Devotional: When Loving God Hurts

I was reclining on the couch one evening reading when the call came, “Beth, I have a situation . . . ” Within minutes, a crisis launched me into action. It began that morning in another state with a rabid skunk and three curious dogs. My sister who had vaccinated my dogs along with her own, had recently moved out …

Avoiding the Panic Path

“You broaden the path beneath me so that my ankles do not turn.” Psalm 18:36 I sprained my ankle rushing to check on my pug, Luci, who’d had a major seizure recently from eating something poisonous. She does that, being one to eat everything that doesn’t eat her first, and several weeks ago she’d gotten into something–again–and flirted with the …

Risky Faith

  Has God called you to do something risky? Something you don’t think you can do? Something you’re afraid to do?   God calls us to take risks. All the time. There’s no escaping it. I’m talking about risks like: The risk of faith; to tackle things beyond our abilities. Always scary. The risk of being judged; to share things about ourselves that are …

How Much Hope Does Your Jesus Offer?

Doesn’t it seem that every time you turn on the TV some catastrophe or another writhes across the screen? “Bangladesh: Cheap clothes lead to danger and tragedy”¹ “Southwest Florida children sold as sex slaves”² “Loss of 19 firefighters in Arizona blaze ‘unbearable,’ governor says”³ Tragedy gives way to heartbreak. Pain washes across the TV screen and spills into our hearts, …