Sometimes, we assume that for people who become great success stories, life must have come easily. Not so. Take former President Dwight Eisenhower, for example. In late December, 1920, when he was 30 years of age, his son Icky fell seriously ill with scarlet fever. With no antibiotics, little could be done. The young boy…
In order to break the shackles of addiction, you must first break the shackles of shame. This is only possible for the man or woman who is sensitive to the work of the Holy Spirit, for we know that “the unrighteous know no shame” (Zephaniah 3:5). Jesus described the specific work of the Holy Spirit:…
A close friend recently sent me a picture of a t-shirt, which read, “I don’t need Google. My wife knows everything.” While we can debate the validity of this assumption, one thing seems clear. Women do seem to possess a keen sense of discernment when it comes to their husbands’ behaviors. My wife has the…
Let’s talk about the dichotomy of life. Martin Luther said, “A Christian is someone who is simultaneously righteous, yet sinful.” In The Disciplines of Grace, Jerry Bridges wrote, “Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace. And your best days are never so good that you are…
“Lot pitched his tent near Sodom” (Genesis 13:13). Here’s the story. Abraham’s family had outgrown the land in which they lived. Abraham had no choice. The family would need to be divided geographically. He offered his nephew Lot several options as to where he would settle with his part of the family. While Lot would…
Let’s talk about joy. Jesuit priest Pierre Teilhard de Chardin said, “Joy is the surest sign of the presence of God.” I agree. God is the author of joy. Even for the addict and the offended spouse, joy is an option. Paul knew a little about persecution and injustices when he prayed, “May the God…
An overcoming feeling of insignificance and isolation cripples too many of us. Spiritual formations teacher Richard Foster writes, “The most wonderful thing that can happen to any human being is to be loved.” Our value is not measured by the depth of our addiction, but by the depth of God’s love. And that love is…
Twenty years after his graduation, a man visited his old college science professor. Looking over the tests the prof was grading, he observed, “This is the same test you gave us twenty years ago! How do you keep students from cheating? What if someone who had just taken the test a year ago gave the…
I like to talk. Most of us do. That’s why I found this Old Testament verse rather troubling at first: “The more words, the less the meaning” (Ecclesiastes 6:11). And this one from the New Testament: “My beloved brothers, let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger” (James 1:19). My…
A busload of politicians was driving down a country road when it ran off the road and hit a tree in an old farmer’s field. After viewing the tragedy up close, the old farmer was moved to give the politicians a respectful burial. The farmer then went to visit the local sheriff to report the…