“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is FREEDOM!” (2 Cor. 3:17)

I absolutely love it when I understand a Biblical concept! I know that sounds a little strange, not like the usual, “I love pizza” or “I love that dress,” but it is true! Too many times I have heard people say they, “don’t get that religious stuff” or “Bible study is boring.” If they only knew the freedom that comes from understanding God’s Word!

I have taught Bible study for over 10 years and throughout that time women have come to me and said that God’s word is just what they needed in their life and they would be lost without it. [Read more…]

Once we have identified what we are experiencing in difficult times as a spiritual struggle, how can we prepare ourselves to grow from it?

1. Honestly express your emotions to God. We may be hesitant to talk with God about what we are really feeling, but God can handle it! 1 Peter 5:7
2. Fight the temptation to run from your distress. The temptation is to try to get back to “normal.” However, you have a “new normal” and God has much for you to learn in the new life. [Read more…]

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. – Romans 12:2

We all love a before and after picture. We love to see what changes have taken place in someone’s life. There have been many television shows that are all about makeovers — everything from What Not to Wear to Extreme Home Makeover. We watch the transformation occur in 30 short minutes. Wouldn’t it be great if it happened that way in real life!

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Most of us hate feeling powerless; and, indeed, it is not very good for us – especially for extended periods of time. It can lead to depression, anxiety, outbursts of anger, alienation from others, physical symptoms; and, in its trauma form, it can lead to the symptoms of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD (e.g. nightmares, flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, and loss of concentration or memory to name a few).

Sometimes powerlessness comes from circumstances we have little or no control over. Other times it comes from the consequences of our actions. The latter can be even more frustrating because we may say, “I could have done something different“. We ruminate and replay the situation over and over. This can be helpful if we can process it into lessons learned, insight, awareness about others or ourselves, and character growth.

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Several years ago, I spoke with a young woman who was having trouble believing how valuable and precious she was. She, like so many, had an abusive past, which affected how she saw herself. As I listened to her, an image came to me that I truly believe was from the Lord.

I asked her to imagine a pile of gold in front of us. Someone could come along and spit on the gold, or call it ugly names, or walk all over it; but nothing or no one could change the fact that in its essence it is pure gold.

In the same way, no matter what we’ve been called, what we’ve done, or what’s been done to us, the truth is that we are far more precious than gold; in fact, to God the Father, we are worth the precious blood of His own Son. In Christ we are God’s Beloved.

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