Depression is real. It can be a lingering cloud that hangs over your life or a heavy darkness that seems to come out of nowhere. It can affect your sleep, your relationships, and your future. If you’ve ever wrestled with it, you could probably give me a lengthy list of how depression is robbing you of life. 
 
No matter where it comes from, your deliverance lies in God’s word.
 
Forgive me if I don’t mince words. If you’re struggling with depression, you don’t need someone to coddle you. This is war and the fight is over your life. The devil would like nothing more than to pull you down and keep you there. 
 
This is the battle over your soul.
 
And I’m here to tell you that you can fight this and you can win. You can regain hope. 
 
Your Victory Starts Here
Covering a span of eight years, the Center for Bible Engagement surveyed over 100,000 people worldwide about their spiritual lives. The findings revealed that people who read their Bibles four or more times a week experienced a significant and measurable impact on their spiritual growth and mental health. 
 
Reading the Bible at least four days a week affected how they lived their daily lives. It impacted the choices and decisions they made. It even decreased the tendency to “overeat or mishandle food.” (Read more results from the study here.)
 
And science is finally catching up to the truths in God’s word. Reading scripture is now scientifically proven to improve mental health. If you battle depression, anxiety or hopelessness, spending time in God’s word can bring the relief and healing you seek. (Watch this interview: “Neuroscience Confirms, Mental Health Healing Can Come Through Scripture” here.)
 
Faith Hinges on Hope
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 NKJV
 
Whether you gave it up willingly or the enemy snatched it away from you, often depression is rooted in lost hope. And lost hope leads to lost faith. It becomes hard to believe in God’s goodness toward you for your future, for your life.
 
If you’re not spending time in God’s word, the problem is only compounded. Without God’s word to guide, you will live by the platitudes of the world. They sound good and are great for bumper stickers, but they will not carry you through the storms of life. 
 
Like sinking sand, the world’s wisdom will fail you when you lose your job, your relationships crumble, or the dark cloud of depression hovers over you.
 
“Remember the word to Your servant, upon which You have caused me to hope.” Psalm 119:49
 
But God’s word will hold you steady. God’s word gives you something real to hold onto when the storms of life blow or depression blindsides you and threatens to pull you under. God’s word gives you HOPE to hang your faith on. 
 
It gives you something to believe other than the lies the enemy whispers in your ear.
 
This Habit Will Save Your Life
Would you like to be free from depression? Can you commit to reading your Bible at least four days a week? Spending time in God’s word is a habit that can save your life and help you heal. 
 
My preference, and a lifelong habit since I became a Christian, is to read a physical Bible with a pen and notebook at hand. 
 
Before you start with a long list of reasons why that’s not possible for you, the beauty of the digital age is that the Bible is at your fingertips. Download a Bible app and you can listen while you take a shower or eat a bowl of cereal or drive to work.
 
There is no excuse not to spend time in God’s word. If you really want to win over depression, you will find a way. It’s the number one habit that will literally change your life, backed by research and supported by science.
 
And I wouldn’t stop at 4x a week. Make it a daily habit, your new mode of operation. 
 
Make the Choice
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2
 
Read your Bible regularly, and you’ll gain a new outlook on life and make better life decisions (and... yes, even have better control over your weight). The simple act moves you from passivity to proactivity as you make that daily choice to let God’s word transform your life.
 
And when you do that, hope will arise. Faith will become a substance in your life—a very real and tangible strength that will help you push back darkness and win the battle for your soul.
 
“Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” Psalm 107:19-20
 
“God sent His word and healed them...” Reading God’s word is your starting point for physical, spiritual, and mental health.
 
The Other Four
I promised you five habits that can help you fight depression and regain hope. These all hinge upon spending time in God’s word. Once you have that down, the rest follow. 
 
There’s so much to say about each one, but here’s my quick list of five habits that will save your life:
 
1. Read God’s Word.
Establish a time and a way to read or listen to God’s word every day! Even if it’s just five, ten, fifteen minutes a day—you can do this.
 
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105
 
2. Pray God’s Word. 
Incorporate scripture into your prayers! The angels go to work on your behalf when you pray his word. 
 
“Bless the LORD, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word.” Psalm 103:20
 
3. Sing God’s Word.
Yes, really. Open your mouth and sing out his truths. 
 
“And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” Ephesians 5:18-19
 
4. Speak God’s Word. 
Speak God’s word out loud and over your life. Speak his promises. Speak what he says about you as his son or daughter. 
 
