The life of Joseph is one of the most familiar and beloved Bible stories, with timeless themes of God’s sovereignty, beauty out of ashes, forgiveness, and restoration. (See Pastor Israel’s sermon on the life of Joseph: Part 1 and Part 2.) It’s no wonder Christians in a valley of hardship—chronic illness or otherwise—find solace and […]
We live in a culture of full schedules and frenetic activity. An aspiring college applicant fills her time with co-curricular activities and volunteer hours to set herself apart from the thousands of other applicants to her dream school. The businessman stays late at the office yet again even though he’s already over 60 hours this […]
Two weeks ago we looked at the Parable of the Unjust (or Shrewd) Steward in Luke 16, with some resources that helped us understand the parable’s meaning and application for us believers today–including us believers with chronic illness. Today we continue the discussion, looking at Kingdom stewardship in a broader way and with more application […]
If there’s one thing we understand in the valley of chronic illness, it’s limitations. To be human is to be limited, of course, but to have a chronic illness is to recognize those limitations a little more keenly: all the things we can’t do, all the ways our bodies break down on us, all the […]
When was the last time you read Judges 7? If it’s been a while, or if you’ve never heard this well-known story, here’s the quick version. Context In the book of Judges, the Israelites have settled into the Promised Land, Canaan, while also settling into a cycle of typical human behavior: disobedience to God, captivity […]
I recently read Genesis 18 in my devotions: Then [the Lord and His messengers] said to [Abraham], “Where is Sarah your wife?” So he said, “Here, in the tent.” And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (Sarah was […]
The Valley