A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great. PROVERBS 18:16 Holiness is often hidden—no, I take that back—is often showcased in a child. Take the time I was in an airport drugstore in Hawaii. Ken was at the ticket counter, and…
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I recently ran into a friend I hadn’t seen in a few weeks. I know she’s been going through a tumultuous time, so after some brief small talk I said, “Friend, can I ask, how’s your heart?” That’s when her guard came down and she shared all the ways it…
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It has been three years. Last night I remembered the final vigil, holding one of her soft hands with its delicately curved fingers while my sister held the other and we waited with each breath, both longing for her release and guiltily grateful that it wasn’t quite yet, that we…
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How do you see yourself? Be honest. If you were to look in the mirror for a good, long look, how would you describe what you see? The way we see or view ourselves is extremely important. It’s called our self-concept. Literally, it is the concept of yourself, the concept…
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Growing up, I was an Eagle Scout, and my favorite part of being a scout was to go camping and to pitch my tent in all kinds of places. I enjoyed the sights and smells of the great outdoors and found peace and joy in nature. Whether it was the…
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Be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. —Ephesians 5:15-16 One way you can prepare for your journey to heaven is to make the most of your time on earth. The apostle Paul said it…
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“You’ll never amount to anything.” The teacher’s words seared my ten-year-old spirit. I understood her underlying frustration. After all, I was hyperactive, easily distracted, and consumed more than my share of sugar. Oh, and I had a mega-crush on a cute boy in my class who happened to be a…
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It was one of the most dramatic moments in human history. Matthew chapter 28 presents us with the picture as Mary Magdalene entered the garden with burial spices in her hand to visit the tomb of Jesus, her teacher, Savior and friend…the One who had freed her from demon possession…
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If I were to ask you to draw a picture of Jesus and Peter during that incredible walking-on-water scene, which direction would Jesus be facing? Would he be facing Peter or looking away? My guess is that ten out of ten people would portray Jesus with his gaze immovably fixed…
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Have you ever read a scripture in God’s sacred word only later to learn that you completely misunderstood what it meant? Even worse, when someone would preach from that specific text it would irritate you. There was one verse in particular that annoyed me and made me feel uncomfortable, uneasy,…
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