FIVE—FOUR—THREE—TWO— I’m teetering at the top of a 130’ vertical rock face high in the mountains of New Mexico, knees shaking, heart pounding, and after two false starts am expected to take that first courageous step at the count of –O-N-E—to begin my rappel down the cliff—face first! It’s an Australian rappel: a controlled descent, face first using ropes, off a vertical surface. Standing at the top, I wondered how I could even walk facing down a vertical cliff. Believe me, it goes against all natural instincts! Trusting to do what appeared impossible was huge, even with the assurance that…
I woke to the steady rhythm of waves pounding on the shore, the unremitting rise and fall of the tide easing me out of the night’s slumber. Outside my window, the beach where folks leisurely walked the night before now covered in water. High tide. Though powerful and dangerous, there’s something calming about the sight and sound of the ocean—the constancy of the waves’ ebb and flow relaxing, reassuring. Here we see God’s majesty on full display, and gazing out at the endless sea, we become small. Through summer’s warm sunny days, people gather here to enjoy the water, the…
As we busily move through our days—and especially when things are going well—it’s easy to leave God on the back burner. So often, it’s when the burdens of life become overwhelming, or too tough to handle on our own, that we cry out to Him. And although in His graciousness and goodness He hears us any time, God never intended that we navigate through life alone. In Christ, by way of the Holy Spirit, He’s given us a helper, a comforter, a companion and friend to walk with us through the peaks and valleys of our journey. When the stresses…
Did you know statistics reveal that 75-90% of all doctor visits are for stress-related illnesses? The pressures of life are constantly bearing down on us. We all face needs that can result in anxieties about our health, finances, safety, relationships, the future. While people try many things to bring peace to their lives, Jesus’ words in John 14:27 remain: “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” The peace of Christ is something we must invest in daily through…
Last week, during our Midwest travels, my husband and I took a day to enjoy a bike ride along a quiet rail trail in western Michigan. Scenic and flat, it was my kind of trail, and despite the cold weather made for a pleasant outing. We arrived in a small town called New Era, population 800. After lunch at the village diner where we were obviously “out-of-towners”, we wandered next door to check out a health food/coffee shop. While waiting for the owner to make hubby’s afternoon espresso, we noticed a sign on her wall: C.O.F.F.E.E. Christ Offers Forgiveness For…
