In the midst of pain and struggles, it's important to embrace the journey and allow it to bring about growth and maturity. Rather than seeking to simply move on from pain, the focus should be on moving through it, with endurance as the key. This process leads to transformation and a deeper connection with spiritual purpose.
In relationships, we seldom consider where someone lives emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. We all have to live somewhere, but dwelling on our pain and disappointments creates an expectancy that leads us into dark places of bondage. By making Jesus our dwelling place, we find joy and hope in the middle of pain and disappointment.
It's been a minute since I've written anything. Actually, I haven't posted anything this year. Truth be told, I haven't had anything to write. Most of what I post comes from deep moments where I am pursuing something that is lacking in my own life and find some nugget of truth that impacts the hope... Continue Reading →
This might touch a nerve, but in the spirit of transparency, I have to admit that I've been disappointed with God. Not just recently. This probably doesn't apply to you, but I have a tendency to judge God based on what He has done for me. When things balance out in my favor, then God... Continue Reading →
Earlier this year, Bill Johnson lost his wife to cancer. Three days later, he was behind the pulpit preaching. Here is a small section of what he taught: God is not a vending machine that I get to put a quarter into and withdraw from Him what I want. He chooses what He gives. But... Continue Reading →
I was sitting in church this past Sunday and I was faced with the question that we're all faced with throughout our lives. It's a question that I've addressed on this blog many times, and I'm certain I will address many more times throughout my life. Is God REALLY Good? As I sat there listening... Continue Reading →
I love the Holiday Season. Thanksgiving and Christmas bring back memories of warmth in the midst of the cold, friends and family in the presence of loneliness, and giving to others in spite of a culture that tends to put themselves first (a topic for another blog). For some, however, this season is a reminder... Continue Reading →
In life, we all face moments of loss and hardship that leave us feeling shattered. Finding hope in these trying times often feels unreachable. In this blog, I delve into a collection of quotes that impacted my journey from pain and loss to restoration. Whether you're navigating a tough season or seeking direction for the... Continue Reading →
"Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope...." Romans 5:3-4 I have this scripture on an index card pinned to my wall in front of my desk. It's eye level so that it's the first thing I see when I lift... Continue Reading →
"Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope.Even today I declare that I will restore double to you." Zechariah 9:12 My wife, Michelle, wrote this passage on the mirror of our bathroom several months ago. I would read it in passing every so often as I was getting ready in the morning. Not surprisingly, and... Continue Reading →
STOP! You probably don't want to read this blog if you're looking for a comfortable, convenient, unchallenged life. This is not a "how to get rich quick" blog or a "how to finally fulfill that stubborn bucket list." In fact, this blog might sting a little if those things are a driving force in your... Continue Reading →
I recently returned from a trip to the earthquake zone in Turkey. We've had members of Hope4Nations working in the area since the very beginning and I wanted to see the work and the devastation first hand. I had seen video and pictures, heard the stories, but nothing imprints the pain and loss more permanently... Continue Reading →
We've all heard the words that break us. "I'm sorry, but we're going to have to let you go." "I don't love you anymore, I want a divorce." "We're sorry to inform you that you have not been accepted." "After further testing, we've found that your cancer has returned." We can all quote or remember... Continue Reading →
Experts tell us "success breeds success." I'm not here to argue the merits of that statement. However, I will say success is not the ONLY factor that breeds success, in fact, it's pretty low on the scale of things needed to be successful. Don't get me wrong, it certainly feels good to do something right... Continue Reading →
I hate it when things break. Usually things are costly to repair and in many instances, it's just better to replace them. I've got a car sitting in the garage that's in need of repair, and it's going to be expensive (thus the reason it's sitting in the garage 😅). Most of us probably fall... Continue Reading →
The earthquake in Turkey and Syria has left, at last count, more than 6,000 dead and 12,000 injured. The numbers may be 5 times that in a few days. Those who have not left the earthquake zone are living in the streets because it is unsafe to go back in their homes. It's winter and... Continue Reading →
My journey with the Lord began when I was seven years old. I remember the day and I remember being baptized in the little Baptist church in Midland, Texas. As I grew older, I also grew away from the Lord. After graduating high school, I couldn't wait to get out of my parents house and... Continue Reading →
"The valley of the shadow of death holds no darkness for the child of God. There must be light, else there could be no shadow. Jesus is the light. He has overcome death." ~ Dwight L. Moody (American evangelist and publisher) This Is No Time to Panic I remember the moment we backed out of... Continue Reading →
Obviously, I don't have all the answers. In fact, the more I learn, the more I realize how little I actually know. I find it's one of the things that keeps me pressing into the presence of my Heavenly Father, because only He holds the words of life. Early in our journey of loss, grief,... Continue Reading →
I don't know that I've met anyone that doesn't dream of adventure. Even as children we have dreams of being an astronaut, or a pirate, or a knight in shining armor. We imagine ourselves as firefighters, pilots, warriors, princesses, and kings. Some of us pursue and catch our dreams and live the adventure. And yet... Continue Reading →
It's typically the first question that a person must come to terms with in their pursuit of the eternal: Is God good? In wrestling with that issue, other questions usually comes to mind and they usually surround our circumstances, the good, the bad, and the ugly. It's easy to proclaim God's goodness when things are... Continue Reading →
I don't know about you, but in my life, there has always been a finality to the word "failure." For me, I've had to overcome this concept that to fail means that "it's over. I lost." Failure can define a career, a competition, a mistake, an accident, or any number of other disappointments that happen to... Continue Reading →
"Light the fire in my soul, fan the flame, make me whole. Lord, You know just where I've been, so light the fire in my heart again." Light the Fire by Bill Maxwell Sometimes we look at the disappointment, pain and failures of life and feel like all our hopes and dreams have burned to... Continue Reading →
One month ago, our family boarded a flight to Turkey. It's a flight that we've taken more times than I can count over the past twenty years. Turkey has been our home for most of that time. But, two years ago, we transitioned our family back to the United States. Now, as our time here... Continue Reading →
"I don't want to be in the same place two years from now. I want to be better and further down the road, healed and moving toward my purpose." I said that about two years ago after the sudden and tragic loss of our twenty year old daughter. My expectation was that "time heals all... Continue Reading →
What do you do when Sadness seems to surround you and cut you off from the world? Sadness shouldn't be seen as the enemy. Sadness is there to get us through the pain - if only we will allow it.
