Jesus began the reframing process. For people to accept who He was as He was would have been quite a leap back then. Maybe it’s a leap for you today, because your life has taken an unexpected twist and the whirlwind has you twisted up. Perhaps you are one who has (mis)labeled other people; how […]
Author: Colleen Swindoll Thompson
When Life Takes You to the Edge
Ten words, ten minutes, and I would swear time travel is possible. My friends had just added their third child to their tribe: a baby boy that was born with unexpected, massive medical luggage they will carry for him as long as life carries on. I was transported back in time as I scanned the […]
5 Timeless, Transforming Lessons from a Tiny Teddy Bear
There is no question . . . God’s ways are not our ways! Just when all appears lost, an ever-so-tiny ray of something will play enough hide and seek with our hearts to let us know He’s not forgotten us or made His first massive, messy mistake. Though we may be at our worst, He’s […]
When Your Comfort Zone Gets Crushed
No one chooses his or her family members; and for a long time our family circumstances were less than desirable. For years we were stuck believing our “rights” had been violated. By “rights” I mean those often unexpressed expectations that we cling to as Christians; the privileges, comforts, or circumstances that, if we’re left uncomfortable […]
Five Requirements for a Character on Fire
I am not the survivalist type—like those people who choose to be plopped in some remote place on some planet with a walking stick and hairnet and survive for weeks on end. However, there’s one little problem: when I watch one of those survival programs, I actually believe I would be a stellar frontier companion. […]
Painful Days
Are you in physical pain today? Someone reading this is in pain. Perhaps it’s you. Or maybe you know someone in pain. Pain rarely makes sense and often continues without relief. Throughout the ages, others who have endured pain have turned their attention from the temporary pain to things eternal by meditating on passages of […]
What You Must Know about Fish Tanks and Church Fights
Jesus fed the five thousand with some loaves and a couple of small fish. Obviously I’m not Jesus, and I was ready to flush some small fish. Here’s how things went down: For Christmas, we purchased a simple, soothing 10-gallon fish tank for my son Jon. Nothing fancy, but from the packed tank they were […]
Winston
Philip Yancey wrote some time ago about a lifelong lesson he learned from a man named Winston. May the message move us to greater thoughtfulness as we live in community together. Here is the story of Winston as written by Philip Yancey.[ref]Adapted from Philip Yancey blog, “Winston,” posted September 17, 2015, http://philipyancey.com/winston. Copyright © by […]
Coming Clean on One of Life’s Core Issues
Alright, it’s time to come clean . . . I wish I had superpowers. The superpower to meet the expectations of others and be the perfect mother as well as a sexy, fun wife, excellent employee, and loving friend. The power to perfectly balance the responsibilities of four kids in college along with the needs […]
What Do You Look For?
When was the last time everything around you was quiet . . . as in silent? In a rare moment recently, my house was quiet. I chose to sit and carefully observe the room I was in—a number of emotions flooded my soul. My daughter’s art supplies rested by her canvas along with her iPod, […]
Love Is . . . Not What You Think
Here’s a doozy of a question for you: When did you first learn about love? I mean, not romantic or sexual love, love we read or sing about, love that makes us a little crazy in the head or makes the world go ʼround. I mean the love Jesus commanded in John 15:12–13; a love […]
Caves
There is purpose right where you are, although you may want to argue against such a statement. Whether raising a child with special needs, caring for an elderly parent, mentoring a suicidal teen, or enduring personal chronic pain, most will pass through a lonely tunnel which leads to what I call “The Cave.” Think of […]