Simplifying… me

There is no distance we can run from which God’s gracious hand can not reach out and rescue.
We can never go too far where redemption can not pull us back.
And if we think that our current circumstances have hidden us too far out of sight, then we have forgotten just how great and mighty, mindful [...]

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We need hope.
Hope is what gets us up and out of bed in the morning when the impossible is staring at us in the face.
Hope is what energizes and empowers us to keep hanging on when the unthinkable has disrupted our lives.
Hope reminds us that while we may not see it right now, we can [...]

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I was in third grade. It was a Sunday morning, and I was sitting in our children’s church room at church when our children’s leaders were suddenly called away from the classroom. They left a boy and a girl in charge – no more than two years older than myself – who were instructed to [...]

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We bought Jasper a coloring book and a set of jumbo crayons to keep him entertained on our long road trips. He’s three, so for him the thrill of the activity is simply the fact that he can make marks on the paper and scribble to his heart’s delight and nobody is going to stop [...]

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Embrace the past
Embrace tomorrow
Embrace the joy
Embrace the sorrow
Embrace the simple
Embrace the uncertain
Embrace the weathered
Embrace the new again
All the days ahead
Are made what they will be
By all the days behind.
The gift of what seems too hard
Appreciated for what growth
Awaits on the other side.
The goodness of it all
The excitement, challenge, stretching, breathing in grace and peace
Found in [...]

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“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:19
As December draws to a close, and as we wrap up another year into a nice, neat bow – kind of like a present on Christmas morning – I think it would be advantageous to pause. Before we start making resolutions [...]

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“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:8
God’s perfect keeping keeps us in perfect peace.
Even though the night may not be so silent, the Prince of Peace still reigns, so that we can sleep in heavenly peace.
Throughout the month of December, I have a [...]

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“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.”    Isaiah 9:2
I heard a story this past weekend about a man named Bob who had been blind for 51 years. After five decades of walking around in total darkness, dependent upon [...]

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“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
Everyone’s looking for a little more joy and a little more peace.
There is a running joke in our family. The kids will ask [...]

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Peter walked on water.
I see this story as a vivid depiction of the realities of walking by faith.
Think about it.
Peter wanted to be where Jesus was, and so he climbed out of the security of the boat and took his first step onto the water. And then, when the wind began to pick up speed, [...]

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