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I was reading over the comments from yesterday’s Twelfth Hour Answers and something dawned on me. I kept thinking about the word emergency. And suddenly, I saw something. If you creatively break the word down into its parts, you get “emerge and see.”
And that is exactly what happens in the story of Lazarus later in the book of John chapter 11.
We learned yesterday how Jesus weeps with us when we mourn a loss, even when His greater purpose is to bring a miracle of life into our dead circumstances. We see Him do this with Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus. And we experience the same thing in our own lives when He suddenly shows up right when we think it’s too late for a dramatic change.
Now, we get to the rest of the story – the part where the emergency turns into the “emerge and see.” Read the rest of this entry »
Ever feel bewildered like Mary and Martha felt when they learned that Jesus didn’t come to heal their brother Lazarus as He had promised? (See John 11:1-32.) Ever felt like in that moment of utter disbelieve, your world just came crashing down? I have. In fact, I felt that way today.
Sitting at my kitchen table with a mountain of problems pushing at my peace of mind, I found myself teary-eyed and very much in the state of Martha. She couldn’t understand why Jesus didn’t show up at her brother’s time of need. At the moment of crisis, Jesus was a no-show. When Jesus did finally make it to the house – four days after Lazarus had died and that was purposeful – Martha was beside herself. I can imagine her being grief-stricken yet too weary to demand anything of the Lord. Simply in need of an explanation, she offered, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (vs. 21, NIV). Read the rest of this entry »
After experiencing chronic foot discomfort every morning for the last couple of months, I decided that my running shoes just might be the culprit.
I shared this information with my athletic friend Jana, and she told me all about this running shoe store where they find just the right shoe to correct any foot problems. She mentioned that it was highly likely I was running in ill-fitting shoes and that with a new, perfectly fitted version, I would be back to normal in no time.
Having the proper gear is important if you want to run without injury. Same goes for being suited properly if you want to run the race of faith without injury to your soul and spirit. Read the rest of this entry »
Taking a mini fall retreat today with a couple of my girlfriends and I am so excited!
It’s good to stop and breathe a little, to get away from the hustle and bustle and just relax in the presence of some God-loving gals and laugh a lot.
I hope that you are also taking time for a thoughtful break during this fall season. Life passes us by too quickly. God wants us to enjoy His beauty and His good gifts with friends who can encourage our walk with the Savior.
“Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one’s friend springs from his earnest counsel” (Proverbs 27:9, NIV).
– Laura
My residential street has once again been bustling with activity as a legion of Mac trucks filled with asphalt gets ready to pour on that final, smooth layer on roads that have been ripped up and in disrepair for weeks.
While I have appreciated efforts to resurface pot-holed roads in my neighborhood as part of a city beautification program, the inconvenience of driving on rough roads, dealing with the unpredictable and noisy city crew, and being unable to even get out of my own driveway has really been getting to me. Read the rest of this entry »
I want to talk a minute to any of you who feels powerless or forgotten or just not good enough because of unfulfilled desires and unmet deep needs.
Maybe you don’t have those things that others do, so you are “left out of the club” when it comes to certain parties or opportunities, while the “haves” seem to be moving toward a bigger and better future.
It’s easy to feel less-than when you keep focusing on your lack. If we were to look at your lack list, it might include one or several of the following areas of unmet needs/desires:
- A spouse
- Kids
- A job
- Good health
- A dependable car
- Friends to hang out with
- A house that you own
Sometimes the longer the list of “have-nots” you concentrate on the more powerless you can feel. Read the rest of this entry »
Go ahead. Throw in the towel. Quit. Say good-bye.
Isn’t that exactly what the devil wants you to do, right when you are nearing the corner toward some incredible breakthrough?
If you can just hold out a little bit longer, he knows that God’s blessing is going to come your way. So he is trying to get you off track. How? By turning up the heat. The devil kicks harder. He fights stronger, hoping that you will cave. Read the rest of this entry »
