“Hang in there” is an expression of encouragement in today’s world. It’s a way to say, “Don’t give up.” Recently, I needed to apply the hang in there concept to my prayer life.
Take Up Your Cross
It was one of those days. You know what I mean. Nothing seemed to be going right. I was irritated that certain situations weren’t progressing as fast as I wanted. How long is this going to take?
Reset
I play Solitaire and other card games on my phone to wind down. Some games turn out better for me than others. I can’t win them all, but I’d really like to! My competitive nature compels me to try to win. I discovered a nifty little undo button at the bottom of the screen I can use. If I make a move that doesn’t help me win, I simply undo that move and try a different one. I can undo as many moves as I would like. I can also reset the whole game if it’s going badly.
Can You Hear Me?
I heard whimpering from another room. I called my dog, “Buddy, come here!” But he only whined more. I put down what I was working on to check out the situation. I had forgotten to remove the leash from my dog after his morning walk. The leash was caught under a leg of the couch, tethering my little dog to it. Turning the corner, I was greeted by a wagging tail, a wiggling body, little yips, and expectant eyes. I was Buddy’s hope of freedom. I quickly unhooked the leash, setting him free.
Do You Know My God?
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
Do you detect the urgency and excitement in these questions? If someone said that to me, I would want to know more. What information might the person have that I did not? I would definitely listen to what was said next.
Pointing To Jesus
I grew up in a small Texas town of less than 2,000 people. My parents took me to church faithfully. I would like to say I listened attentively to the pastor’s every word. Truth be told, my best friend and I had other things vying for our attention. We would pass notes, play tic-tac-toe, and draw funny faces on the missionaries’ pictures on the back of the bulletin each week.
People are Not Our Biggest Problem
Have I mentioned that I can’t read long passages without my eyes glazing over?
In fact, many times my eyes have glazed right over on just this one verse.
For instance, did you know that our struggle isn’t against people?
When Hard Work Doesn’t Pay Off
Sometimes this verse can be hard to believe.
Today is one of those days.
Broken and Beautiful
I love seashells.
And I love all kinds. Even broken ones.
My husband? Not so much. He only wants to keep the perfect ones.
Evangelism Going Out of Fashion?
The Barna Group recently released a new report: Reviving Evangelism, which revealed that almost half of American Christians between the ages of 23 and 38 think it’s wrong to share their faith.
Driving Me to Trust
As I dropped my youngest son off at baseball practice, the rain pelted down. And the wind blew tree branches into the roadway.
Do You Emoji?
Probably by now you have seen the cute little smiley faces that come with texts. These are called, emojis. The younger generations communicate all kinds of things with these little pictures. There are emojis that cover the entire spectrum of feelings, and there are even rules that go along with using the right emoji. The intensity of the emotion might be expressed with repeated emojis. Emojis make all the difference to those who use them prolifically to convey just the right feeling or intent to the other person. And how you communicate often depends on the status or depth of the relationship.
On Fleek
If you are not really current in pop culture (or have a teenage girl nearby), you might not even realize that "fleek" is a word. It's slang, but it means, perfect, flawlessly styled, and looking great. Teenage girls commonly describe perfectly styled eyebrows as "on fleek."
Wait . . . What?
My daughter cracks me up with all the things she says. One of those phrases is, wait . . . what? This is what she says every time she misses something or wants something repeated.
In the Feels
When teenagers want to convey that something touches your heart, they might say that thing "gets you in the feels." Another example is if someone is emotional, or she wants to talk about her feelings, she would be, "in her feels."
No Shortcuts
So I have a teenage daughter. I am learning new things by the minute. She is filling my life with laughter and terror all at the same time! It's a roller coaster, and I love it. This week I'm going to catch you up to speed with communication in the style of a teenager.
Leave Some
The incorporation of frugality into one’s life has its place. Greediness does not. Many of us make sure we get everything we have earned because we believe we deserve it. God’s Word surprises me, at times, because his instructions are very practical and specific. His divine approach is refreshing, especially when I see the subjects that are important to God through detail and repetition throughout the Bible. While reading Deuteronomy 24, I was reminded of the intricacies of Old Testament Law. God instructed the Israelites not to go over the branches a second time!
I’m Stuck!
The nuisance of being stuck in the mud on a country dirt road is frightening if a tow truck is not around the corner. Wheels spinning, dirt and smoke billowing contribute to frustration. Cell phone in hand—whew! Help is on the way.
Stand Firm
Last year was one of the most difficult years of my life while enduring ongoing and worsening health issues surrounding my beloved husband and brother. Several months before the medical journeys began, God led me to a Bible study on spiritual warfare. I tried to wiggle my way out of it, but my Savior knew I was on the threshold of experiencing new types of brokenness and vulnerability—new enemy territory.
Mercy Gifts
The dollar bills I keep in the console of my car are sweet reminders of my youngest grandson. While in my car one day he said, “My Dad has thousands of dollars in his car so that he can give to homeless people.” Wow! Out of the mouths of babes. I sense caution sometimes about when and why I should give a handout to a person regardless of their disheveled appearance. Obviously, personal safety is an important issue because our world is a dangerous place—just as it was when Jesus walked on this earth.