Following Jesus is much the same. It doesn’t always make sense to me but when I listen to God’s purposes and His promises I believe seeing even the most difficult circumstances through as worthwhile. If Joseph hadn’t stuck it out with Marry he would have missed being part of the greatest rescue mission of mankind! Joseph couldn’t predict the future but He could count on the past. He could count on all he knew about God.
No More Band-Aids
God is after so much more than just cleansing your behavior. He wants to transform your heart. And the reality of scripture is that just asking for forgiveness after every time you sin isn’t transforming you. Like my little girl who goes right back to running around outside after she gets her bandaid you and I often just go right back to those situations, attitudes, or decisions that get us into sin.
Breaking Down Walls
By the time I was 17 years old my family had moved 9 times. I had lived in 3 different countries and 4 different US states. Starting new schools and making new friends became routine and yet it was consistently hard to push past the barriers that divided us. It was rare that anyone my … Continue reading Breaking Down Walls
What’s That Smell?
Our sense of smell is amazing! Did you know that we can smell over 4,500 different odors? That's a lot of sniffing! Even memories can be linked to certain smells like your Grandma's perfume, your Grandpa's pipe, your mom's baking, or when your friends hair caught on fire. Smells can trigger feelings and emotions. If … Continue reading What’s That Smell?
The Slow Club
In Christian culture we are good at telling our kids to stay away from immorality, substance abuse, violence, cheating, and other “terrible” sins. We warn against their destructive outcomes and explain that they are against God’s ways. But there is one danger I don’t think parents or even pastors take seriously enough and that’s busyness. … Continue reading The Slow Club
Root Canals & Rotten Hearts
My son is going to the dentist today and I'm nervous for him. I remember spending two and a half hours in the dentist chair last year getting a root canal! My tooth decided that it was no longer needed and the cells started self-decaying from the inside out. This kind of internal rot was about … Continue reading Root Canals & Rotten Hearts
Signed, Sealed, Delivered You’re His
A few years ago my wife and I tried to buy a house. I remember sitting at a table with the mortgage broker and thumbing through a giant stack of documents. It was a mountain of papers that covered everything from the mortgage to taxes, insurance to closing costs, and every other imaginable house buying … Continue reading Signed, Sealed, Delivered You’re His
Naps Are Good For The Soul
I need a nap. We live in a very fast paced, busy, "git-er-done" culture. We add lots of things into our weekly activities. We say phrases like, “rest is for the weak” or “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” or “Ain’t nobody got time to rest!” to boost the moral of hyper activity. Somewhere we think … Continue reading Naps Are Good For The Soul
The Never Ending Story
Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. But, as I ponder the significance of Easter this year, my heart is shifting. Did you know that the early church didn’t even celebrate the birth of Jesus. Easter was their most cherished holiday. At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ the Son of God and what … Continue reading The Never Ending Story
Going Public
We all have at least one - something embarrassing we don't want to be public knowledge. As hard as it is to narrow down my list to just one I'll give it a try. When I was a teenager there was one thing I didn't want to talk about. I didn't want others to label … Continue reading Going Public
joshua payne harris 