This week officially kicks off our summer vacation! My kids are both elated and scared—elated to be done with early mornings and rushed evenings; scared to lose touch with close friends and favorite teachers. I’ve been working on connecting with parents of friends and getting teachers’ addresses so we can all stay in touch. Even… Continue reading Three Ways to Thrive This Summer
Category: Christian Living
Why It’s So Hard to Be Patient with People
It's easy to talk about love when there is no conflict. It's easy to stand in a brightly lit hall, surrounded by a hundred smiling faces and listen to the preacher tell you how "love is patient and kind," but as offenses mount, love, patience, and kindness are no longer easy to swallow.
Patience, Even When Suffering Doesn’t Make Sense
Suffering is frequently linked with the word "why." Why do we suffer? Why does God allow suffering? Why me? Suffering triggers an immediate desire to understand why. When sin entered the world suffering came along for the ride. We have seasons of peace, seasons of prosperity, and seasons of pain. Even in the good seasons,… Continue reading Patience, Even When Suffering Doesn’t Make Sense
If Chaos is Controlling Your Family
Two things never cease to amaze me: 1) How quickly life moves from calm to chaos 2) How God consistently provides—especially in the chaos. The last five days of my life have been like something from a comedy show. If I were watching myself on TV, it would be hilarious. It's one of those segments… Continue reading If Chaos is Controlling Your Family
The Need for Rest
Yesterday, as I reviewed my retirement accounts with my financial advisor, she commented, "Retirement looks much different now than in years past. People used to retire and live a leisure life; these days, people pick up another job just to stay busy." She is right, of course, although I believe there are more factors than… Continue reading The Need for Rest
The Trouble With Praying for Patience
"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." ~ Galatians 5.22, ESV Have you ever prayed for patience? What happened? In my experience, whenever I have asked the Lord to give me patience, He answered by providing opportunities to develop patience. I wanted the actual… Continue reading The Trouble With Praying for Patience
When You Feel Stuck in Monotonous Duties
God has the power to take what is ordinary and make it truly extraordinary. Give every task---significant or insignificant---to the God who sees in secret.
Don’t Undervalue Dutiful Service
Picture in your mind a handful of Christians within the last century whom you admire. It could be people you know personally or people you have read about. What makes them admirable? Why do you look upon them as giants in the faith? Is it a quality about them? Their actions? Their teaching? Who did… Continue reading Don’t Undervalue Dutiful Service
Why Actions Matter in our Relationships
There is a misconception that we have to feel love before we show love lest our behavior be disingenuous. Do our relationships require action or are they simply nebulous connections based on even more intangible emotions?
Are you chasing death or seeking life?
After two years of living in ag-lovin' West Texas, I finally had my first brush with a rodeo. My son tried out for an event called "Mutton Bustin.'" If you've never heard of this little rite of passage, I'll sum it up for you: young kids get plopped on the back of a sheep and… Continue reading Are you chasing death or seeking life?
Elihu's Corner 