is sensitive to God’s presence in our everyday lives. Take some time each day to thank God for who He is and for something He has done for you. You can thank Him always for everything—great or small—but being specific about something each day that is especially meaningful to you will be a blessing to you and to God. For example, it can be as simple as, “Father, thank You for helping me make good…

“Object permanence” is an expression used by psychologists of a child’s ability to understand that objects still exist even if they are no longer visible. Up to about four months old, babies don’t have the capacity to believe something exists if they can’t see it. If you hide a toy it no longer exists as far as they are concerned. They reach a stage where if you hide a toy, they will keep on looking for it. They realize that objects exist even…

Country artist Chris Stapleton’s deeply personal song, “Daddy Doesn’t Pray Anymore,” was inspired by his own father’s prayers for him. The poignant lyrics reveal the reason his father’s prayers ended: not disillusionment or weariness, but his own death. Stapleton imagines that now, instead of speaking with Jesus in prayer, his dad is walking and talking face-to-face with Jesus. Stapleton’s recollection of his father’s prayers…

One of the many benefits of communion with God is that he shares his perspective with us.  When I refer to communion I do not mean the sacrament of communion, although that can be part of it.  Communion means living in a connected way with our heavenly father, whether it is in prayer, fasting, or in scripture, worship, or just sitting and listening in his presence.  Miriam-Webster defines communion as "an act or instance of sharing", and "…

Have you ever felt like you were in the depths of despair? Have you felt that ‘the bottom has fallen out of [your] life’ (v.1, MSG)? The psalmist says, ‘Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy’ (vv.1–2). Your prayers and God’s mercy are like two buckets in a well. When one goes up, the other comes down. There is an honest desperation about this prayer. Don’t try…

I recently experienced a "God moment" while starting a new entry in my journal.  I wrote the date at the top of the page like I always do, but this time I paused because it felt... different.  It felt significant.  Do you know that feeling when God is trying to get your attention?  I wrote the date, and I saw the blank page and rather than diving into the normal writing routine I just stopped and waited.  Here was just a page with a date…

When we are in despair, it’s difficult to sense the Lord’s presence with us. The circumstances seem to overwhelm what we know to be true—that His Holy Spirit abides in us forever. We long for an awareness that He cares, but in our distress, it is easy to forget the ways He makes Himself known to us: The Scriptures. The first place we should go to find the Lord is His Word. His instructions lead us through dark valleys, His promises give hope, and His…