“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Jesus said these words to his disciples in John 16. James, Peter, and Paul all affirmed that we will have trouble in this world. We will face trials in our lives. This is an unavoidable reality of living in a fallen world. And we are left asking the ques...  Read More

Our reading this week continues to take us through the book of Psalms. Reading through Psalm 116, I came across this curious reminder in verse 15:“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants."This verse I have often quoted at funeral services. It’s a reminder that what is unbelievably painful on this side… Losing a loved one… Is precious on the other side, when God welc...  Read More

Happy Fifth of July everyone! I may be writing a day late for the festivities and fireworks, but there are leftover hotdogs in my refrigerator, so as far as I am concerned, we are still in holiday mode! Yesterday, like most of you I’m sure, my family got together for Independence Day. We began at Galloway’s 4th of July parade and then filed back to our house down the street for hot dogs, potato ch...  Read More

Recently, I have been pondering the topic of mental health and its perception within the church. This is a topic that is often on my mind. I have spent most of my life as a part of a church family and I have spent most of my professional life working in the field of mental health. Over the years, I have had a front-row seat to see the stigma that is attached to mental health, particularly within t...  Read More

Caught in a Storm…For me, reading a missionary biography is like the time I got caught sleeping outside in a storm.Laying in my hammock, I looked up at the clearest of night skies. Breathtaking. The stars, the Milky Way, all filled me with utter wonder and amazement. It was perspective-giving. I prayed, whispering over and over again, "All glory to God, ALL GLORY TO GOD." In that moment I trusted ...  Read More

What a sad title that is. We find this verse in 2 Chronicles 21:20 speaking of a king in the southern kingdom of Judah whose name was Jehoram. Jehoram was the son of a very good king, Jehoshaphat, who had ruled for 25 years. Jehoram's rule spanned only 8 years.We find the Lord's commentary on Jehoram, spoken through the prophet Elijah in 2 Chronicles 21:12-15:“This is what the Lord, the God of you...  Read More