Hello friends! I invite you to listen and enjoy my recent interview on the Hope Unyielding podcast. Writer and host Hope Johnson and I discuss why peace is so important for Christians in today’s culture of busyness and distraction. “Peace is something that we all desire, yet often feels elusive in today’s world. Even before the pandemic hit, the fast pace of American culture combined with the ever-increasing usage of technology has many of us feeling frantic and frazzled. Cheryl Elton has made it a life goal to pursue Christ’s perfect peace, and today she shares what she has learned through…
With warmer days and summer around the corner, one of my spring rituals is putting away the winter coats and sweaters for another year, and bringing out the short-sleeved shirts and shorts. Many of us give much care to the upkeep and choosing of clothes. And surely we wouldn’t consider going out into the world without clothes on! Yet as we begin each new day, how often do we venture out without putting on our spiritual clothes—the presence of Christ? And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. (Galatians 3:27…
Do you have a quiet place you go to be alone with God? A place where you pour out your prayers and praises and seek His counsel? For me, during my early years as a Christian in high school and college, a local park and nearby beaches were my special places. I loved to sit and watch the tide roll in, reminding me of God’s faithfulness as I quieted my heart in His presence. Today, I have my comfy chair at home. Quiet time with the Lord is imperative if we want to maintain peace in our lives. Jesus tells…
With the Christmas season in full swing, it’s easy to become overloaded with the many obligations and expectations it brings. We can get so busy with the decorating, shopping, concerts, and other activities that we’re fitting into our already packed schedules, that we lose sight of why we’re doing it all to begin with—leaving us feeling drained and overwhelmed. In an effort to get a handle on our endless to-do lists, it’s easy to rush into the day, spending little or no time with the One who helps us most! St. Francis de Sales said: Every Christian needs a half-hour…
Several years ago, a figure skating coach I know decided—after 20 years of teaching—he would start training to compete again. That winter, every time I was at the rink, I watched him practice. He pushed himself to train, every single day, for months on end. Finally, the big day came. He travelled halfway across the country to compete against other highly accomplished adult skaters at Nationals. But soon after arriving, he experienced a crushing blow. His back gave out, and he spent the entire event in pain, watching from the stands as a spectator. In hindsight, he realized he had over-trained,…
