Count it all joy

“I guess you made it to a James, chapter one part of your life,” I said to my friend after she shared about a trial recently. She had yet to experience a deep valley and was finding it difficult to remember the promises of God. I get it. Promises like God’s mercies are new every morning are harder to hold when we stare down a difficult health concern, a sick child, or a struggling marriage. 

Do you ever stop to think about your opinion of God? This is an important question to consider as we move towards health. Most of us can list his attributes; omniscient, omnipresent, faithful, good, merciful, holy. But do you really think about him in these ways? Or do you, like I’ve been known to do, think about him mostly in relation to what’s happening in your life? A. W. Tozer once wrote “What comes into our minds when

Let’s think about lament for a moment. What pops into your mind? Complaining? Weakness? Something we shouldn’t do? Webster’s defines it as a passionate expression of grief and sorrow. But lament is not particularly popular in either Christian or secular cultures, is it? We were taught as children not to complain. And Christians should be thankful in everything, right?  Yes. But when it comes to God, no. I think lament is an essential part of

How are you this morning? Did you wake up rested or struggling or happy or restless? Maybe you slept great and are ready to go. Maybe you are rubbing your eyes and wondering how in the world to adult today.  Mornings were always particularly difficult during depressive episodes. I’d wake up and then check in with myself to see how I felt. I paid close attention to my thoughts. And if they were negative or