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The Daily Memo | April 8, 2022 | Looking Beyond Disappointment
Disappointment is an emotional response to dashed hopes, goals, and desires. Sometimes it’s the result of circumstances beyond our control, but when others are involved, it’s easy to blame them for the situation. We might even lose faith in the person we think let us down. Martha and Mary could relate. The gospel of John tells us that Jesus loved Martha, her sister Mary, and their brother Lazarus (John 11:5). Because of this, they expected He would come…
Categories: The Daily Memo, The Reality of Our Present World, Knowing & Being Known | Authored by: sparrowwebsites | Posted: 04/08/2022
The Daily Memo | April 7, 2022 | We, Too, Shall Live and Never Die
The resurrection of Jesus was the first of many, the forerunner of our own. He paved the way, as the saying goes. The fact is that Christ has been raised from the dead. He has become the first of a great harvest of those who will be raised to life again. (1 Cor. 15:20 NLT) God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of…
Categories: The Daily Memo, Restored in Him, Return to the Garden | Authored by: sparrowwebsites | Posted: 04/07/2022
The Daily Memo | April 6, 2022 | Partnering in His Purposes
True friends are those who are willing to partner with us in things that really matter to us. True friends are willing to help simply because they love us, even if the task isn't something they would have ordinarily valued. In John 21:15 we gain insight into a conversation between two friends, Jesus and Simon Peter. Scripture says, When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to,…
Categories: The Daily Memo, Understanding Love, Knowing & Being Known | Authored by: sparrowwebsites | Posted: 04/06/2022
The Daily Memo | April 5, 2022 | God's Guidance for Forgiveness
When someone repeatedly wrongs us, we often try to draw a line at the number of times we’ll accept apologies. In other situations, we may attempt to categorize which offenses we’ll pardon. But Jesus drew no such lines at the cross. God’s unconditional pardon of our sins means that our forgiveness toward others should likewise have no limitations—even when certain behaviors can’t be allowed to continue. Another issue is the temptation to hang on…
Categories: The Daily Memo, Identity Security, Wounded Healer | Authored by: sparrowwebsites | Posted: 04/05/2022
The Daily Memo | April 4, 2022 | The Essence of Prayer
When Abraham Lincoln became president of the United States, he was tasked with leading a fractured nation. Lincoln is viewed as a wise leader and a man of high moral character, but another element to his makeup, perhaps, was the foundation for everything else. He understood that he was inadequate for the task at hand. His response to that inadequacy? Lincoln said, “I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to.…
Categories: Walking With God, The Daily Memo, Practicing His Presence | Authored by: sparrowwebsites | Posted: 04/04/2022
The Daily Memo | April 1, 2022 | East of Eden
Things are not what they were meant to be. East of Eden, we have kept moving east and come all the way ’round, finding the garden utterly lost and cruelly unrecognizable. We were all born into this world. We came in gasping for air, and we are gasping still. It’s a tough place to make a living, a hard place to make a life. Fire and ice. Beauty and terror. Pain and healing. Intertwined. The good news is that Life wins out. Life has already won out. Love has won.…
Categories: The Daily Memo, Return to the Garden, Spiritual Warfare | Authored by: sparrowwebsites | Posted: 04/01/2022
The Daily Memo | March 31, 2022 | No Time Like the Present
When we’re recovering from hurts or mistakes, some people will tell us to forget the past. “There’s no way of changing it,” they say, “so why worry about it?” Other well-intended people will tell us to focus on the future. But the truth is that we need to consider our past, present, and future if we want to build our life in a healthy and balanced way. Let’s consider the present. It’s true that we can’t change the past,…
Categories: Life, The Daily Memo, The Reality of Our Present World | Authored by: sparrowwebsites | Posted: 03/31/2022
The Daily Memo | March 30, 2022 | Healing Our Hurts
Throughout the world, people are mistreated and traumatized, and many carry deep scars throughout life. Not everyone’s experiences are extreme, but even mild hurts can fester, affecting relationships and self-image. Something as common as betrayal or rejection by friends or family can lead to distorted thinking and negative behaviors. Unhealed hurts can lead to various symptoms, such as feelings of inferiority, fear of failure or criticism, and oversensitivity. Some…
Categories: Walking With God, The Daily Memo, Understanding Love, The Hope of Healing | Authored by: sparrowwebsites | Posted: 03/30/2022
Fear of Missing Out - An Excerpt from 90 Days on the Inside
Life is like a short-term mission trip. What does it feel like to know that we only get a limited time on this earth and that making the most of it is paramount? Satan has no intention of allowing us to be a difference maker for God’s Kingdom here on Earth. If he can influence us into bad behavior, otherwise known as sin, and get us sidetracked, he wins. In his world, we just become one more neutralized Christian. I found myself in a futile attempt to manage my sin…
Categories: The Hope of Healing, The Reality of Our Present World, 90 Days on the Inside Book Excerpt, Blog | Authored by: sparrowwebsites | Posted: 03/29/2022
The Daily Memo | March 29, 2022 | More Faith Over Fear
We cannot allow our fears of failing to keep us from reaching our full potential. Too often do we allow fear to paralyze us. We sit and wait until we are no longer afraid, when we could have acted long before. God has a plan in place for you, and it may require you to step out of the realm of your comfort zone. You may be uncomfortable. You may be scared. You may not feel that you are ready, but you will be when it’s time. Fear is nothing. Fear is a mirage. It’s…
Categories: Walking With God, The Daily Memo, The Reality of Our Present World, Knowing & Being Known | Authored by: sparrowwebsites | Posted: 03/29/2022