Luke 6:45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. So what’s filling your mind these days? Plans, worries, disappointments, fears? How about Continue Reading…
Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God….” Do you recognize the uhs, likes and youknows in your life? Filler words comprise one of the most common weaknesses I observe in my public speaking students’ presentations. Rather than pausing if they need to gather their thoughts, they fill Continue Reading…
Romans 8:25 “But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” “Don’t worry Grandma.” Those were the wise words my 3-year-old grandson spoke when his milk splattered across the table. In fact, encouraging the people around him not to worry turns out to Continue Reading…
Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Overwhelmed! It’s a sentiment I’ve been hearing a lot of lately. It seems being overwhelmed has become a staple of our culture. I’m sure you’ve seen the pictures of thousands of migrants approaching Continue Reading…
Matthew 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry….” It is not harmless. It bears unsuspecting consequences. It sucks the life out of hope and stops faith in its tracks. Oswald Chambers says it is the first sign of infidelity. Jesus said not to do it. Yet most of us Continue Reading…
Psalm 96:1 “Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.” What’s on your playlist? Oh I don’t mean the sequence of songs on your iPod or mp3 player. I’m talking about the tunes running through your mind. Refrains that shuffle to the front of Continue Reading…
Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” What occupies the streets of your mind? The iconic protest against financial inequality a few years ago made Occupy Wall Street a household term. But how about your Wall Street? Continue Reading…
Psalm 62:11-12 “One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong, and that you, O Lord, are loving.” A friend posed an interesting question the other day. How can I keep legitimate concerns from tuning into worry? Faced with an onslaught of physical as Continue Reading…
Numbers 14:3 “Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” Oh my, I’m 30 years-old and not married. God must want me to be a Continue Reading…
Luke 21:14 “But make up your mind not to worry beforehand…” There are so many things we could worry about. Everything from what we’re going to wear to how we’ll pay the bills to concerns for our family, church and country qualifies as sources of worry. We can get to Continue Reading…