I’ll be honest, I hated that school. But looking back, I’m thankful for the things I learned there. Would I choose it? No way.My heavenly Father loved me enough to allow me to attend its’ dreaded classes. He knew there were things I’d learn there that I couldn’t learn anywhere else. Continue reading
She shouldn’t have said it, but she did. The words cut deep. Words that I would expect an enemy to say, not one of my closest friends. I spiraled. For weeks after, waves of depression crashed over me. Relentless waves of self-hatred and despair. Her words continued to ring in my ears, and I became fixated on them. I had a young family to care for, but I found it difficult to function. Every chore felt like a mountain. I felt helpless. Powerless to get up. Powerless to find joy again.
Life events can knock us on our backsides sometimes, leaving us feeling like we’ve had the breath knocked out of us. If you’re like me, I truly didn’t know how to get back up. I thought depression was just something that either happened to me or it didn’t. I felt like Continue reading
Maybe you’ve had a prophetic word spoken over your life. It seems God has even bigger plans for your life than you did. It can be an exciting thing to be given a glimpse of what God has in mind for your future. You’ve been given a great trust. So, what does it look like to steward that word well? Continue reading
Have you ever been praying for something and realized that you don’t really believe that your prayers will be answered? I have.I think unbelief is one of those hindrances that can, if we allow it, keep us from our prayer closets. This is a little bit intimidating to even bring up. We’ve all heard the criticisms that the “Name It Claim It” groups receive. Some, unwisely, have told someone who is going through a devastating trial that they just don’t have enough faith. Talk about adding insult to injury. It’s easy, in a knee-jerk reaction, to just ignore unbelief. That feels safer. But for those of us that spend a significant part of our time and energy in intercession, it seems like a topic that needs to be brought up if we are going to bear fruit. In James 1:6, in the context of praying for wisdom, it says, Continue reading
Finding the courage to say no to controlling behavior.What does it mean to dominate another person?
Do be dominated is to be mastered. The dominator has succeeded in pressuring someone until they yielded to being controlled. Perhaps to avoid the consequences of resisting. The one who yields has been conquered. While the relationship may appear amiable much of the time, differences of opinion will expose domination.
What’s the difference between domination and submission? Continue reading
How Intercessors Can Bless The Church And Its Leadership.If you’re reading this, it’s probably because you feel compelled to pray for the body of Christ. You see needs and have compassion for God’s people. You have been given a great trust and have the potential to do a great amount of good for the body of Christ. You are on the front lines, and often see things before they impact the rest of the body. As you pray, the trajectory of the spiritual realm shifts. Thank you for the sacrifices that you make. There is a cost to intercession, and you are VERY much appreciated. I want to share with you some things that I hope it will make your path a little smoother. Continue reading
Weariness. Jesus understood the suffering of those who feel it.We can hear the compassion in Jesus’ voice when He said in Matthew 11:28, “”Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” He knew the weight this spirit can put upon His people. He offers us the solution: Himself.
Isaiah 40 says, “The LORD is the everlasting God…He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Continue reading
Christmas. We look forward to it because it’s a symbol of hope. A time of hopeful anticipation when anything can happen. Expectations can run high over the holidays, which makes it all the more painful if depression or anxiety set in. And for those who are experiencing loneliness, the holidays may seem to magnify it. Disappointment can replace joyful anticipation, making Christmas something to endure rather than enjoy. Continue reading
Whenever I minister to others who are experiencing depression, one of the first questions I ask is, “When did it begin?” Was there a distressing life event when things shifted? If so, who was involved? What was your perception of God after that event? Sometimes the answer to these questions points the way to the path out of depression. Continue reading
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment…” Romans 5:3-5
Have you ever found yourself going through a trial that just seemed to go ON and ON and you found yourself asking God if it was EVER going to end? I’ve been asking the Lord that question lately, wondering if this is something that I’ll have to deal with the rest of my life. In that place, I found myself squirming and resisting what the Lord was allowing. A dear friend reminded me of the peace that comes when we allow patience to weave its’ way around the trial that God, for some reason, is asking us to endure. Somehow the trial seems less painful when we stop squirming and surrender to God’s plan for our lives. Continue reading
