I had a party the other night. You should have been there. Really, it was spectacular–deflated balloons, tattered streamers, clumpy confetti, flat soda. It was probably the most extravagant pity party in the history of pity parties. I didn’t mention it was a pity party? Well, now you know. I was celebrating a late night […]
Do you like the rain? Most people I talk to prefer sunny days over rainy ones, in both weather and life, where we associate sunshine with warmth, life, happiness, and prosperity and connect rain with sorrow, gloom, pain, or hardship. Of course we value sunshine. Of course we dislike or even hate the rain–the discomfort, […]
Here’s a testimony from two years ago that I wrote and shared with a few others at the time. I pray God can encourage you with the same truths He used to encourage me in my time of need. “𝘐 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘺!” Sunday night after church. I sat on the kitchen floor, my […]
Do you ever wish you could do more? I know I do. Specifically in ministry — reaching out to people, helping in church, mentoring, teaching, cooking, giving rides, and the list goes on. I wish I could do everything for everyone, but I’m limited, and on my bad days I find I can barely do […]
The word kept appearing throughout the week: in my morning devotions, in my notes from Sunday School, in that little sermon reminder I’d sketched for myself at least a year ago, still lying on my desk. PERSPECTIVE In Hebrews 10:34, the writer commends his brothers for suffering the loss of their goods with joy. I […]
I love driving down Main Street. At night. When the streets are empty and the air is quiet and only a few people move on the sidewalk under the glowing lamps. Put me on Main Street in the middle of the day, however, and you’ll find me gripping the steering wheel with both hands, gritting […]
About Diamonds 2021 What is Diamonds 2021? Diamonds is an annual online conference for chronically ill Christians. Millions of chronically ill people battle impossible trials every single day. But so many of them feel so alone. The speakers of Diamonds 2021 want them to know they aren’t — not by a long shot. The theme […]
The Strategy for God’s Peace Last week we looked at Romans 12 and ways to battle for our mind in the difficulties of chronic illness. Now let’s look at another equally important passage on thinking and anxiety.* “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made […]
“Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.” Hebrews 10:35-36 I keenly remember the unusual, extreme anxiety that gripped my chest. The unexplained pain in my back would not ease. The desperately […]
“Hold unswervingly to the hope you profess, for I am faithful. Sometimes–especially when many things are going wrong–all you can do is hold on to Me. You would love to sort things out in your mind and find a way to go forward, but often this is impossible. The best thing to do at such […]
The Valley