I will share about Christian books I have read or listened to.
I will be sharing about my life before and after Christ. I will include stories about my pet and other pets I have encountered.
Turn Toward What Matters
Around 957 B.C., after King Solomon spent years planning, building, and, finally dedicating the temple that his father, King David, had longed for—God made Himself known by sending fire down from heaven and filling the temple with His presence.
Then the Lord appeared to Solomon at night, explaining how He’d heard his prayer and chosen his temple—reminding Solomon how the Israelites should respond when they encounter hard things. He said:
“Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.”
2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT
Though this specific message was given to a specific people at a specific time in history—humbling ourselves, seeking God, and turning from our sins are timeless actions that we should continue to live out.
True humility, honest prayer, and genuine repentance are the keys to intimacy with God.
And we can’t fake it. We can’t just go through the motions. We can’t merely pretend to “look” humble and repentant … and we can’t do these things on our own.
We need to come to God in order to receive His help. We need Him in order to maintain a posture of humility, prayer, and repentance.
So if you’ve found yourself feeling distant from God, trying to do things your own way, or intentionally running in the opposite direction of your Creator—it’s not too late to turn around.
You can still come to God, admit that you can’t go through life alone, and seek His help. He’s a loving, forgiving, and healing Father who specializes in making all things new. He never stops inviting us to draw near to Him.
The Strength of God in Us
Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 12:10 are a paradox. We don’t often think of hardship and difficulties in life as a sign of strength or joy. Our culture often celebrates the physically and mentally strong, and it’s easy to elevate those who are successful and talented.
But Paul says that God works differently among those who follow Him. Rather than looking for those who are naturally talented and strong, God likes to use those who are weak and humble.
Our natural successes and talents can get in the way of God working in our life, but when we are weak and helpless, we must rely on God’s strength alone.
That is why Paul says he delights in difficulty, persecution, and hardship—because it’s in those moments that God is able to be his strength and joy. God forms character in times of difficulty.
Paul was not a naturally gifted speaker or writer, and yet God worked mightily within his weakness to produce powerful speeches and letters that are part of Scripture....
