Do You Listen With Your Heart?
In 2013, as I wrote the first draft of the final chapter of a book titled Serve Strong: Biblical Encouragement to Sustain God's Servants, despair overwhelmed me. That week, a severe depressive episode enveloped me. My soul ached, and I couldn't identify an...
Is That A Thermometer In Your Mouth?
How To Tell When There's An Infection In Your Heart When a young child acts cranky or listless, his or her mom normally pops a thermometer into the kid's mouth or scans the child’s forehead with a device that reveals the body’s temperature. If the temp is...
Is The Cross of Christ Comforting You?
Nothing is more comforting than the gospel of Jesus Christ. According to several respected authors, the key to enjoying and celebrating that gospel is preaching it to ourselves. Preaching the gospel to ourselves is a spiritual discipline that is both proactive and...
How Long Should Love Last?
Why is the proliferation of divorce in our culture a threat to marriage commitment between a new bride and groom? I answer that question in today's post. From Terry Years ago, I posted the poem I wrote for my son's wedding on my blog, but I didn't add commentary...
An Alarming Word
Please pray that you don't become too familiar with the word around which I am framing this post. There is a kind of darkness far worse than major depression. "Oh Lord, use my reflections on this one alarming word to keep us out of that darkness." The Heart...
SUFFERING IS NEVER FOR NOTHING
It's one thing to read a person's take on suffering who has a solid grasp of the Bible's teaching on the subject. It's another thing altogether, and a far better thing, to read an author whose personal experience of deep suffering complemented her deep...
COMFORTS AND CHALLENGES IN GOD’S WORD
The first part of this post may encourage you. The second half may challenge you. 6 Promises to Encourage Us As We Serve God When we open God's Word, we often yearn for truths and texts that encourage us. Reasons for needing God's comfort or sustenance vary,...
Lord, Will These Descents Into Depression Ever End?
If you struggle with recurring episodes of depression, what characterizes you when the darkness settles in? What could you say to a friend to describe the experience? If you're a family member or close friend of a depression-prone person, what symptoms do you...
When You Are “Seeing Red,” Don’t Go To Bed!
A story revealing a vital biblical principle for handling conflict in relationships Scene 1: Ryan's Steakhouse, Columbia, South Carolina Late 1980s Dolly and I sat across the table from Bob and Nancy (not their real names), a winsome couple from our...
A Reassuring Truth for a Tense Father-Daughter Relationship
Do you recall a time when unrestrained joy filled your soul to the brim? Who or what generated such exuberance? Have you gleaned a truth from God's Word that burst through your mind, flooding your heart to such extent that you cried aloud with joy and uttered...
What Truth About God Offers the Most Comfort When You Suffer?
Have you experienced severe suffering and pain that wasn't a direct consequence of a mistake you made or a sinful choice? When you are hurting, what insights about God, gleaned from His Word, provide the most sustenance? Have you ever struggled to reconcile how...
How To Fight Depression, Temptation and Erroneous Thinking
Who do you most rely on for speaking God's truth into your mind and heart? Is it a loyal, but honest, accountability partner? A dedicated pastor who studies diligently for every sermon he delivers? A best-selling author who feeds your soul through his or her...
