Recently I‘ve been reading Mark Batterson’s book, Draw the Circle: The 40 Day Prayer Challenge. He says when we make requests in prayer, we must leave the when and the how up to God. I agree. And I’d like to add that by leaving the when and the how in God’s hands, we take the risk he may not answer in the way we expect. Sometimes, the surprise is wonderful. Other times, well… May I invite you into my…
Recently I considered offering assistance to an acquaintance of mine. I was wrestling a bit with the decision because this person, while friendly, usually maintained a reserved distance. Her inner circle was probably already rallying around her. There was certainly no expectation of my help. Would she appreciate my offer? Besides, I had been helping someone else and was tired. Should I stick my neck out when I…
There are countless scientific studies, books, videos, and TED Talks intended to help people figure out what to say or not to say in order to have healthy relationships. The best guideline I ever read was penned by St. Paul. He was writing to the church he had founded in Ephesus. (Ephesians 4:15) I think it's important to check the greater context of a scripture passage, so here's…
There are times we need to get involved, speak out for those who have no voice, and make a difference. B.E. Beck, in her guest post titled “Upstander” (Sept. 20, 2018), wrote about this. (If you would like to read it, click on “blog” at the top of the home page, then scroll down.) However, there are other times when we can get too involved. Relationships are damaged when…