Wounded Healer

I have in my files a copy of a letter written by Major Sullivan Ballou, a Union officer in the 2nd Rhode Island Infantry Regiment. He writes to his wife on the eve of the Battle of Bull Run, a battle he senses will be his last. He speaks tenderly to her of his undying love, of "the memories of blissful moments I have spent with you." Ballou mourns the thought that he must give up "the hope of future years, when, God willing, we might still have lived and…

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 "…

Thanking God glorifies and magnifies Him, but did you know doing so also benefits us? The Lord doesn’t need our gratitude, but as we give thanks, we become less selfish and more confident in God’s character. Expressing gratefulness … Refocuses our attention. Life is filled with distractions that can make it harder to notice all God has done for us. Instead of living with the weight of the world on our shoulders, it’s good to try refocusing on the…

Sometimes people make decisions they later regret because they listened to ungodly counsel. Here are four suggestions to help you discern what is wise, biblical advice: Look for counsel that references God, the Bible, and Jesus. If it neglects or contradicts the principles of Scripture, the best thing to do is retreat. If there’s a lot of talk but little prayer, think twice. Even with a great exchange of ideas and wisdom, a prudent advisor should ultimately defer to…

In the Netherlands, a group of fashion designers offer a “Golden Joinery” workshop. Inspired by the Japanese technique Kintsugi, where broken porcelain is visibly repaired with gold, participants collaborate in mending clothes in ways that highlight the mending work rather than trying to mask it. Those who are invited bring “a dear but broken garment and mend it with gold.” As they remake their clothes, the repair becomes ornamental, a “golden scar.;…

Whether we want to admit it or not, we all have bad habits. Those things we do and say that we wish we didn’t do and say. Some habits are difficult to break and some are incredibly difficult to break. We may be prone to laziness or gossip, or we may have formed a habit of abusing substances. Whatever it is, we’ve probably either become comfortable with certain habits in our lives, or we think they’re too difficult to overcome. Why is change so challenging?…

Victory is God’s will for the life of the believer. But sometimes we can find ourselves repeatedly falling into the same sins. As a result, our lives are marked by broken promises to end wrongdoing. We tell the Lord that we yearn to do what's right, but often our desire wanes when virtue is no longer convenient, pleasurable, or profitable. Many times, believers become angry with God for withholding the victory, but sin is always our choice—not the Lord&rsquo.…

Your wounds brought messages with them. Lots of messages. Somehow they all usually land in the same place. They had a similar theme. “You’re worthless.” “You’re not a woman.” “You’re too much ... and not enough.” “You’re a disappointment.” “You are repulsive.” On and on they go. Because they were delivered with such pain, they felt true. They pierced our hearts, and they seemed so true. So…

Alfred Nobel (1833–1896) is best known for the Nobel Peace Prize. Less well known is the fact that Alfred Nobel also invented dynamite. As well as a chemist, engineer and innovator, he was a weapons’ manufacturer. In 1888, Alfred’s brother Ludvig died. A French newspaper erroneously published Alfred’s obituary. It condemned him for his invention of dynamite, stating: ‘The merchant of death is dead… Dr Alfred Nobel, who became rich by…