Why?

~Saturday Stories~ 

Sometimes
I don't understand WHY
And I think
I understand WHO
So I blame
The Creator for WHAT
We have messed up

Look to
The Bible WHERE
God tells you
That He saved us WHEN
We were in sin

HOW? Love
His amazing love

How about you? Have you ever struggled with something and wondered why God would let such a thing happen? 

Sharing ourselves

~Friday for Friends~

You see, sometimes we aren't honest. Not in the least. We dodge the questions; we speak half-truths. What they don't know can't hurt them, right? We hide away from sharing what we feel; lame "feeling well"s will have to do. When did it pay off to be vulnerable? We try to go away to cry; we do not want to be weak in front of others. They won't understand, will they?

What? Why? Sometimes we hide too much, and when all the emotions boil, we do not have anyone to share with us the soup of discouragement, shame, and fear. What if we actually SHARED a part of ourselves? Went all out and showed them we cared about them and opened up about our own stuff?

Scary? Oh, yeah. Worth it? Definitely

"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." Romans 12:15 (NIV)

No Gentile or Jew

~Tuesday Thoughts~

This is the third post in the series on Colossians 3 and 4. The first is On Things Above, while the second is Put to Death Your Sins . The first category in the NIV Bible for this passage is called "Living as Those Made Alive in Christ." Let us do so!

"Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Colossians 3:11-14 (NIV)

Woah! Hard passage! So many things we are called to do. But God has loved us first, and, with His power, we can do this too! 

Blown away

~Monday Movies & Music~

Josh Wilson has a challenging song for us, "Blown Away." Here are the lyrics.

"If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" Matthew 7:11 (NIV)

What can you praise God for today? Comment below!

Counted Worthy by Leah E. Good

~Saturday Stories~

Typical Heather: "I clenched the Bible until my hands ached. These pages held the words of life, but how many would have to die to preserve them?"

Heather's dad just got arrested. The government had tracked the Bible to their house. Now alone, Heather struggles to know what God wants of her. Should she try to help her dad, and how can she when the government has the general population tricked? But with the underground Church and friends that never leave, Heather is about to learn about God's amazing power. And she might not be the only one.

Counted Worthy, though set in the future, reminds of the drastic reality of persecution many people face today. Their faith is illegal. A Bible, if found, could get them killed. In times like this, the people can only call out to the One who has delivered others before. Never sure of their present deliverance, they can know that their Savior has died for them and will be waiting for them on the other side of death.

Though a little slow at the beginning, the story picks up and causes one to turn pages later on. A story reminding of a difficult truth, Counted Worthy will help you value God's Word.

For more on Leah E. Good, visit her website, Facebook page, and Twitter account.

Love must be sincere

~Friday for Friends~

"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves." Romans 12:9-10 (NIV)

Who can you honor today? Who can you show love to?

World in turmoil

~Tuesday Thoughts~

""For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”" Matthew 18:20 (NIV)

There is so much uncertainty in the world. So much tragedy. So much horror. Wherever you look, it seems like something bad is happening. But we know that our God is stronger. Always has been, always will be. He has not failed us before. He won't now. 

Try to always trust God because He is always faithful! 

Will you pray for healing for those in turmoil? Will you receive the healing God offers YOU?