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EnJOYing Election Season: Cultivating Joy in the Chaos

EnJOYing Election Season: Cultivating Joy in the Chaos

“Evangelicals for Harris” are all CHINOS — Christians In Name Only. God is not fooled. Neither should we be fooled. My Social Media feeds are full of vitriol…from both sides of the political divide. “How can any Christian vote for a convicted criminal, rapist, insurrectionist, etc.” And it grieves me. The Bible says that all…
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Art and Beauty: How to Embrace Beauty to Change Culture

“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way… things I had no words for.” ― Georgia O’Keeffe Sometimes we forget that God created beauty. At least we evangelicals who value utilitarianism above beauty and art do. We forget that God is the original artist. He paints on canvases…
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A Reason to Go to Church: God’s Presence and Joy

“Silence is the perfectest herald of joy. I were but little happy if I could say how much.”  Claudio, Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare God does something special when His people come together as a congregation. When we sing, take communion, baptize people, listen to the preaching of God’s Word, His presence comes to us in a special…
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Joy and Presence

Just a note…I have missed sharing this space with you all. So through prayer and planning, my goal is to post here twice a month. I hope you are blessed. Where Joy is Found You [the LORD] reveal the path of life to me;in your presence is abundant joy;at your right hand are eternal pleasures. Psalm…
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Obedience, Running, and Calling

“So don’t throw away your confidence, which has great reward. For you need endurance, so that after you have done God’s will, you may receive what was promised…But we are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and are saved.”     Hebrews 10:35-36 and 39 CSB I’ve been silent for…
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A Season of Silence: Experiencing God’s Peace

“Silence is the perfectest herald of joy: I were but little happy, if I could say how much.” -William Shakespeare Much Ado About Nothing Words have been hard for me lately. Silence is easier. I wasn’t so full of joy I could not share like Claudio in the above quote. The big emotions – all of…
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What to Think: How to Boss Around Your Mind

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8 ESV God cares about what we think. In fact, He gives us a list of the types…
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Mind Your Mind: Joining the Battle for Joy

This past weekend I had the privilege of leading two break-out sessions at Arkansas Baptist Women’s Inspire Conference. What a blessing it was to see about 900 women from all over Arkansas gather together to receive encouragement, correction, refreshment, and learn to fall more in love with Jesus. The session I led was called Changing…
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The Hope that Does Not Disappoint

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces…
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Sovereignty: Three Ways to Trust God When Failure Looms

Last week I watched Clemson trounce Alabama in the NCAA’s Football National Championship game. Clemson was up 31-16 at halftime and never looked back. After a botched fake field goal at the beginning of the third quarter Alabama’s loss seemed imminent. Failure, at least in that game, was coming. Still Alabama did not walk off…
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Fear God for Freedom’s Sake

You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:48 Doesn’t this make you tremble, even a little? I’m not perfect. I know that and I can’t do it. I can’t be perfect even when I try. But Angela, there is forgiveness…Jesus lived the perfect life and died the death you deserved and so…
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The Ugly Truth About Sin, Blushing, and Laughter

“You’re blushing,” my oldest’s observation served to deepen the color of my cheeks. I felt embarrassed, which is not a habit of mine, and my cheeks warmed up as my heart rate increased. Interestingly enough I will blush when I’m unsure of my role, when I feel embarrassed about a social situation, but I rarely…
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Longing, Rebellion, and Joy

Lent day 5 is today, for the introduction click here, Day 1 here, Day 2 here, Day 3 here, Day 4 here, and the bonus one here. There is a longing known to all humans. We try all sorts of things to fill it: Sex, relationships, drugs, music, good deeds, work, art, success, kids, marriage,…
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A Little Lent Secret

If you are like me and you hear Lent lasts 40 days and then you start counting on the calendar…wait there are 46 days between Ash Wednesday (the beginning of Lent) and Easter Sunday… WHAT GIVES? Because seriously I like chocolate or whatever it is I decided to fast from during Lent and uh, it…
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Hypocrisy, Self-Examination, and Lent

The thing about asking God to search you is that inevitably something will be found.   We spend time in God’s Word, we ask Him to show us our sin, and we repent. We tell God thank You for showing us that nasty stuff and washing us clean. Then we get off our knees and like a dog…
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Search Me: Living an Examined Life

Lent day 3…Here are links to day 1, day 2, and the introduction. The heart is deceitful above all things,     and desperately sick;     who can understand it? Jeremiah 17:9 ESV Isn’t it interesting that we don’t really know our own hearts? How many times have I wondered why I felt a certain way or why…
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God’s Righteousness, My Wrong-ness: Trading Guilt for Grace

Welcome to Lent Devotional day 2. You can check out my very brief description of Lent here and the day 1 devotional here. Who will not fear, O Lord,     and glorify your name? For you alone are holy.     All nations will come     and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed. Revelation 14:6 ESV God…
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Know God Know Myself – Day one of Lent Devotions

Welcome to Day one of my 40 days of Lent devotions. If you are interested in what Lent is all about check it out here. Have you ever stood next to a seven-foot tall basketball player? Or just a very tall person? If you are that very tall person, have you ever stood next to…
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Lent for Protestants who Don’t “Do Lent”

Growing up I didn’t understand Lent… A friend or two would mention giving up something for Lent. Then there was eating fish on Friday and I was completely lost. How does “giving something up for Lent” and eating fish on Friday get you closer to God? But God is the God of seasons and festivals.…
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How to Endure Under the Pressure of the Mundane

For far too long I have allowed my inner editor to silence my writing. “I have nothing to say,” I would tell myself. Besides if you can’t keep your house clean, what right do you have to write words? My inner diatribe would chide. So I’ve been silenced under the pressure of the mundane… …under the…
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