This is truth. This is who you are. One of my favorite things to say out loud (and especially when life takes a turn I didn’t expect) is: I have a future and a hope!
 
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

5. Live the Word. 
Be a doer of the word! Let your life and actions reflect God’s wisdom.
 
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James 1:22
 
 
Five habits. Get the first one down, and the rest will follow.
 
God has a good plan for your life, free from depression and filled with hope. It’s worth fighting for. 
 
You are worth fighting for.
 
 
 
These resources will help you incorporate Bible reading into your daily schedule:
YouVersion’s free Bible app. Download it here.
 
“Start Dreaming Again: From Valley to Vision” 30-Day Devotional
Available on YouVersion’s Bible app here.
Also available as a Growth Plan on iDisciple here.
 
Through the Valley—Move Your Life Forward in God
A 40-day devotional book with pages to journal! Available in print, Kindle, and audio here.
 
 
If you’ve ever wondered how to become a Christian, read this.

Are you desperate? Are your tears turning into an ugly cry? When you’re overwhelmed by life, have you ever wondered if God cares?
 
Whether it’s a bad breakup, a looming bankruptcy, or a child who’s gone off the rails, open your Bible and you’ll discover truth...

 

• God listens.
• God answers.
• He cares.

 
Psalm 102 explores God’s love and it opens with this description: “A prayer of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint to the Lord.” NKJV
 
The NLT expresses it like this: “A prayer of the overwhelmed with trouble, pouring out his problems before the Lord.” 
 
This is not gentle weeping. This is downright snotty-nosed sobbing before the Lord.
 
The writers of the Bible were not afraid to tell God how they really felt: overwhelmed, troubled and afflicted. These are not pious prayers. 
 
This is raw and real as they poured out their problems to God. Can you hear the desperation?
 
“Lord, hear my prayer! Listen to my plea! Don’t turn away from me in my time of distress. Bend down to listen, and answer me quickly when I call to you.

For my days disappear like smoke, and my bones burn like red-hot coals. My heart is sick, withered like grass...” Psalm 102:1-4 NLT
 
They were open and honest before God — but they balanced their complaints with truth. If you keep reading, despite the writer’s despair, you will find an underlying current of trust. 
 
They believed that no matter how dire things look or how overwhelmed they felt, God sees. He will come with relief and help.
 
“But You, O Lord, shall endure forever, and the remembrance of Your name to all generations. You will arise and have mercy...
​
The Lord will build up Zion; He shall appear in His glory, he shall regard the prayer of the destitute, and shall not despise their prayer.” Psalm 102:12, 16-17 NKJV
 
No matter what you’re facing today, you can be real with God. You can share the depths of your soul with him, without condemnation and with no judgment. God can handle an ugly cry.
 
The key, however, to overcoming your problems is to bring Truth into your situation. Bring the word and God’s promises to bear in your life. That’s how you can have hope even in the darkest moments.
 
Open your Bible and search out God’s word for your circumstance. No matter how desperate life is right now, God has an answer. Pray and believe.
 
Here’s a simple prayer to help you look to God: 
 
God, I pour out my heart before you! I’m desperate for your help. Thank you that you hear my prayer. Thank you that you care. I ask you to intervene. I ask you to send help from your holy sanctuary. I trust you with ____________________. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
“‘These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.’” John 16:33

​Is it hard for you to share your faith with others? Do you hesitate to speak up in a conversation even when you know you have The Answer to your coworker’s problem or a neighbor’s dire situation? 
 
If you’re holding back, I’m here to encourage you that maybe — just maybe — you’re making “sharing your faith” harder than it needs to be...

Certainty in the Age of AI
The world needs Jesus. In the age of AI where truth is brought into question, the world needs certainty. People all around you are crying out for surety, something to believe in.
 
Something real, authentic, true. 
 
That’s what Jesus is, right? He is the way, the TRUTH and the life. And if you’ve embraced faith in Jesus Christ, then you and I — we are the light. We are the ones who can shine God’s light into the world.
 
A Faithful Witness
The moon has gotten a lot of attention lately with Artemis, NASA’s new lunar exploration program. People are fascinated by the shining globe and the possibilities it may hold for the future. One of my favorite scriptures is about the moon. 
 