"Don't talk about that." "Keep that to yourself." "Don't be so dark, it depresses other people. and no one wants to be around you." It seems in an attempt at "keeping up appearances", that when we show a darker side of our lives, it makes everyone uncomfortable. I will go on record and say that... Continue Reading →
Not going to lie. Everything still hurts. In the back of my mind I guess I've always had this unconscious belief that with enough time, things would get easier and life would move on. It's been almost two years since we lost Aly, our 20 year old daughter. Her birthday is in one week -... Continue Reading →
I QUIT! This is too difficult and it HURTS! I cannot tell you how many times those words have floated through my head! Developing a lifestyle of overcoming failure, pain, rejection, and the many other obstacles that the enemy will send at us, requires more than just a desire to overcome. Desire can bring about... Continue Reading →
Do you ever have those days where you know you're supposed to do something, but you also know it's going to be difficult or NOT FUN!? It's that word that NOBODY likes to hear: OBEDIENCE. Aaarrgh! There have been many times in my walk with God where I've had nothing to offer but my obedience.... Continue Reading →
My goal in starting a blog was to write something once a week. Because I'm an "inspirational" writer, if I'm not inspired by some random thought or God-speaking moment, I struggle to know what to write. This week has been like that. I could give an update about how great it was to have several... Continue Reading →
"If you do not plan to live the Christian life totally committed to knowing your God and to walking in obedience to Him, then don't begin, for this is what Christianity is all about. It is a change of citizenship, a change of governments, a change of allegiance. If you have no intention of letting... Continue Reading →
I know a lot of people that are risk takers. Michelle and I love to surround ourselves with "risky" people. Some of them will jump off a cliff without looking over the edge or considering what lies at the bottom. They love putting their full trust in the Lord, like Jonathan and his armor bearer,... Continue Reading →
Many of you who read this blog know our family's story. Needless to say, we've had our share of tragedy over the last eighteen months. After losing our twenty year old daughter in 2020, we moved back the the United States after living in the Middle East for 16 years. That transition alone would've been... Continue Reading →
Have you ever had one of those days (or weeks, months, years) where you just struggle to put one foot in front of the other? For the sake of transparency, I've had more than my share of those days the past two years. I have great intentions for the day or the week, but then... Continue Reading →
If you're like me, you probably have things in your life that have followed you around relentlessly that you would prefer to get rid of. I'm not talking about people (although maybe you have a few of those as well...I'll save that for later post). I'm talking about those pesky failures and disappointments. I'm talking... Continue Reading →
I think it's safe to say most of us don't like to fall down. We don't like the skinned knees, the bruising or the pain that results from the impact with whatever we fall into or onto. We also don't like the recovery that results from it. Sometimes the recovery feels like we're starting over,... Continue Reading →
As the holiday season concludes, many find themselves navigating the lingering shadows of grief and loneliness. This heartfelt post explores the unpredictable journey of healing, emphasizing the power of hope, faith, and community. Discover practical strategies to reach out, practice self-compassion, and seek meaningful connections, guiding you toward resilience and renewed joy even in the toughest times.
August 14th. That was the date of the last blog I posted. Honestly, I haven't felt like writing. This last year has been a deep dive into the search for who I am in this season of transition and loss. It's not that I "dove in," but rather I was "thrown into" the deep end.... Continue Reading →
I still cry. I'm not talking about a tear rolling down my cheek every so often, I'm talking about the screaming into the pillow, red-faced, snot-dripping-on-the-floor kind of crying. Oh sure, it's not every day like that first year after our daughter passed away, but it still hits me from time to time like a... Continue Reading →
Finding Hope and Purpose in the Storm 