Do I Have Anything to be Thankful For in 2020?
It’s definitely a question on the minds and hearts of many as we celebrate Thanksgiving 2020. For many, 2020 has been a train wreck. From COVID, to political and rational tensions…2020 has been tough. I was on vacation last week. It was a great week of relaxation,...
A Reminder to be Thankful!
From time to time, I find myself dissatisfied with the things I possess and discontent with my current station in life. I find myself wanting something new…something different…something more! As I've reflected on these attitudes, I've seen that they are rooted in...
The Business of Gratefulness – Maintaining a Thankful Heart in a Troubled World
A Difficult Year for Joy One of the challenges of 2020 is an unrelenting stream of difficult news is constantly at war with our efforts to be hopeful and joyful. A cynical man might almost be afraid to be happy, in case word leaked out and the forces at work this year...
What Will Still Be True When the Election is Over
"Politics matters. Policies matter. Presidents matter. They really do. But let us never forget that some things matter much, much, eternally much more." What Will Still Be True When the Election is Over Written by Kevin DeYoung We may know by early morning who will be...
Passive No More
Being passive is a common struggle. There are times when things happen to us or around us and we simply don’t respond. We take it on the chin. Rather than speaking up or taking action we are tempted to shrug our shoulders and say, “It is what it is.” We may even...
God’s Will
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit” – yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes....
Empathy
“Empathy doesn’t judge what others feel. It understands what others feel.” – Dan Rockwell This quote by Dan Rockwell really grabbed my attention. I began to look inward and do a little self-evaluation on the subject. As I continued to process the quote, I underline...
Humbled by the Grace of God
The Grace of God has been defined as giving us what we do not deserve. We deserve God’s punishment—not His goodness! When I consider my life and my tendency to wander away from God, as well as , my rebellion towards Him…I know that I do not deserve His Grace…none of...
We Don’t Suffer Alone
Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word. You are good and do good; teach me your statutes. It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces....
Battling Discontentment
In this episode of Let’s Talk, Melissa Kruger, Jackie Hill Perry, and Jasmine Holmes discuss how they fight against discontentment and envy. Because we live in a fallen world, we must face the fact that life often won’t be what we expect or desire. But it takes...
God is Still Working
From time to time I read some of my previous letters. It reminds me of what God has done in the past, helps me realize what God was showing me at that time, and propels me to trust Him more fully in the future. God led me to this letter from 2013. I trust it will...
Growing in our Prayer Life
For the last couple of years, our YBL Jackson small groups have engaged in growing in our prayer life. It has been great to hear the stories of men that have seen God move in incredible ways as they have prayed faithfully to the Lord. So…why would I write a blog on...
Identity
I recently spoke with a senior vice president of a local bank. During a recent job change he was asked to clear his old office and then be escorted out the door. He told me that he took a small cardboard box and put everything that belonged to him. He said to me,...
COVID Proofing Your Hope
What a year we have had. We have run out of adjectives to describe the situation which the pandemic and shutdown have produced. Virtually every aspect of our lives has been touched in this season. There are concerns about health and fears about death. Concerns about...
Three Ways to Stay Faithful in a Sifting Season
Three Ways to Stay Faithful in a Sifting Season By: Meredith Houston Carr | Proverbs 31 Ministries August 11th, 2020 “‘Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when...
Don’t Lose Hope
It is hard to be patient in the midst of difficult circumstances. You just want it to be over. Someone please fix this problem, resolve this issue, and let’s be done. You’re ready to move on, but nothing changes. The struggle continues and there doesn’t seem to be an...