“His seed shall endure forever, And his throne as the sun before Me;. It shall be established forever like the moon, even like the faithful witness in the sky. Selah” Psalm 89:36-37 NKJV
 
The psalmist calls the moon “the faithful witness in the sky.” Ever shining, always there, drawing the attention of every man, woman and child who looks up in the nighttime sky to see its glowing beauty. 
 
And yet, the moon has no light of its own. Its light comes from a greater light.
 
As believers, we are like that moon. We have no glory of our own, and yet, Jesus said we are the light of the world! (Matthew 5:14) 
 
We are the ones called to reflect God’s glory to the world. We are ambassadors of Christ, ever-present reminders of HOPE – LIFE - TRUTH to a needy world.
 
If you’ve held back from sharing your faith, I encourage you to spend a little more time with God. Soak up his presence, soak up his light. Let his word fill your heart and mind and then —
 
Shine. Be the moon. 
 
Be the certainty of a creator God to the people around you — your neighbors, your family, your kids. 
 
“Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.” Isaiah 60:1
        
#HowToShareYourFaith #ChristianEvangelism #FaithInUncertainTimes

​Are you struggling to trust God? Are you wavering between faith and doubt? When relationships go south or life spirals downward—where do you put your faith? Here's help from God's word to lift your heart and renew your trust in what's possible in Him...

When life gets hard —when it seems almost more than what you can bear—where do you put your faith?

​In an age that offers solutions for every situation or problem imaginable—money problems, wrinkles, body aches and pains—it’s almost easier to expand our credit line than to trust the Lord. 
 
And if we’re honest, when it comes to relationships, our phones become a barrier we can hide behind when strife slips in. It’s easy to resort to texting instead of calling—or worse yet, simply blocking the number of someone it’s too painful to talk to.
 
Think of it: when a problem arises, what is your first response? 
 
Block a number or pray? Google a solution—or seek the ultimate Problem Solver, the One who has promised to care for all your needs? In a world of quick and easy, the tendency is to Google first. Pray later.
 
If your air conditioner breaks down, you may need a repairman, but if our lives are truly in God’s hands, a prayer first can make the repair more sure. You may need to seek out a doctor for a medical condition, but a prayer first can offer guidance and maybe even the miraculous healing you were hoping for! 
 
And it may be tempting to ignore a text or block a number, but have you considered the possibilities of a divine intervention, a holy mediation?
 
The Israelites Forgot the Miracles!
The Israelites had a great memory lapse after God powerfully rescued them from Egypt. They saw the ten plagues poured out on the Egyptians. They walked out of Egypt with the plunder of their enemies. They stood on the shores of the impossible Red Sea and God made a way. They saw the sea split before their very eyes! 
 
And yet, the Bible tells us that when their food supplies were depleted, they quickly forgot the amazing things God had done for them. They grumbled and complained, threatening to return to the land of their captivity.
 
“The warriors of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle... they forgot what he had done—the great wonders he had shown them.” (Psalm 78:9, 11 NLT)
 
When they grew hungry in the desert, the Bible tells us that the Israelites tested God in their hearts. They spoke against Him, saying, “God can’t give us food in the desert...” 
 
The Bible gives us a reason for their grumbling: “...they did not believe God or trust him to care for them.” (Psalm 78:19, 22)

​Trust and Believe
Faced with a challenging situation, the Israelites didn’t believe that God could help them. They didn’t trust that God cared.
 
Why do we waver in our faith? Why do we lack trust in the One who split the Red Sea, who brought water from the rock? Or, more closely to home, provided you with a job or a family or strength and health?
 
You may be facing challenges today. Perhaps you’re fighting cancer or wrestling with a problem teen or a wayward spouse.
 
God is Still the Same
The solution for our problems has not changed from the days of the Red Sea crossing. God has not changed. He is the same, “yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). The same God who split the sea is the same God who cares for you and me.
 
Unfortunately, in a digital world where we are bombarded by messages, ads, texts, and emails—we can easily forget the things of God. We can quickly lose sight of who God is and His promises to care for us. 
 
Just like the Israelites, we forget what God has done. We forget that we can trust Him. Instead of praying, we turn to the world’s answers for our problems. 
 
Renew Your Mind
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2 NIV)
 
Have you forgotten the goodness of the Lord? Has life become such a long hard journey that God’s promise of provision is a memory long-forgotten?
 
Renewing your mind is the secret to having a solid faith in God. 
 
