My heart broke when an author friend recently posted a raw question on social media. To paraphrase: “Do prayers still work when you say, ‘you don’t seem to give a %&#* about me, but I’ll ask for [intervention] for [someone else]’?”…
Blog
Grab your favorite brew and visit a few minutes with Encouragement from Living History. That sums up my blog: thoughts grounded in the Bible, sprinkled with interesting tidbits from history, all applied to life today. Readers say, “I learn something new every time I read your blog.” Here’s an open invitation to sit a few minutes now and come back often to share your thoughts.
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After Easter, Then What?
Author Maya Angelou said, “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take … but by the moments that take our breath away.” That’s a good way to sum up the Apostles’ experience during the fifty days between Easter and Pentecost….
How Many People Did it Take to Arrest Jesus?
Life often doesn’t go our way. Humanly speaking, that could have summarized Luke 22, which chronicles the days between Jesus’ triumphal entry in Jerusalem to the night He was betrayed. It’s such a well-known chapter that it’s easy to overlook new lessons God may have for us in its familiar passages. That happened this month when God parked me on an unlikely verse, one I had ignored countless times….
The Deepest Hurt, the Biggest Burden, the Heaviest Lift
Bad things happen. There’s no good time for that unwelcome intruder to barge into one’s life. But some bad things carve especially deep wounds. What hurts you the most?…
Where Would You Go If Jesus Said ‘Meet Me at …’?
What do you do when you make plans to meet someone? That may depend on whether the person is your friend, relative, colleague, or boss. But, most of the time, you settle on a time/place/activity and look forward to the meeting. Can you say the same about Jesus?…
How to Help Friends who are Hurting
Is the world groaning with more suffering today? It seems so. I know people living in their car. A neighbor (family of five) is facing eviction after struggling for two years with loss of income, loss of health, and mounting medical bills. Personally, I’ve been on the cusp of homelessness more than once. What can you do for friends in such difficult situations? How can you understand their challenges?…
Daniel’s Life in Babylon: Prevailing Prayer
Have you ever tried to view a panoramic painting? Its sheer size and scope overshadow the details that comprise the picture. The same is true for the panorama of Daniel’s life. When he was first taken captive, false prophets claimed the Babylonian captivity would be short. But, as the years wore on, the apostate Hebrews lost sight of God even more than they had before. The Israelite nation seemed to be all but annihilated. That was certainly their captor’s goal….
Daniel in the Lions’ Den: A tale of conspiracy and conviction
Daniel in the lions’ den is one of the Bible’s best known stories. It speaks to the risks and rewards of standing for one’s convictions. But if we leave it at that, we overlook an important message for today….
What Wondrous Love Is This?
Dear God,
You love us with a love that I can’t fully comprehend. We often seek it for selfish reasons instead of reflecting it back to You in worship and adoration of You. We don’t deserve Your love, yet You give it freely.…
Daniel and Belshazzar: Radically different responses to cancel culture
As a result of the Israel-Hamas war, all public Christmas celebrations have been canceled in Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and Jordan to mourn the recent suffering. However, religious services are still allowed….
