Waiting is Strengthening
One of my favorite scriptures is Isaiah 40:31. But it is also not one of my favorites. I like the part where my strength will be renewed. I like the part about running and not getting weary. I just don’t like the concept of waiting. I bet some of you reading this are thinking the […]
Resurrection Perspective
Easter morning…. the tomb was empty. It was the single most significant event ever to transpire. Jesus Christ rose from the grave!! Mary was weeping… and then rejoicing when she discovered that Jesus was alive. All hope was buried in the tomb but the grave could not hold him. Today is the Monday after Easter […]
Death, Our Hidden Hope
As we begin Holy Week and are anticipating the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, we wanted to share an older blog post about what this week means for us as Christians. Remember, it’s not just one week but a lifestyle of living in the kingdom! Happy Easter! Worthy is the Lamb […]
Next Faithful Steps
We have come to the end of our study of James. After studying together as a Drawing Near to God community, I am sad to see it end. It was awesome having people in our city and other cities who joined us in studying this letter together. Written as possibly one of the first letters […]
Pray Like You Mean It
As I was preparing for our lesson this week on the prayer of faith described in the 5th chapter of James, I found myself saying: “Joanne, pray like you mean it.” That seemed pretty strange, but as I read the scripture, it spoke to me of deeper prayer than simply asking God to heal someone […]
Steady and Strong
“I wait patiently for the Lord.” ~Psalm 40:1 Waiting is hard; being patient while we wait is harder! I have not been very patient this past week. I have been waiting for God to answer a prayer that seems to have gotten lost between my heart and His. I’m sure His inbox is always full, but […]
Laying Up Treasures
Jesus wrote the following: For where your treasure is there will your heart be also. (Matthew 6:21) The question we must all ask ourselves… What do we treasure most in our hearts? On the surface, as believers, it seems like a no-brainer. Of course, our hearts are with Jesus. But upon examining where we spend […]
Whose Plan?
Do you know that God cares about your business? Your business – be it in the workforce, entrepreneurial, serving your family, serving your country, or whatever your livelihood consists of – God is concerned with it! There are many who are under the impression Christianity is mainly about going to church, stopping your daily life, […]
Pride’s Antidote
“The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.” Proverbs 16:5 Yikes! God detests those who are proud. It’s hard to imagine our Lord as someone who ‘hates,’ but scripture is clear; He does. He hates tongues that lie and gossip, hearts that devise wicked schemes, and […]
Why Do We Quarrel?
Let’s face it. Part of the human condition is that we quarrel. We cannot get along with everyone and that is ok. What we can do is understand the root source of our quarrels and allow the Holy Spirit to work in us a new way to respond. This week’s lesson is based on James […]