It’s the secret to trusting Him in hard times, rather than relying on the world’s ways. God’s word will literally transform your thinking, opening your heart up to God-possibilities in your life.
 
Spend Time in God’s Word
Renewing your mind begins with spending time in God’s word. You may not be able to control the “plus one” in your life or dictate your teen’s actions, but reading the word of God is a choice you can make, a decision to remind yourself of God’s character and His care for you, your situations and every relationship.
 
Instead of scrolling your Instagram feed, open a Bible app. Fill your mind with God’s truth, His screenshots of miraculous intervention and divine provision.

Instead of rushing out the door to work, take a moment to read even just a verse or a psalm to guide you through the day. Or close the evening with a Bible verse that will resonate in your spirit all through the night.
 
Renew your mind with Bible stories of Daniel in the lion’s den, the widow whose flour bin never ran empty, or Lazarus coming forth from the grave. Remember the stories of the prodigal son returning home or the precious anointing God pours out on those who choose to walk in unity. (Psalm 133:1-2)
 
When relationships go south—when all of life seems to be spiraling downward —remember the goodness of God. Don’t allow yourself to forget!
 
As you make choices to spend time in God’s word, your mind will be transformed. Your first response to life will change as your faith in God grows. Trusting God will become your mode of operation, your first reaction to a hard situation. Instead of googling the answer to your problem, you’ll find yourself breathing a prayer first. 
 
Renew your mind to God’s truth. Remember the goodness of the Lord. You can trust God!
 
“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” (1 Peter 5:7 NLT)
 
 
(A version of this article first appeared on FamilyChristian.com)
Photo by Kyle Broad on Unsplash

Have you seen “the Man in white”? Around the world, Muslims are seeing Jesus in dreams and visions—and the divine encounters compel them to discover who this man is.
 
Have you seen Jesus? Have you experienced the very presence of God? If you have, the encounter will radically affect how you live. If you haven’t yet—keep reading...

Around the world, Muslims are having dreams of “the man in white.” They are seeing Jesus in dreams and visions—and the divine encounters compel them to discover who this man is.
 
Have you seen Jesus? Have you experienced the very presence of God? If you have, this encounter will radically affect how you live. If you haven’t yet—keep reading.
 
Vision matters
 “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint...” Proverbs 29:18 NKJV
 
Proverbs tells us that without a revelation—a prophetic vision—we cast off restraint. We live as if there is no God. Another version of the Bible says that with no vision, we perish.
 
We wander through life wondering “What’s the purpose?” When trials or temptations come, we  too easily succumb because we have no vision for the life God has called us to. We have not yet truly encountered “the man in white.”
 
Paul Encounters the Man in White
An encounter with Jesus Christ radically affected the apostle Paul’s life (also called Saul) in the early days of the church. He watched as Stephen was stoned to death for his faith in Jesus Christ, and then went on a rampage viciously persecuting the church “breathing out threats and murder” (Acts 9:1). 
 
Authorized by the high priest in Jerusalem, he was on his way to Damascus to capture and imprison any disciples he could find. But on the way, a great light from heaven accosted him, knocking him to the ground. It was Jesus!  He spoke and asked, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9:6-7)
 
This encounter changed the trajectory of Paul’s life.
 
Have you seen Jesus?
It doesn’t take a supernatural dream to encounter Jesus, although it could! Sometimes we make it harder than it really is to experience God. But if you seek Him—you will find Him! If you cry out to Him, He will answer!
 
Jesus is the Word Made Flesh
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
 
Jesus is the Word of God. He embodies truth, He is truth. You can encounter Him when you pick up your Bible or listen to an audio version. Every word is God-breathed, every word reveals our Lord and Savior.
 
The Heavens Declare His Glory
“The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork... There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard.” Psalm 19: 1, 2
 
Jesus is in the beauty and majesty of the earth around us. All of heaven and earth remind us daily of the glory of God, the glory of His only begotten Son. You can encounter Him if you pause and breathe and listen to all of heaven and earth declare who He is. 
 
God-encounters are happening every day, all around the world. If you have not yet encountered Jesus in a real and tangible way—seek Him. Study him. Open your heart to embrace a revelation of Jesus Christ, the Man in white.
 
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2 BSB

Read more: What I Believe About Salvation and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit (And How You Can Receive it)

Why Easter Matters - The Power of the Cross
​Easter is my favorite holiday of the year. For me, it’s a special time to reflect and remember the message of the cross—"foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18) We have new life when we embrace the work of the cross and believe that Jesus is the risen Lord... Who is Jesus to you?

