To Stand Firm
We are in a season as a Church like never before. We have been shut down, masked up, and now there is a growing level of mocking and persecution that is beginning to pick up volume and traction in the media. It is something that I wasn’t thinking I would see in my lifetime. For years I have studied the armor of God in many different Bible studies, word studies and through different author’s perspectives. I have wanted to understand → Read more
Choosing to Abide
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it → Read more
What’s New?
What is it about the turning of the calendar that creates this yearning? What is it in us that desires a reset, a refreshment of our soul so very deeply? A New Year, and a Fresh Start – we turn that calendar page, set up a fresh beginning, and arrive at the New year with anticipation of change, improvement, a freshness that we so desire. Yet, maybe we can’t quite grasp it. What is it about the turning of the → Read more
Fullness of Joy
I am gluten and dairy intolerant. The net result of that is most of the time, while I’ve learned how to eat so that I don’t feel hungry, rarely do I actually feel “full.” Over the years, I have had to help my brain to understand that I don’t need to feel full in order to have eaten enough. It’s been some serious retraining of my brain. I long to feel full. Then, there is Christmas. Full. Full of hope. → Read more
Tis the Season of Peace on Earth
This year, peace seems to be a bit more elusive for sure. As we look around us, we can see chaos, unrest, division, and even animosity. All of these things are in opposition to peace. But Jesus came... here... to earth... to bring us peace. He is the Prince of Peace, as described in Isa 9:6. This year peace has a different connotation. Peace from above, is different than the world tries to offer. Peace, as defined in the Bible, → Read more
Gratitude is a Command
As we settle into this month of November and see December on the horizon, we are in the season of Thanksgiving. This treasured time of year may look very different this year for many, and for many different reasons. As we fix our eyes on the things that are unshakable, things that are always and forever rock solid in our lives, we can more easily see what we can choose to be grateful for. Paul is giving a command to → Read more
Gratitude Guards Contentment
Many years ago, I sat in a blue recliner, wracked in pain. My body, overcome by Lyme Disease, caused excruciating pain in my entire body. My clothes felt like sandpaper against my skin. My nail beds felt like someone was pulling my nails away from my fingers. My joints were inflamed, the vascular system in my head was inflamed. My tongue would not work properly. My gums were bleeding and swollen and my teeth felt like they were going to → Read more
PLL Newsletter – April 2019
Freedom Comes by the Law of the Spirit "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Lord is, there is freedom" (2 Corinth 3:17). The road to that freedom sometimes looks like a detour to the one traveling it, especially to one who doesn’t understand God wants a personal relationship with him. That was true for Fred. Fred grew up in an abusive home. His stepfather was so cruel that one of Fred’s brothers killed him to protect the → Read more
PLL Newsletter – Jan/Feb 2019
There’s a large house being built outside of our town that’s been under construction literally for years. It’s almost a curiosity. One year it looked like maybe it would be completed. Instead, studs for a new section were added. For about two years, the framework for a second story was left gradually warping and being destroyed by weather. There is no singular architecture style and the exterior is the black insulation—no siding or brick yet. There are windows in most → Read more
PLL Newsletter – December 2018
How to Remove Lingering Pain After Forgiving As we come to the close of another year and enter the full-swing of the holidays, there’s increased pressure on our emotions. Any area that’s painful often becomes magnified. We want Christmas to be a time of Peace and Good Will toward all men. So, what do we do with the pain that doesn’t go away, and how can we have that peace in our hearts? Alissa Parker is the mother of one → Read more
PLL Newsletter – October 2018
How to be Free from Painful Offenses When our oldest daughter was about nine, her daddy hurt her feelings. He went to her, acknowledged his wrong attitude, and genuinely asked her forgiveness. Long after the conversation, she sat silent with her arms crossed and her jaw set. Me: Did daddy apologize and ask for your forgiveness? Her: Yes. Me: You still seem to be upset. What’s keeping you from forgiving him? Her: He’ll just do it again! Whether we are → Read more
PLL Newsletter – August 2018
Does Forgiving Mean Forgetting? The simple answer to that question is no. But that leaves so many questions. Let me share a true story, with the names changed of course. Jack was an employee with a lot of personality and soon won the confidence of Boss. As he advanced in the company, he also won Boss’s heart and was a frequent guest in his home. A real relationship was formed, and Boss treated Jack as a son. One day Jack → Read more
PLL Newsletter – June 2018
“Why Should I Forgive a Man Like Emmitt?” One of the hardest things God requires of us is to forgive—to give people what they don’t deserve. Our natural desire is for justice, the opposite of forgiveness. Justice demands payment, while forgiveness releases all debt. Why He commands us to forgive can be confusing until we see the results in real life. God knows it’s too painful not to forgive. Tyler Perry is almost a household word because of his movies → Read more
PLL Newsletter – April 2018
Breaking the Power of the Unfair As hard as we try to avoid them, bad things happen to us all—a car accident, an unexpected job loss, a betrayal, or anything that causes a deep disappointment. That’s not good news! The good news is that we don’t have to become the walking wounded, the one who is controlled by the unfairness of what happened. We don’t have to stay offended. Mrs. Hudson had always been a quiet, unassuming lady, faithful in → Read more
How do I forgive myself?
The simple answer to how to forgive myself is, we forgive the same way we forgive others. Unfortunately, simple and easy aren’t the same thing. This is an all too familiar story. Perhaps the main reason we don’t forgive ourselves is because we don’t understand forgiveness. Suppose you owe $10,000 on your car. You lost your job three months ago. You’ve juggled accounts, wiped out your savings, and have no prospects of a new job. The finance company has sent → Read more
PLL Newsletter – February 2018
How do I forgive myself? The simple answer to how to forgive myself is, we forgive the same way we forgive others. Unfortunately, simple and easy aren’t the same thing. This is an all too familiar story. Perhaps the main reason we don’t forgive ourselves is because we don’t understand forgiveness. Suppose you owe $10,000 on your car. You lost your job three months ago. You’ve juggled accounts, wiped out your savings, and have no prospects of a new job. → Read more