Fighting Relational Fear by Cultivating Delight
"Our natural bent in relationships is to seek safety by trusting our own wisdom: we fight back, run away, endeavor to please people, judge others, or compete against them. This dark side of self-protection is really a form of fear, and even for those of us who are in Christ, it can still be a visceral response that rules us. So how do we learn to be ruled by something better than our own wisdom?” - Fighting Relational Fear by Cultivating Delight, by Aylin Merck
Three Things Your Pastor’s Wife Wishes You Knew
"You probably know her from afar. Ask anyone from your church and they could point her out to you, that woman your pastor is married to. And you might be curious about her. What does life look like in her family day to day? Is there any way you could get to know her better? As a pastor’s wife for almost 50 years, let me share three insights into what it’s like for her to be married to your pastor--three peeks into her life that could help you build a bridge to her heart.” - Three Things Your Pastor’s Wife Wishes You Knew, by Jani Ortlund
Confess Your Sins—and Sing!
“David, our psalmist, stands before a great Judge in Psalm 32. But he does so to argue his guilt—not his innocence. David admits his sins and instead of a conviction, this Judge grants forgiveness and full pardon. What kind of Judge is this? What criminal justice system on earth acquits a confessing offender? How should we understand this passage? How does Psalm 32 encourage a Christian to make bold confessions of sin before the holy Judge of heaven?” - Confess Your Sins–And Sing! by Nana Dolce
Serving the Lord With Gladness
“To this day, I still struggle to feel glad about the work God establishes for me. Sure, I may serve him outwardly, but my heart often feels rascally, sulky, and angry. Does God really expect me to feel glad about the interruptions, messes, and do-overs that derail me from day to day? Yet in those moments, it’s helpful for me to remember that the entirety of Psalm 100:2 points to the spark that will ignite gladness in our hearts.” - Serving the Lord with Gladness by Laura Booz
Snuggled Up Tight in Providence
“I’ve crawled up under the literal blanket called providence a whole bunch of times, and I’ve hidden under the wing called Providence more times than I can count, and certainly more times than I know. When it looks like a physical, emotional, or spiritual case for Doc McStuffins’ Big Book of Boo Boos, I hope to remember the quilt called providence, and maybe tuck myself or my loved one up in it.” - Snuggled Up Tight In Providence by Holly Mackle
The Fruit of Cultivating a Heart of Thankfulness
“Sometimes trials lay heavy on our shoulders, curving us inward and making it difficult to look up. Thankfulness can feel impossible when suffering closes in. When those times come, and come they will, maybe what we need most is to be reminded of what God has done and is doing. Yet, many of us also struggle to be thankful when our life is going smoothly. Instead, we might be anxious about what’s to come or maybe we’re busy living in a facade of self-sufficiency. Regardless of the season we face today, we can begin to cultivate a heart of thankfulness.” - The Fruit of Cultivating a Heart of Thankfulness by Brittany Allen