How do you live?
 
Years ago, my husband and I served as full-time missionaries in Mexico and then later taught cross-cultural missions in a small midwestern Bible college. The admonition we received from our mentors and one we passed on to the students in our class is the understanding that when you enter a new area, you are not “bringing God” to these people. 
 
God is already at work. Your role is to discern what he is doing and get in sync with him as a laborer working in the field alongside the Master.
 
The Father Draws People to Himself
We can (and should) carry that same mindset into our daily lives. Wherever you are—at work, in your community, at home, with your family – God is at work. The Father is drawing people... if we open our eyes and our hearts, we can grasp what he is doing and work in tandem with him.
 
It takes the weight off your shoulders to know that your co-worker’s salvation, your government’s redemption, your adult children’s spiritual walk – is not wholly dependent on you. Though Christ compels us to love, to be his ambassadors “as though God was speaking through us” – we are not their savior. But we are God’s voice, his hands, his love.
 
A New Awareness of the Holy Spirit
With eyes wide open, we gain an increased sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and the needs around us. We sense the promptings, not motivated by obligation or intimidation – to love, to give, to hug, to hold...
 
To speak a word “fitly spoken” that tears down strongholds and tears off blinders.  A wholesome word that divides between soul and spirit and brings Life. 
 
How to Begin
You may be wondering how to gain this “new awareness” of the Holy Spirit and God’s working in the earth. It really goes back to a mindset. An attitude within your own heart to listen and respond – and a commitment of your life to the Lord. Consider Samuel, when the Lord awoke him in the middle of the night. (Bolds mine.)
 
“The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Then Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’” 1 Samuel 3:10
 
Consider Isaiah when the Lord was calling him to be a prophet to Israel.
 
“Here am I, and the children the LORD has given me...” Isaiah 8:18
 
And, consider Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane when he wrestled with the task before him. What was his response?
 
“‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.’” Luke 22:42 
 
There is a mandate on your life and mine, to be the salt and light in the earth. To shine brightly for God. Sometimes that means a word, sometimes it takes an action, but always it takes an attitude of listening and responding with a heart that trusts in the Lord.
 
How do you live? Let’s start opening our eyes and see.
 
“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” Ephesians 1:18-19 NIV
 
 
Additional references:
“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” 2 Corinthians 5:14, 15
 
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.” John 6:44
 
“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” Proverbs 25:11
 
“Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” 2 Timothy 4:2
 
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12
 
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:20
 
#HolySpiritLed #Spiritledliving #Godawareness #eyeswideopen
​

Be kind. The words are imprinted on T-shirts, bumper stickers—my neighbor even has it on a sign posted in their yard. It’s like a new rule the world has imposed on us, no matter the situation, no matter the person, no matter whether they have a sense of morality or violently oppose yours.

​Does anyone else wrestle with being kind?

​We are to be kind. In fact, the Bible takes it a step further and commands us to love our neighbor. But I’ve discovered there are times when the only way I can love in a world that often opposes my faith and Christian worldview is to remember that God loves me first.
 
God Loves You
 
“We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19 NIV
 
God loves you. In a world that has turned the word love into a cliché—this simple yet profound statement loses its power unless you understand the force of love—the mighty height and width and depth of this love...
 
—A love that can pull you out of the mess of life to set you high above your enemies.
 
—A love that sees the sin—and the heart of the sinner with compassion and saving grace.
 
—A love that offers itself as a ransom when we have willingly or unwittingly sold ourselves into slavery—the bonds of greed and wickedness, lust and self-indulgence.
 
—A love that remains steadfast when I blow it—that lifts my head when I need it... 
 
A love that transcends this world. 
 
God’s Love Empowers Us to Love
God’s love is a force, not a weakness. His love empowers us to love those around us.
 
“For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Galatians 5:14
 
His love enables us to love—truly love—our neighbor as ourselves. His love equips us to love the down and out, the destitute, the lost. To love the hateful, the spiteful, the intentionally evil. To love the sinner while hating the sin that has entangled them and threatens to destroy them.
 
It goes way beyond “being kind,” although it encapsulates the ability to show kindness. This love is a force so strong and compelling it can affect whole civilizations, governments, cities, suburbs, schools, and homes.
 
