Faith and Christian Living
When we lived in Alabama, there was an Osage orange tree at the back of our lot. It was a tangled, bushy mess with large thorns. One day my hubby was working in the back yard and our dog Elsa limped up to him, holding her front paw up. She had stepped on a thorn, and immediately came […]
We all like to fit in. No one wants to risk rejection or ridicule by others. But Christians are called to a different lifestyle than just “going with the flow.” In the Amplified Bible (Classic version) 1 Peter 2:9 reads like this: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God’s] own purchased,
Being a Christian doesn’t mean your life will be smooth and easy. In fact, Jesus said we’d encounter trouble and sorrow. It’s not always easy to be positive when hard circumstances come your way. Personally, I’ve had times when I didn’t exactly have a smile on my face. The psalmists repeatedly encourage us to remember the things God
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Angels appeared to shepherds to tell them that Jesus had been born, and the shepherds were terrified. But an angel told them not to fear, that they brought good news; and they sang praises to God before they returned to heaven. Have you ever wondered what they do there? Years ago, our pastor presented a message
On this day, we light the third Advent candle called the Shepherd’s Candle. Immediately after Jesus’ birth, angels were sent to tell the shepherds in the fields around Bethlehem about His arrival. Why is this significant? There are many who believe that although shepherds provided a needed service, they were looked down upon. They lived in the rough,
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Bethlehem was a little farming village, and the name means “house of bread.” The hometown of King David, sheep used for sacrifices in the Temple were raised there. Otherwise, it was a small backwater town. But it was the birthplace of Jesus. Micah 5:2 foretells the coming of the Messiah in Bethlehem. Most translations refer to the town as
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When the star appeared, the wise men recognized it as the sign of a supernatural event, then searched the scriptures to find out what it meant. They undertook a hazardous journey that would take several months. It’s quite possible they weren’t wealthy men, as tradition tells us, but men of ordinary means. They may have struggled for the
Several years ago, I was going through a hard time. Part of the hardness involved looking at myself and the things I’d been taught as truth, even questioning whether I truly had a relationship with Jesus. Before this began, the Lord had been kind enough to let me know that a time of shaking was ahead, so
My hubby and I are going to a wedding next month, so I’ve been thinking about what to wear. I could wear the khaki skirt I already have, but it’s tight enough around the knees that I find it challenging to get in and out of the car. And my black skirt is, as the
“How can you tell whether ____ is lying? Easy, when his lips move.” An old joke, but unfortunately too true and too common, it seems. It’s gotten to the point it’s difficult to know what’s truth and what’s a lie anymore. Photos and video can be altered to present whatever you want reality to be. And it’s not
I Give You My Word Read More »