Normal days are no longer normal. The world is caught up in a storm, the winds of change fiercely howling; while we’re swirling, swirling, unsure of when we might land. Bravely venturing out, we find empty shelves in familiar stores, businesses and restaurants closed, church services cancelled. The economy is in a tailspin, with nothing guaranteed but an uncertain future. Meanwhile, people remain sheltered in their homes, riding out the storm while gripping tightly onto all they thought they knew. Jesus warns us such trouble is inevitable: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have…
“You’re not making me want to do this,” I uneasily laughed. The pre-op nurse stood before me reciting a litany of risks of surgery: from possible infection, to cardiac arrest . . . to death. For a split second, fear gripped my heart. This was elective surgery. Do I really want to go through with this? Let’s face it . . . surgery brings anxiety. The uncertainties, the unknowns, the disruption of routines, the fear of pain . . . The hidden things in our hearts that leave us teetering on the brink of fear often surface during this time….
Perhaps you’ve seen the stickers, the magnets, the greeting cards: Life is good. Ever notice how easy it is to coast along—and even forget God—when things are going well . . . . . . when life is good ? Jesus came that we might have a more abundant life, yet He also warns us that in this world there will be trials. Unfortunately, it’s often when something big rocks our world—the unexpected crisis, the cancer diagnosis—that many people quickly cry out to God for help. Yet in the same verse, Jesus also tells us that in Him we can…
