“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me, and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me, and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matt 11:28-30 (MSG). I love worship music. A lot of Christians do. When we think about it, worship is very relational; it’s time we set a[...]
“[the Lord] who satisfies your desires with good things so your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (Psalm 103:5) I recently heard about a study that followed hundreds of people over their lifetimes to understand better what makes people live happy, healthy, long lives. It’s called the “Harvard Study of Adult Development,” and it’s one of the longest-running studies ever conducted. It started in 1938 and is still ongoing today! Most of the original participants have passed away, and the stu[...]
Peace is one of those godly attributes that I still don’t fully comprehend, and I wonder if I ever will come to a complete understanding of it. The absence of fighting, conflict, or intense internal turmoil typically characterizes worldly peace. Usually, Counsellors will advise those who seek peace to practice self-care and engage in a pleasant activity. It’s not bad advice. In fact, as a Counsellor who works with non-Christians, I give out this advice all the time - especially when I talk with people wh[...]
"God of Heaven's Armies, you find so much beauty in your people! They're like lovely sanctuaries of your presence." Psalms 84:1 (TPT). I heard a quote this week that really amazed me! Someone from ‘Jesus Culture’ said: “God visits many places; He rests in few. God visits many people; He rests in a few. It’s because it takes compatibility.” That quote truly amazes me on so many different levels... There’s something intimate, very leisurely and unrushed about resting with someone - much more so[...]
I was recently asked what it means to "fear the Lord." I admit, it seems like strange language! Elsewhere in the Bible, we're told that perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18), so why are we repeatedly encouraged to 'fear the Lord'? I'm glad you asked! In modern vocabulary, when we talk about "fear," we often mean "phobias." For example, I am afraid of spiders. I know it's completely crazy, and they can't hurt me, but I still have a deep fear of them. In fact, whether it's a shark or a spider, I have a sim[...]
In our modern-day, productive, fast-paced culture, we value and celebrate doing and achieving. But a story in the New Testament tends to challenge our status quo. This story questions our priorities and what we value. Once upon a time, long ago, Jesus was a guest in someone's home. Hosting anyone – let alone the Lord – is a lot of responsibility and work. This "hostess with the mostest" was named Martha, and no doubt, she must have been running around, greeting everyone, cooking and cleaning. Jesus wasn'[...]
Seasons make a huge difference. Here in Canada, you won’t want to go outside in a t-shirt in January, but you also won’t want to go outside with snow pants in July - both scenarios would be intolerable! Our Canadian seasons are drastically different, and we adjust accordingly – like all good Canadians do. King Solomon once famously said “For everything there is a season” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Spiritually, we also go through seasons. I recently heard an amazing teaching on spiritual seasons and how Go[...]
“The seed falling on rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.” Matthew 13:20-21 (NLT). I so admire people who are good gardeners and can grow just about anything! On the other hand, I had a reputation for killing just about any plant out there. But I decided during Covid to try to develop some gardening skil[...]
I’ve had fascinating conversations over the past few years with new believers or people who just returned to their faith after walking away for a few years. Often, their main question is, “What now?”; they struggle to figure out how to juggle their newfound love of Jesus with the baggage they carry, their doubts, and their other loves that aren’t all that ‘proper.’ It’s certainly a process; there’s no simple formula, and it’ll take time to figure it out. But the starting point always has to[...]
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV). I spent a solid 20 minutes trying to explain the concept of God's grace to someone who was terrified that if they made a mistake, God might smite them somehow. This had been a longstanding fear of theirs. Unfortunately, after I talked in circles for a while, my friend's face just showed confusion and mixed feelings rather than[...]