Trading My Sorrows
October 12, 2024 by Gina Stinson
Filed under Daily Devotions, Personal Growth
In a world where it’s easy to get caught up with dissatisfaction, complaining, grumbling, and despair, it’s reassuring to know God has a trade-in policy. He has his own “cash for clunkers” deal!
If you’re feeling down, troubled, distressed or perplexed, God’s Word says you don’t have to feel despair. Feeling persecuted? Don’t…He’s not forsaken you. Feeling cast down? Don’t you know the end of the story…HE wins!
How Do We Cope?
September 12, 2024 by admin
Filed under Personal Growth
Songs and bumper stickers often misrepresent the Christian Life, and mislead believers into thinking they will be happy all the time. Happy is merely a feeling associated with circumstances. It is difficult for any human being to experience happiness 24/7 when God also created other emotions. Even Jesus wept.
In the Image of God
September 2, 2024 by admin
Filed under Personal Growth
Slamming the front door, I'd march into the house shouting, "I hate you!” My sweet, even-tempered mother would calmly walk into my room, and say, "Now Cheri, I can see you are angry, but you really don't hate anyone. You may dislike or even hate what they do, but you don't hate them. After all, they, too, were created by God.” I hated that. She was right, but when you are really angry, it takes all of the punch out of your anger to admit you loved the person God created, but not who they have become. There are a lot of people today who fall into this category. They no longer are the people God created them to be. Some are even downright evil, yet we know from Scripture, God created everyone to live in union with Him. So how do we stop evil from overcoming the world, from overcoming us? I believe we begin with this premise, and then teach it to our children, and their children, and their children's children—that everything was and everyone is created by God.
The American Dream versus the God Dream
August 13, 2024 by admin
Filed under Personal Growth
Lately, many of our church people have been beset by foreclosures and financial problems beyond what you’d expect in this recession, plus losing a key person, identity theft, legal problems, citizenship problems, a car catching on fire on the freeway, a stroke, cancer—I don’t want to add any more. And we’re a small church!
Sea Shells
August 2, 2024 by admin
Filed under Personal Growth
Since childhood days I’ve enjoyed walking along the beach, hunting for seashells. The beauty and variety of shells still amazes me. God created such details in these miniature homes. Yet the animal that made the shell leaves it behind, making a larger home with no need of the old home. The shells left behind are so beautiful that children and collectors seek and treasure them. The sea creature simply abandons the shell, moving on to the newness of the present.