Love Covers
“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8
 
This love covers a multitude of sins. This love can bring a sinner back from the depths of hell and into the arms of a Savior. This love will not cast a stone, but will pray and ask for the soul of the lost.
 
“My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” James 5:19-20
 
God’s Love is a Force
God’s love is a force that turns the world on its head. It’s not a slogan to be worn on a T-shirt, it’s a powerful force that the world so desperately needs.
 
Patient and kind. Humble and forgiving. Persevering and tenacious. Always faithful, always hopeful—always there.
 
This love is not naïve. It doesn’t blink at sin. But it recognizes it and sees into the soul of the one bound by darkness—the man or woman or child who has become captive to the enemy of our souls roaming the earth “like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)
 
Love Leads People Home
This world can be a dark and lonely place. Love is the light that guides people home to the One who IS love. The God who first loved you.
 
God loves you. It’s not as simplistic as it seems. And lest we forget, it’s anchored by the first commandment...
 
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31
 
How can I love the sinner? How can I love the unlovely? Love begins and ends with our relationship with God. Love Him first and you’ll be empowered to love your neighbor.

#GodsLove #LoveDifficultPeople #LoveYourNeighbor #BiblicalLove #ChristianLiving #FaithInAction #ChristianWorldview 
This article first appeared on FamilyChristian.com here.

​Do you love a good story? As a screenwriter, I think a lot about story and character. The best stories show transformational change as the hero goes on a journey, leaving their old ways behind to walk into something new. Every choice they make either takes them closer to their new self – or sends them off on a rabbit trail farther from their future.
 
Life is like that, with our choices determining our destiny. We can choose to stay in our old ways... or take a risk to walk into something new. It begins with trusting God with our life story.
 
God Has a Plan for Your Life
 
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Proverbs 3:5-6
 
God has a good plan for your life! He is the master storyteller and He has an expected outcome for your life. A “happy ending” in eternity – yes – but there’s so much more! If you only hope for the eternal, you’ll miss the wonderful life He has for you right here, right now.
 
God will guide you – if you will trust Him. If you listen closely, you can hear Him calling... 
 
Jesus is Calling
One day, Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee. He saw two brothers, Peter and Andrew casting their nets into the sea. Jesus called out to them, inviting them to become fishers of men:
 
“‘Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people.’” (Matthew 4:19 NLT)
 
Peter and Andrew were fishermen. Their father was a fisherman, and they probably expected their sons to follow in their footsteps and take on the family business. But God was calling them to something new. Something more. All they had to do was respond to the call!
 
The amazing thing is – when Jesus called them, there was no hesitation, no deliberation, and no need to write a list of the pros and cons. He called and they followed.
 
Longing for More
Something in their hearts yearned for more. We can only speculate, but biblical accounts help us understand that many Jewish people of the day were looking for the promised Messiah. They longed for the revelation of the One who would save them and free them from Roman oppression.
 
In light of that, Peter and Andrew’s seemingly rash move to drop all and follow Jesus wasn’t hasty at all. This was what they had been waiting for their entire life. They didn’t know what the future held, but they were ready to say yes. 
 
Despite the unknown, they were eager to leave behind their old life, their old ways... and become something new. Fishers of men. A new identity, a life beyond the familiar that they knew so well – all with one bold step as they responded to the call and stepped into their future. 
 
What’s in Your Future?
What do you long for? Do you want it badly enough to leave the familiar “old ways” behind to step into the unknown?
 
It’s easy to fall back on your conditioned responses to life and to people – those old ways of acting or thinking that actually keep you stuck in the past. It takes courage to step away from what’s familiar. Just as Peter and Andrew found the courage to leave the old behind, you can too. Your courage comes from your faith in the One who calls you by name.
 
Let God Write Your Story
 
“You chart the path ahead of me...” Psalm 189:3
 
Jesus is still calling. God is still writing your story. Every day, you have an opportunity to respond and seize the chance to become the “someone” God has in mind... the person you always hoped to be but hardly dared to become. The life you always longed for – that can only be found when you let go of the old and embrace the new.
 
The future may seem daunting. The next step may feel like a freefall. But you’ll never go wrong when you choose to trust God with your future and follow Jesus. 
 
Here’s a prayer you can pray:
 
“God, I put my trust in You and I ask you to guide me into the good future you have for me. Help me to lay down the old ways that are holding me back. Give me courage to be someone new. Write my life story, God. I choose to follow you. In Jesus’ name, amen!
 

