...and a time to speak...

“If the world hates you, understand that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you." John 15:18-19 Ugh. From the very first line, this blog post has me feeling kinda blah. I know the verse above to be trustworthy on so many personal levels, but still. Writing it out for the world to see is depressing to another degree. But stick with me! It's also comforting. That's actually the real reason behind this post in the first place. Have you been rejected by friends lately for holding firm to a biblical worldview and not caving to the pressures of culture? Are family members refusing to speak to you because you exude WAY too much Jesus and make them feel uncomfortable in their own skin? Have you been "flagged" by a teacher for ever so gently pushing back on social agendas as they sneakily make their way into your schoolwo...

"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people ; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;" 1 Peter 2:9 I definitely think this marks the first time in 3 years of writing that I have ever opened with a King James Version of scripture. You may have winced at that first "ye" but don't count it out too soon. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ whose life reflects that "marvelous light" of transformation, you are in that ever important ye! Look again at what this verse says about us who make up the ye. We are chosen! We are royal! We are holy! We are peculiar! Wait, what's the deal with that last one? Let's take a look at some of the reasons why this might be so. Jesus followers must be crazy. (And a whole gaggle of non-believers just said AMEN!) But seriously, what makes us do what we do? What makes us wake up each morning and choose the obj...

Hey believers, I have some questions for you. Where are your eyes focused these days? What are the things that have your full, undivided attention? In what/whom do you place your identity? In this great old hymn, we get a reminder of what can happen when our eyes, and ultimately our full and undivided attention, are locked onto just one thing. That one thing being our Savior, Jesus Christ. Turn your eyes upon Jesus Look full in His wonderful face And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc Songwriters: Helen Howarth Lemmel I guess I am just a little extra intrigued by the idea of the things of earth growing strangely dim right now because of how determined so many of us seem to be on keeping them in laser focus. In fact, our earthly "missions" seem to be the total opposite of strangely dim. In many cases, they seem to be demanding almost idol-level time and attention from us ...

"Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion." Proverbs 11:22 I couldn't let the month of March slip past me without contributing a little something to Women's History Month. Like many of you (including many strong female leaders of bygone generations who are all turning over in their graves), I am appalled by the news coming out of the recent Grammy Awards detailing ridiculous and lewd performances by female artists. It burns me up even further that, in certain circles, these will undoubtedly be hailed as "empowering" and "ground breaking" for all of woman-kind. Has women's history actually taught us nothing? There was a time when women, through no fault of their own, were treated as nothing more than property. For many, marriage was like a self-imposed prison sentence just to avoid starvation out in the street. I can imagine that for those who weren't lucky enough to marry a decent man who would treat th...

" Uphill battle is an idiom that means a difficult undertaking, a struggle, a tremendous task, a challenge with many obstacles. The expression uphill battle is probably derived from the physical task of fighting a battle up a hill, which is a difficult battle to win." If you have been a believer for any length of time, facing opposition to your faith should no longer be surprising. In fact, we are told to expect it (see 2 Timothy 3:12-13  and 1 Peter 4:12-13 ). Although scripture makes it very clear that our fight is not against flesh and blood, it sure seems that way at times. No, the real enemy we face can't be found staring back at us through human eyes. He is found in the "cosmic powers of this darkness" in the heavenly realms (see Ephesians 6:12 ). To be sure though, Satan has us humans so twisted up that we actually believe we are battling one another instead of his army of minions. Don't you know he loves it when friends and neighbors are at each ot...

Another New Years Eve is upon us and many (maybe all?) of us haven't been this glad to see a calendar year come and go more so than this one right here. While many will reflect back on the hardships this year has brought on for some time to come, others will remind themselves of the small blessings 2020 has delivered as well. Both of these are to be expected and feel completely appropriate to do in this season. But then what? What comes after the long look back? How do I (you/they) plan to move forward based on what 2020 has taken and what it has also given? That is about as personal a journey as it gets, but here's just a bit of what's been on my mind lately. If there is one thing that I, as a believer, have been encouraged by this year regarding the Church (big "C"), it is that nothing can stop it. I knew that prior to 2020 of course (see Matthew 16:18 ), but having physically witnessed it being played out this year has been amazing. Whether it's been a more...

As many times as I've sung this line, "Let earth receive her King!" from the infamous song "Joy to the World" during Christmas seasons past, somehow it hit me differently this year. I had already been reflecting on the idea of kindness, and specifically God's kindness towards us, when the word "earth" jumped out of the lyric in a whole new way one Sunday morning. Being an American, and a proud one at that (nod to you, Lee Greenwood), I have found myself guilty of subconsciously believing that God somehow favors America. On the surface I know this isn't true, but, we are the land of the free and home of the brave after all! We have baseball, apple pie and free enterprise. We have opportunities and choices galore. Leisure and excess are our best friends, but the ones that we take for granted because we see them so often. How in the world are we NOT considered special in God's eyes with all of this at our disposal?! Enter that little line, ...