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…
With warmer days and summer around the corner, one of my spring rituals is putting away the winter coats and sweaters for another year, and bringing out the short-sleeved shirts and shorts. Many of us give much care to the upkeep and choosing of clothes. And surely we wouldn’t consider going out into the world without clothes on! Yet as we begin each new day, how often do we venture out without putting on our spiritual clothes—the presence of Christ? And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. (Galatians 3:27…
Do you have a quiet place you go to be alone with God? A place where you pour out your prayers and praises and seek His counsel? For me, during my early years as a Christian in high school and college, a local park and nearby beaches were my special places. I loved to sit and watch the tide roll in, reminding me of God’s faithfulness as I quieted my heart in His presence. Today, I have my comfy chair at home. Quiet time with the Lord is imperative if we want to maintain peace in our lives. Jesus tells…
Establishing daily quiet time with God is necessary for anyone who wants a close, intimate relationship with Him. Many of the great men and women of faith throughout Scripture and history have testified to morning being the optimal time. Yet a wandering mind can challenge many Christians during their quiet time with the Lord. Have you ever started praying, only to find a few seconds later you’re thinking about what you’ll have for dinner that night? Or begun reading the Bible, only to have your thoughts jump to that Facebook post you liked? The world trains our minds to jump…
Yesterday, while heading out the door to go to the movies, my husband announced “I don’t have my phone—but we have yours, right? We need at least one phone with us.” Funny how for years we lived with no cell phones—now we can’t seem to survive without them! I thought. For most of us, leaving the house without our phones, we feel lost, even vulnerable, unsafe. The ability to communicate and get information anywhere anytime has tremendous value, but can also serve as great distraction. Reaching for the phone—for some while still in bed—is often the first action of the day….