​Photo by Dave Hoefler on Unsplash

Are you suffering? It’s easy to praise God when the bills are all paid, the baby’s asleep, the kids are alright. But what about when life turns south? Many of us struggle theologically with “Why does God allow suffering” when we’ve tried to live right, do right, be right...

Bad situations often put distance between us and God as we begin to wonder, “What’s wrong with me?” or ask the question, “God, where are You?” Questions can turn into bitterness as you ask, “What have I done to deserve this?” Does God care? Is He even there?
 
Bad diagnoses, death, bankruptcy, wayward children—for most of us, this is not what we signed up for when we became a Christian. These downward turns to life can create a rift in our theology of who God is—and a gap in our ability to trust Him.
 
He is the I AM
If that’s where you’re at, right here, right now—then I invite you to consider, why would the Bible call Him the “God of all comfort” if He didn’t know we would need comfort?
 
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,  who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV)
 
Why “Mighty Counselor” if He didn’t know we would need skilled counsel to navigate our way through life?
 
“... And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)
 
Why the “Prince of Peace” unless He knew we’d encounter times of turmoil, within and without? Why our “Rock of refuge” – unless He knew we would need a safe place of protection?
 
“The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” (Psalm 18:2)
 
A shelter from the storm, our high tower... The list goes on and on of God’s holy provision of who He is in every stormy circumstance.
 
In every moment—the good and bad, the highs and lows—He is there. He is ready to intervene.
 
He is Listening
In times of suffering, we can either trust and turn towards the Lord or turn away. Run into His arms or to the world’s alternatives and “easy” answers. He’s there for us if we’ll only cry out, look up, and trust.
 
“Know that the LORD has set apart his faithful servant for himself; the LORD hears when I call to him.” (Psalm 4:3)
 
He is waiting for your call to help. He is listening, His ear tuned for the sound of His son or daughter asking for His intervention.
 
We do the same thing as a parent. Our ears are tuned to listen for the cry of our child, even when they’re grown. Our hearts are open to the hands stretched upward... The late-night call, the tearful conversations. We are ready to respond with a warm hug, an understanding look, or a word of wisdom that springs from the love that only a parent can give.
 
What Does Crying Out to God Look Like? 
What does crying out to God look like? It can be loud and it can be messy. Consider Elijah, who wrestled in prayer, fervently praying for the rain to stop in the days of wicked King Ahab. The rain stopped, and three and a half years later, he prayed again until a cloud appeared in the sky and the rains came. 
 
The Bible calls his prayers fervent and effective—his head bowed between his knees as he prayed the kind of prayers that move heaven and earth. (1 Kings 18:41-45, James 5:16-17)
 
Consider Hannah, who was so distraught in prayer that the priest Eli thought she was drunk. 
 
“In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly.” (1 Samuel 1:10)
 
It wasn’t a pretty sight as she cried out from the depths of her being to her God, desperate for a child, desperate for His response. And the Lord heard. The very next year she conceived a child, the prophet Samuel.
 
Practical Ways to Look to God for Help
Running to God in the midst of a trial can look like turning off Netflix or turning off the radio. It’s taking action to turn off the noise around us and quiet our souls. It’s taking action to remove the distractions and listen for His voice, His counsel. 
 
Turning to God may be as simple as spending time in God’s word. Opening the Bible to feed your soul with His truth to balance out the negatives and the naysayers and the blaring lab report that has shaken your world. It’s a matter of gaining God’s point of view, taking a seat in the “heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” to rise above our earthly perspective on life. (Ephesians 2:6)
 
It may mean going against the flow of everything the world is telling you to do to sit at the feet of your Lord and King. Your Savior. Your Healer. Your hope and redemption.
 
It Begins with Trusting Who God Is
It boils down to trust. Trusting that God is who He said He is. Believing that He cares and He is with you in the good, the bad and the ugly. Just like He was there in the fire with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, He is with you in the fire of a cancer diagnosis or a child’s gender dysphoria or a business venture that fails. 
 
I saw a billboard recently that said, “No Matter What the Question—Jesus is the Answer.” It sounds so very cliché at first, but if we have a strong grasp on who the Bible says He is, then it’s true. 
 
He is the I Am. He is everything you need, no matter what speedball life throws at you. He is God with us, Emmanuel.