For many years, anger simmered beneath my consciousness. If it seeped into awareness, then I pressed it back down.
When I was seven, my brothers Alex and Phillip were six and four, respectively. My brothers and I accepted salvation and wanted to get baptized. Momma Hettie (Called ‘momma’ by everyone because she was a midwife.), the self-appointed voice of our missionary Baptist church’s baptizing committee, refused to allow it.
Experiencing rejection can be disheartening, especially when it pertains to something we desire, and feel should be ours. It is important to handle life’s disappointments with grace and determination. In moments of discouragement, turning to biblical wisdom can provide comfort, guidance, and encouragement. Remembering who we are—a child of God—will help us to rise above the most daunting situations with renewed hope and strength.
“How do I find God?” I heard this question the other day and it seemed strange to me. I found it difficult to fathom such a question. My first reaction was that God is not lost; therefore, He does not need to be found. But the more I thought about the question… the more it deserved further consideration.
The Bible tells us to attend church so that we can worship God with other believers, be taught His Word, and grow spiritually. The early church was dedicated to the disciples’ teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and prayer” (Acts 2:42). While the early church did not have a specific church building per se, each day worshipers continued to meet together in the temple courtyards or at each other’s homes (Acts 2:46). Regardless of the physical man-made building, believers delighted in fellowship with each other and enjoyed the teaching of God’s Word.
There are moments when God grants us a miracle. A drug addict who overcomes the addiction and gives his life to Christ—a devastating traffic crash where everyone walks away—an unexplained sudden healing that baffles medical doctors. In times like these, we boldly acknowledge that God is mindful of us.
God is continuously mindful of us—always present—granting us ordinary moments of grace. Such as, an unexpected encouraging phone call from an old friend when we feel overwhelmed and discouraged. The gift of a 40% off coupon from a stranger standing in line behind us, as we silently pray for enough money to cover our purchase. Maybe the moment of grace is an unexpected refund check in the mail. Or a ‘thank you note’ from your supervisor on a day when you feel like quitting. These are moments, we often dismiss without a second thought.
“When we embrace uncertainty, it can be very liberating. If you can accept the uncertainty, it allows you to live life every day.” –Victor Gospodinoff My mom passed away last year—not from breast cancer though—she was a breast cancer survivor for over 15 years. I so miss her. Today, I remembered her funny little characters […]
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. ~ Ephesians 2:8-9 There are days when you walk out into the bright sunshine… embraced by a cool breeze. And as you look around, you realize the struggle is real. Then you […]
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ~ Ephesians 2:8 In our… it’s all about me… self-made state of mind. We sometimes remember that we didn’t make ourselves. In humility, we see our smallness in the vast universe. We thank God for feeling the harmony […]
Easter, Pascha (Greek, Latin), or Resurrection Sunday is a sacred time for Christians all over the world. A time when we reflect and reverence the sacrifice of our risen Lord and Savior… Jesus Christ. A celebration of the unfathomable outpouring of humility and love for humanity by Jesus in honor of God, our Heavenly Father.
By identifying these fiery darts: delay, discouragement, difficulty, depression, and doubt… you can defend against them by putting on the shield of faith. Exercising your God-given supernatural authority to protect yourself against the fiery darts of the enemy. You can also, learn to quench the fiery darts before they attack you!
You must be logged in to post a comment.