"...when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." 1 John 3:2
“Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me…She has done what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” Mark 14:6, 8-9 Most often, the story of Mary anointing Jesus with perfume is told in the perspective of the disciples, {Read More}
Recently, the parable of the sower from Mark 4:14-20 struck me in a new way. Lately, I’ve had moments where I’ve been reading the Bible or listening to preaching and the Holy Spirit has struck my heart with revelation and conviction. While seeing my sin or weakness can be painful, I have felt genuine joy at Him showing me something that He wants to correct and make more like Jesus. I believe my heart is sincere in its desire to {Read More}
Jesus appears to be revealing Himself to Muslims through powerful dreams and visions throughout the Islamic world today, and the results are dramatic. Eleven years ago, Pastor Tom Doyle felt God calling him to leave the pastorate and become a full-time missionary in the Middle East and Central Asia. Through his extensive work in the region, which includes over 80 trips to places like Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Israel, Lebanon, and Turkey, Tom has met and recorded the stories {Read More}
As a young girl, I remember standing next to my mom in worship services at our church, listening to her sing. I hated singing, because I felt like I could never reach the notes of the melody and didn’t like the sound of my own voice. With my limited range, I would strain to hear my mom’s harmonies and try to follow along with her. As I grew up and learned to play piano, I began to discover how to {Read More}
A paraphrase of portions of Hosea 2-3… My Beloved, You have said, “I will go after my lovers, who give me my entertainment, my escape, who fascinate and satisfy my desires, and who make me feel valuable and liked.” Therefore, look and see what I will do. I will hedge up your way with thorns and wall you in, so that you cannot find their paths. Though you chase your lovers, I will not let you catch them; yes, though {Read More}
At the beginning of 2012, I was talking to God about what areas He wanted to work on in me this year and one of the items He brought up was loving my neighbor. I have always felt a deep connection with the first commandment to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37-38), but I often struggled with the second commandment to “love your neighbor as {Read More}
Several months ago, we were sitting at the dinner table and asked Justice to pray for our meal, and in the midst of thanking God for the food, he said this phrase that blew me away. It was so simple, yet seemed so profound and it seemed even more so coming from the mouth of my then 3-year-old son. He thanked God that, “You know how to love us.” Wow. For some reason, this was something that I had never {Read More}
You can read about the origins of this blog series on The Essential Jesus here and catch up on previous posts here. Hebrews 1:1-4 My Father has always been speaking to humanity and throughout the ages, He spoke through His prophets. But in these last days, He spoke to you through me, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the worlds. Instead of speaking through men, though dreams and visions, He chose to use me, {Read More}
Warning: this post is me processing and therefore it may come out as random ramblings and may be rather long. I feel like it’s been so busy and crazy for the last month and a half that I haven’t had time to sit and think and process everything that has happened. I was barely at the beginning of my journey in grieving the loss of my baby girl Ezana when we got the terrible news about Angie’s death. Now I am trying {Read More}
13 During harvest time, three of the thirty chief men came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14 At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 15 David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” 16 So the three mighty men broke through {Read More}
What You’re Saying…