I’ve spent the last three months wrestling with God. And if I’m honest, I’m still wrestling with Him. Wrestling with Him over how aspects of my life have played out–areas where I feel like He’s just not coming through, and all the related pain that I blame Him for. It’s funny, though, because as mad … Read more
**This study is an invitation to talk about those hard questions our hearts have trouble asking. Is God good? Is He really in control of everything? Is He here? Is He really my priority? Through this study, I hope you gain some wisdom, but even more, gain the courage to ask God the hard questions … Read more
For the last several weeks I’ve had this feeling I couldn’t quite describe. I wasn’t upset. I wasn’t stressed. I wasn’t doubting God. Yet I felt like I was in this sort of wrestling match. Then one of my friends posted this on Facebook: “There is a tension of resting where God has you and … Read more
Now we get to my favorite chunk of Genesis–Abraham. There’s something about this guy that just calls for me to come sit in his story for a while. Every time I read it, I walk away learning something new… Abraham–or Abram as he’s called when he first enters the story–is called away on an unexpected … Read more
And the Lord did exactly what He had said.The year after He had visited Abraham and delivered the news that he and Sarah would have a son, Sarah conceived and gave birth to a little boy (Genesis 21:2). Abraham circumcised the child as God had instructed, and he named him Isaac, which means laughter. Only … Read more
Sweet Sarah. Darling princess of the Lord. You have no idea what is coming do you?For years your husband has come to you with joy and hope in his eyes. He shares excitedly about his encounters with God Almighty. You listen, you nod at the appropriate times, you even force a smile; but you can’t … Read more
Well here we are, just about halfway through this Abram study on expectations and most of our focus has been on expectations not being met. We dream and imagine how we think God’s plans might play out in our lives and then when they don’t, we’re disappointed. But right here is when the story starts … Read more
I wonder how many decades Sarai held onto hope that someday she would get pregnant. How many times did she wake up after spending a night in her husband’s arms and wonder if maybe this time things would be different. I wonder how many times she had to face the hard reality that no matter … Read more
Days, months, and maybe even years have passed since Abram’s trek through the land. He’s getting older. Perhaps the promise God made about descendants and land is starting to look a little blurred and distant, as if it were something from a dream. Lot has been gone for a while now, but they’ve seen each … Read more
A lot of the expectations we have are pretty immediate. We expect things now. Our way, our timing–which usually doesn’t involve much of that hard waiting stuff. Our expectations are also pretty selfish and temporal. We expect things for our own satisfaction, comfort, or pleasure. Of course, sometimes we expect bad things to happen too. … Read more