"Sandy doesn't give me the time of day," said Allison. "I bet she's heard bad stuff about me and that's why she doesn't talk to me." If people aren't warm and cordial to Allison (not her real name), her assumption is that they dislike her. Allison is insecure. We tend to sympathize with insecurity, but do you see the problem here? Allison failed to give Sandy the benefit of a doubt. She assumed Sandy purposefully snubbed her the way a vindictive junior-high girl might. She assumed Sandy listens to gossip. Yet Allison did not tell Sandy Continue Reading
What a Wedding Revealed about a Greater, Cosmic Romance
So my son got married this last weekend, and that’s kind of a big deal. You know, one of those life-changing moments when everything clicks into place and it’s so wonderful that it’s surreal? We sat around the dinner table later that night with some of the family and friends who had come to town. It occurred to me then how our activities on Samuel and Jameson’s wedding day foreshadowed the future marriage supper of the Lamb. One day, all believers will gather to raise their glasses and enjoy a feast together in the presence of the Lord Jesus (Revelation 19:9). It will be Continue Reading
How Your Worth has Nothing to do with What You Deserve
We're Americans. We tend to confuse our value with our just desserts. But our intrinsic worth as human beings created in God's image is a universe away from what we deserve from him. Unfortunately, we hear messages all day long that tell us we deserve all kinds of special treatment. "You're worth it," said the old L'Oreal advertisement. "He doesn't deserve you," says the girl to her friend. "You deserve a break today," said MacDonalds. In a world of entitlement, it can be counter-intuitive to hear, accept and properly respond to what God has to say Continue Reading
Why My Husband Isn’t My “Soul Mate”– and Why I Couldn’t Care Less
Everyone seems to be on the lookout for the magical person that fate has destined them to be with ... the one whose purpose is to fulfill their needs and function as their other half. The best outcome, if we are to believe this line of reasoning, is to find your soul mate, marry them, and live happily ever after. This thinking, which saturates our culture, has crept into the church as well. Scott and I just celebrated our 32nd wedding anniversary, an occasion which always causes me to ponder the wonder and mystery of marriage. This year, I find myself Continue Reading