They say a loving God would never abuse His Son to the point of death. To them, only a barbarian would demand human sacrifice, like monsters in a sci-fi movie. Instead, they believe Jesus died to demonstrate self-sacrifice and a better lifestyle. I think they misunderstand God of the Scriptures.
“What is your biggest struggle with prayer?” I did not expect the flood of replies from my readers. “I really want to learn … how to hear and know His voice.” “I struggle with unanswered prayer.” “Why bother [praying] if God is going to do whatever He wants anyway?” Prayer can be difficult to master; we know that from the abundance of books on the subject. Prayer is simple yet puzzling. Prayer can be taught, yet there is more to it than knowledge.
In late spring this year, over three million high school seniors will graduate and step into a new world. Most of these young adults enter the workforce or continue their education. Both paths may involve challenging transitions, painful obstacles, and difficult adjustments to sudden independence and greater responsibility.
Often engaged couples, newlyweds or couples whose marriages seem to be “on the rocks” ask us, “What ONE THING keeps your marriage more harmonious? In The 10 Best Decisions a Couple Can Make, we offer many ways to avoid and, when necessary, handle disagreements. One we have seen most helpful in our own marriage and thousands of couples is the Conflict Covenant. This will help you decide the “rules of engagement” or how you will handle issues when you are not seeing “eye to eye.”
Someone asked me recently, “When did you know you could move on?” I’d never been asked this question before, so I considered my answer. I believe it was one day when a lawyer discussed the probabilities of a lawsuit.
Driving home in my little red Corvette, I watched layers of ice thicken across my windshield. At first, it felt like an ordinary winter day. Little did I know, this moment would mark a divine intervention that would speak directly to my heart.
One of my dear friends coined a word that has stuck with me—Godfidence. Whether in the deodorant we choose or the shampoo we use, we’re often told we need more confidence. But the answer is even simpler than that.
Sometimes when I pray, the Lord shows me these lovely pictures. I used to think these were mere daydreams interrupting my prayer focus. I’d try to refocus, but the images continued to break my concentration. One day, in a small prayer circle, the woman who prayed before me shared the pictures she saw as she prayed. I’d never heard anyone share in this way before, but her courage inspired me to share the pictures I saw.
The pen sat on the carpeted floor, too heavy to lift. Tears streamed down my cheeks. For twenty minutes, I stared at it, sure I was unable to carry the weight of the mantle it represented. No, I wasn’t accepting a commission to lead millions out of Egypt into the Promised Land. Or was I? In my doubt, God pointed to my pen like He did with Moses’ staff in Exodus 4:2 and asked, “What is that you have in your hand?”
Israel’s Ministry of Tourism chose me and three other Christian journalists from the US for a tour of the Holy Land. The first week of June 2024, walking to pick up my baggage at the Tel Aviv airport, I saw photos of the hostages still in captivity, with their names and the pleas for their safe return. It caught my heart, especially since many of my family served my country. I had no clue that this week a rescue mission would bring home four of the hostages.