by | Faith Lived Out, Life Application
I was planning to end my life. I dropped some cards in the mail to friends and family to remind them I loved them. I didn’t say goodbye – just reminded each of them I was grateful for having them in my life. I left one more in the door of a friend before I left for Nashville. As I headed south I wasn’t sure I was coming back alive. I’d told God He had to meet me there. He had to show me He was still in this with me or I was done. He had to save me.
It was October 2017. I was in the midst of a darkness I could hardly have words for. Sometimes I still don’t. I’d reached burnout in ministry, people I trusted betrayed me with their words and actions, and I was experiencing a level of spiritual warfare I didn’t even know existed.
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by | Faith Lived Out, Life Application
I’m currently working on creating some curriculum I’ll be teaching for a brand new program the Missouri Department of Corrections is unrolling. I’m beyond excited! I literally get to be a part of watching Isaiah 61 unfold as I watch the release from darkness for the prisoners.
As I was focusing on the life-planning section of the curriculum, my heart was heavy and emotional thinking about two people whose lives both ended in very different ways. I decided to share the story with you, too.
I want to tell you a story about two men I knew, Sandy and Doug.
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by | Faith Lived Out, Life Application
If I could pick a theme for 2018, I’m just not sure what it would be. Perhaps grace. Ya, Grace. That was, after all, my one word for 2018. To read my one word for 2019, check out this blog post.
• I started 2018 out leaving work in an ambulance.
• A close friend died.
• I watched man close a ministry God called me to.
• I cussed at God in anger, fear and heartbreak.
• I got on my knees and surrendered to Him again.
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by | Faith Lived Out
I was having dinner with a friend the other night and we were planning our futures post lottery winning. I don’t think either of us had actually purchased a ticket yet, but still we were dreaming.
She was going to buy a restaurant and use it as a way to minister to others. I was going to hire a personal chef so my grandma would never have to cook again. We enjoyed dreaming together. $1.573 billion could make a lot of dreams come true.
It’s rare that I buy a lottery ticket. Usually when I take a road trip I’ll grab a scratch-off wherever I stop to get gas. I’m too frugal and can think of other things I can do with that $1 or $2. But after finding two freshly washed dollar bills in the dryer and thinking about my recent dreaming session with my friend, I stopped by the convenience store on my way to Bible study no less and said, “I’ll take a Mega Million and join the rest of the world wasting their money.” Sure enough, I wasted my money, but I’m waiting for them to reveal the winner in South Carolina because I’m sure she’s my long lost cousin twice removed.
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by | Faith Lived Out
There are two things I really love – journaling and prayer. Oh.. and almond dream bites, so I guess that makes three.
I can’t imagine my life without journaling. Of course, if you were to read through them, you’d probably think I’d lost my ever-loving mind. Some of my greatest prayers are written down. Many of my hardest days have been processed through journaling. I’ve praised God. I’ve thrown fits. And I’ve even doodled a time or two.
When you read the Psalms you get a front row seat to some of David’s greatest prayers, praises, fears, and even some fit throwing. And even after all that fit throwing, God still called him a man after His own heart.
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by | Faith Lived Out, Spiritual Warfare
No, deliverance isn’t just a movie about banjos and Burt Reynolds. It’s also not Linda Blair’s head spinning. It is a gift that reaches beyond Hollywood – something we should ALL be grasping onto like our lives depend on it – because our lives depend on it.
If you look up the definition of deliverance, it is the action of being rescued or set free. Set free from what? Ah… that’s where the controversy comes in and opinions scatter.
My friend, deliverance isn’t just another opinion. It’s not just another Christianese word. It’s a gift to the world from God – a gift that we accept few and far between. I hope during my short life here on earth I play a role in changing that. My prayer is for all of us to receive this gift.
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