Blog (Page 18)

Blog (Page 18)

James 5:8

You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. (ESV)

Jeremiah 17:7-8

“The person who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence indeed is the Lord, is blessed. He will be like a tree planted by water: it sends its roots out toward a stream, it doesn’t fear when heat comes, and its foliage remains green. It will not worry in a year of drought or cease producing fruit.” -Jeremiah 17:7-8 I love the picture this passage paints of what it can look like to trust in the Lord. The tree is planted…

Guest Blog – James 3:18-4:1

“And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace. What is the source of wars and fights among you? Don’t they come from your passions that wage war within you?” – James 3:18-4:1 Some of us in the Rock just started a study on conflict resolution from the Peacemaker Ministries. The goal of the study is essentially to be one who cultivates peace- what James 3:18 talks about. James 4:1-2 was brought up in the…

John 7

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” – John 7:37-38 Recently I was listening to a song by Keith and Kristin Getty (we sing a number of their songs on Sunday mornings) called “Living Waters”. It prompted me to look up the…

James 4:6

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (ESV)

Romans 5:3-5

Romans 5:3-5 “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” I just returned home a few days ago from spending a couple of weeks at our daughter’s home in Missouri. The first week or so there was spent waiting for our new…

Hebrews 12

Hebrews 12:1 – “Therefore, since we are surrounded by a such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Recently, a friend introduced me to a documentary about the life of Christiana Tsai, a devout Chinese Christian, who lived in a dark chamber for over half a century. Christiana grew up in a very affluent family with…

James 1:2-4

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (ESV)

Guest Blog – VBS Recap

This week (and last) have been the backyard VBS’ and the theme has been Galactic Starveyors, as many of you already know. It has been a fun, tiring, and blessed time with Stonebrook and neighborhood children. Since it has been a busy week(s), I thought I would just send out this little “recap” for us all to remember what we have been teaching the children this week! The kids have been “discovering the God of the universe” by learning over…

1 Corinthians 4:7

For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? (ESV)

1 Corinthians 4:7

For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? (ESV)

Jesus Wept

John 11:35 Jesus Wept. All four of our children suffer from a non-contagious, chronic intestinal issue called SIBO. Watching each of them writhe and cry in pain without being able to help has been emotionally crushing for me as a mother these past 3 ½ years. I have wept more deeply and felt more helpless than any other time in my life. To keep their health from deteriorating, we have them on a strict diet, a complicated supplement routine, and a…

Titus 1:5

The reason I left you in Crete was to set right what was left undone and, as I directed you, to appoint elders in every town. (ESV)

Keep My Guard Up

2 Samuel 12 One of the things I really enjoy when I read the Bible is the character studies of different people. Maybe the times have changed but people haven’t. It’s a good thing God is in control, because it’s hard to make sense of many difficult situations. We don’t always see the big picture, but David’s life is pretty thoroughly covered. The early days seem humble and faith-filled.  Time goes on, lots of trials and then David becomes king…

His Delight

“His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.” – Psalm 147:10-11 I came across this verse recently, and it brought to light a pattern of thinking I had been trapped in lately.  I was questioning my value, my accomplishments, my adequacy for being used by God.  This verse helped me step back…

Get Wisdom

Proverbs 4 “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” – Proverbs 4:7 NIV I was recently struck by the way wisdom is spoken about in the Proverbs. The basic premise is realizing that you don’t know it all, but there is someone out there who can help you. Simply put, this is humility and a desire to grow and learn from others! Looking back on some of my college years, I…

Our God Watches over us

“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Luke 12:6-7 “Excuse me, are you the gal who loaned me a quarter outside the store earlier?” I looked up from the dairy section of the Aldi grocery store to see a lady about my age talking to me. After repeating her question,…

A Relaxed Attitude

Proverbs 14 “A relaxed attitude lengthens life; jealousy rots it away” (Proverbs 14:30, New Living Translation) Reading this translation, that is different from what I was used to, I was struck by this verse stating that a relaxed attitude extends one’s life. What does a “relaxed attitude” look like? In other translations, “relaxed attitude” is described as a tranquil, sound, and peaceful state of heart or mind, which gives life to our health or body. With compromised health over last…

Christ Our Hope

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” It’s been almost two years since my stroke. At the beginning, some of my hope was to recover relatively fully. I was optimistic. I’m a glass half-full kind of girl. Now here I am in 2017 with significant limitations. Did my hope fail? Well, my hope in my health has, to an extent, failed. I’m not improving much. Perhaps at a snail’s pace. But in Christ we have…

He Knows My Need

Psalm 94 If I should say, “My foot has slipped,” Your loving-kindness, O Lord, will hold me up. When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul. – Psalm 94:18, 19 I was reading these verses and they jumped out at me probably because that whole “anxious thoughts multiplying” thing was going on in my heart and mind. I do confess that I like math but not when it comes to the area of anxious thoughts. Why…