Prior to this crisis and its corresponding quarantine, I used to think that if I wasnât so busy, I would do a personal evaluation of my life and my use of time. Perhaps, in the not-too-distant-pass, you had thought too. Then came the quarantine. I have two really busy friends (an Exec in the tech industry and a medical Doc), … Read More
AS LONG as Peter could remember he had worried about what others thought of him. Silence, even in a crowd, had always felt awkward. So, he would speak quickly and brashly, even if he later regretted what he had said. Most people thought it was his mouth that got Peter in trouble, but really it was his fear. Peter knew … Read More
We live in challenging times, and it doesn’t appear to be changing anytime soon. It’s easy to feel your anxiety rising. Three times in the the 37th Psalm we’re reminded to “not worry” (37:1, 7). But God doesn’t leave us there. He gives four steps to calm an anxious heart. Trust in the Lord (37:3) Perhaps the best-known Bible verse … Read More
When I talk to someone struggling with anxiety, I usually start by asking questions about their prayer life. I have found that most people struggling with anxiety are praying, but their prayers tend to be one-dimensional: theyâre praying that God would take the anxiety away. For them, prayer is a panic button. They reach for it when the feelings become … Read More
Few things stir up anxiety like change. Whether the changes take place in our close or extended relationships, theyâre uncomfortable. Being creatures of comfort, the anxiety-meter tends to rise when that comfort zone gets tested. In one of my earlier books I spoke about how when it comes to anxiety, we need to change our mind, not our circumstances. This is precisely … Read More
Broken relationships require restoration. Restoration often brings expectations. Often, those expectations aren’t realized in a timely manner and we grow discouraged with the restoration process. For 22 years Joseph lived in Egypt while his brothers lived daily with the lie they had propagated about his death. For that same time Josephâs father believed him to be dead, and never stopped mourning … Read More
The world in which you live is awash in anxiety with over 40 million Americans struggling. The apostle Peter struggled too. In a 1st-century letter to his friends he offered his three-step secret to battle it. “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of GodâŚcasting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your … Read More
The 136th Psalm provides an excellent pattern for developing your personal praise journal. Read the Psalm, purchase a blank journal or notepad and get started. Step 1: Start with the Godâs attributes. Psalm 136:1 declares âGive thanks to the Lord, for he is good.â Even if you believe your Thanksgiving list might be short, you can begin a praise journal … Read More
How are you responding to the authorities God has placed over you? Submitting to those with whom we agree is rarely challenging. But surrendering our desires to those who wish to do something that we donât, can be especially difficult. Particularly, if their wisdom is flawed, there are inconsistencies in their character, or they donât have our best interests in … Read More
Jonah had an anger problem. A really big one. Sure he could push it down for a chapter or two (his book only has four chapters), but before long it would come roaring back again. The final chapter closes with Jonah sitting on the side of a mountain being good and angry at Godâs gracious ways.  It actually appears … Read More
