Hello friends! I invite you to listen and enjoy my recent interview on the Hope Unyielding podcast. Writer and host Hope Johnson and I discuss why peace is so important for Christians in today’s culture of busyness and distraction. “Peace is something that we all desire, yet often feels elusive in today’s world. Even before the pandemic hit, the fast pace of American culture combined with the ever-increasing usage of technology has many of us feeling frantic and frazzled. Cheryl Elton has made it a life goal to pursue Christ’s perfect peace, and today she shares what she has learned through…
January 6, 2021 is a day we will never forget. Watching a massive mob of angry and violent protestors break into our nation’s Capitol, while Congressmen and women cowered on the chamber floor was horrifying and heartbreaking. It left Americans shaken, scared, uncertain. Later that day I went out for a walk to think, pray, and try to process what was happening. The beautiful sky and setting sun reminded me of God’s supremacy. What came to mind were the words on a poster I had as a teenager: JESUS CHRIST Certain in the midst of uncertainty A firm rock in…
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…
The Bible is not a book full of clever maxims, helpful suggestions, or do’s and don’ts—it is the book of LIFE! As such, its many principles and paradoxes challenge our human thinking: when we give, we receive; when we lose ourselves, we find ourselves; to be rich, we must become poor; exalting ourselves, we’ll be humbled, but humbling ourselves, we’ll be exalted. God longs to fill us and be part of all we do, all we are, and all we become, but His hands are tied if we’re hanging on to our human pride. When we think our ways are…
A new year brings hope, a sense of fresh beginnings and better days. For many, it’s a time to set goals and sharpen our focus on what is truly important. Enter the “SMART” acronym . . . A well-known business model for setting goals and objectives says SMART goals are: S-specific; M-measurable; A-attainable; R-relevant; T-time-bound. A lot has been written on these highly effective concepts, and they offer a practical measuring stick for success when making personal goals. But let’s also consider Ephesians 6, which gives us the crucial reminder that at its core, all of life is spiritual. Finally,…
