Category: From the Heart!
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If All Else Fails, Use Words…
I read over the weekend of a shy young lady with COPD (which was getting progressively worse) met weekly with a support group at a local church. She had no friends so this group was her only support. Somehow she didn’t receive the email letting her know the counselor had rescheduled the class for a…
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Was Blind, But Now I See…
In the late 1700’s, John Newton was a cruel, militant atheist. He was a wild and angry young man. In the Navy at only 18 years old he was so reckless and defiant, he was publicly flogged. He was both hated and feared by his crew mates. Eventually, he became a slave trader. At the…
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Ordinary People
The early church was made up of ordinary people like you and me. Yet these ordinary people changed the world. The whole known world was transformed following the death and resurrection of Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The book of Acts tells us how this happened. Everywhere the apostles and followers went…
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Change…
Sometime ago I read a story about a young man living on the streets of Los Angeles. This young man lived day to day, begging for money and often became aggressive to those who refused to give. When the the young man died it was discovered that he had inherited a huge fortune. He had…
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Weaving a Beautiful Pattern
The world can sometimes feel like a huge tangled web. Often we can feel stuck and not able to understand what’s going on or why we have to suffer. But Jesus and the Scriptures promise us that behind it all, there is the love of God. Even though things may seem very difficult for us…
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Peace and Solace…
God does not promise any of us an easy path through life. Life can be, and often is extremely hard. The psalmist in Psalm 71:19-24 has seen ‘troubles, many and bitter’ (v.20). His troubles, pressures and worries were not occasional or trivial. They were numerous, ugly and serious. It is easy to trust God when…
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We NEED a Fortress…
Trials and temptations…temptations and trials. A seemingly constant merry go round. This is how life is, and the Bible is not at all naïve about it. Usually, as we emerge from one battle, there is another one around the corner. This is the challenge of life. Psalm 71:1-8 is chalk full of indications of difficulty…
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Love in Work Clothes…
In Cincinnati, Ohio, Steve Sjogren started with a small group of 5 that grew grew to an average attendance of over 6,000. The church and leadership focused on, ‘Small things done with great love can change the world.’ They carry out random acts of kindness like paying for a stranger’s coffee or writing a ‘thank…
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Two Boats, and a Helicopter!
Upon falling overboard a man thought, ‘I will trust in God to rescue me.’ Later a boat came by and offered to help him. The man said, ‘No, I’m trusting in God to save me.’ Another boat came by and the man said again, ‘No thank you! God will rescue me.’ Then a helicopter flew…
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Undignified?
Have you ever been in a situation where you simply, let go? I see this at sporting events all the time. Seeing fans in the bleachers, all dressed up in their teams colors and wearing ridiculous costumes is commonplace. We see this at music concerts as well. However, the best example I believe comes from…
Living Life by Design 