Wounded Healer

Dan endured daily beatings from the same prison guard. He felt compelled by Jesus to love this man, so one morning, before the beating was about to begin, Dan said, “Sir, if I’m going to see you every day for the rest of my life, let’s become friends.” The guard said, “No sir. We can never be friends.” Dan insisted and reached out his hand. The guard froze. He began to shake, then grabbed Dan’s hand and wouldn’t let go. Tears…

Father’s Day is in the rear-view mirror but oddly enough I’ve been thinking about my dad quite a bit lately. He went to be with the Lord on January 12th of 2010. It’s been a while since I’ve seen him face to face. Yet, I’m recalling fond memories of projects we did together, the time we spent at ball games, and just having him present. He was a tough guy. Never had much to say. Rough around the edges, but kind at heart. He gave His life to the…

Over the years we’ve come to see that the only thing more tragic than the things that have happened to us is what we have done with them. Words were said, painful words. Things were done, awful things. And they shaped us. Something inside of us shifted. We embraced the messages of our wounds. We accepted a twisted view of ourselves. And from that we chose a way of relating to our world. We made a vow never to be in that place again. We adopted strategies to protect…

As a Christian, embracing your brokenness means acknowledging and accepting your imperfections, weaknesses, and struggles. It is recognizing that as humans, we are all flawed and in need of God's grace and redemption. Here are a few key aspects of embracing brokenness as a Christian: Humility: Embracing brokenness involves humbling yourself before God and others, acknowledging that you are not perfect and that you need God's help. It means letting go of pride and self,…

However strong a castle may be, if a treacherous party resides inside (ready to betray at the first opportunity possible), the castle cannot be kept safe from the enemy. Traitors occupy our own hearts, ready to side with every temptation and to surrender to them all. (John Owen, Sin and Temptation) Ever since that fateful day when Adam gave away the essence of his strength, men have struggled with a part of themselves that is ready at the drop of a hat to do the same. We don&rsquo…

Listen When we place trust in Jesus, God doesn’t take us straight to heaven. Instead, He leaves us here on earth and gives each of us a ministry to carry out with Christ’s all-sufficient power. God has specifically designed a place of service to fit our personality, gifts, and abilities. He also equips and strengthens us to be able to meet the challenges of that calling. The believer’s responsibility is to obey with joy. Too many Christians approach…

We must forgive those who hurt us. The reason is simple: Bitterness and unforgiveness set their hooks deep in our hearts; they are chains that hold us captive to the wounds and the messages of those wounds. Until you forgive, you remain their prisoner. Paul warns us that unforgiveness and bitterness can wreck our lives and the lives of others (Eph. 4:31; Heb. 12:15). We have to let it all go. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (Col. 3:13) Now—listen carefully.…

Thanksgiving Day meals in America bring families together for a delicious ham or turkey dinner. But they are notorious for family spectacle as well—the picky great-aunt who remembers when she could cook better, the politically active uncle who can’t hold his opinions back, the growing son helping himself to a fourth serving of potatoes. Sometimes manners don’t match the occasion. Turns out, family drama is nothing new. In the first century church,…

Denial is a favorite method of coping for many Christians. But not with Jesus. He wants truth in the inmost being, and to get it there he's got to take us into our inmost being. One way he'll do this is by bringing up an old memory. You'll be driving down the road and suddenly remember something from your childhood. Or maybe you'll have a dream about a long-forgotten person, event, or place. However he brings it up, go with him there. He has something to…