Prayer for a Breakthrough

I don’t want to suffer. I know you don’t either. We want good health for ourselves and those we love. We want enough money to pay the bills with some left over. We want our relationships, especially with family members, to bring us joy and satisfaction. We want to be successful in our work. And […]

What Do You Need God to Do For You?

I don’t know what you’re facing today. But I do know it’s something. Maybe it’s big and feels overwhelming. Maybe it’s not so big, but there seems to be no end in sight and it’s wearing you down. Robyn was diagnosed with leukemia 81 days ago. According to the protocol for treating the type she […]

“The Year of the Lord’s Favor”

Had an Unexpected Start

For Christmas, I gave Robyn, our kids and our sons-in-law, each a small smooth stone on which I’d painted a theme Scripture for the new year. Each one was different. As I begin this post, it’s a little after 5:30 a.m. on January 1, 2018, so Happy New Year! Robyn and I have declared it […]

How to Know God’s Will for Your Life

Do you feel confident that you’re in God’s will? Do you feel good about the decisions you’re making and the direction you’re heading? Are you sensing God at work in you, through you and for you? Or is there some doubt and confusion? Do you sometimes feel like you’re groping around in the dark hoping […]

What to Do With Your Impossible Situation

I’ve been hesitating for several minutes before typing this first sentence. Do I really want to write this? Do I actually believe what I want to say? In Matthew 15:21-28, a Canaanite woman comes to Jesus and begs Him to drive a demon from her daughter. I think most of us would expect Jesus to […]

Can You Be Trusted?

There are times when I struggle with trusting God, so it’s something I’m constantly working to get better at. I invest time in His word. I thank and praise Him for His goodness, faithfulness and generosity. I try to take every thought captive and hold them up against the truth of His word. When I […]

A Recipe for a Boring Marriage

On Thursday nights, I help lead a Young Life small group of college guys. Last week, we talked about marriage and I gave them the opportunity to ask questions. “Does marriage get boring?” was one of them. When I asked them what they thought, most of them seemed to think that it did. How would […]

Do You Understand…Yourself?

Jake grew up in a home with a mom, dad and older brother. He played basketball like his dad, but wasn’t nearly as good as his older brother. Actually, Jake loved guitar and piano more than sports. Unfortunately, his father didn’t have much of an appreciation for music. He valued practical skills like repairing a […]

Dreams, Desires and Divine Delays

Eight years ago at this time, I was asking God for something very specific. When it didn’t happen, I gave up praying about it. In the last eight years, I’ve rarely even thought about what I was so fervently praying for. And then this morning, I asked again. It didn’t take long to begin talking […]

Just Answer the Question

In John 5, Jesus asks a man who’s been lame for 38 years, “Would you like to get well?” It’s a “yes” or “no” question. Either the man wants to be well or he doesn’t. But that’s not how he answers. He begins to explain to Jesus “why” he can’t be healed. That wasn’t the […]