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.
Walking Through Trials
Let's start by debunking a myth: Nowhere in Scripture does God promise us a perfect life, free from troubles. In fact, many, many times in the Bible, Christ-followers find themselves persecuted, under attack, or facing trouble of all kinds.
In a letter from James to first-century believers, James informs them about the various trials that they will experience in life:
"Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him."
James 1:12 NIV
When we see trials as a means of becoming more like Jesus, then we’ll be blessed by them.
Maybe you can think back to a difficult season of life. Looking back, you might be able to point out how God refined you coming out of it. God is often at work behind the scenes deepening our character and enlarging our capacity, even when we don't see it.
Maybe you're going through one of those difficult seasons right now. Take this passage to heart! You can persevere knowing there is a promised reward for us in heaven. While rewards on this side of heaven are not promised, looking towards our final destination with Jesus gives us hope to endure the trials in the present.
If you’re walking through a difficult season of life, spend some time meditating on the promises of God. He promises to never abandon you or leave you, but to walk alongside you through trials. And at the end of the trial, you’ll be more like Christ.
Take a moment to thank God for His faithfulness and love in your life.
Never Forget
Humans are forgetful…
We forget what God has said.
We forget what God has done.
We forget what He’s called us to do.
We forget who He’s called us to be.
The word “forget” can mean two things: to not remember (sometimes by accident) or to ignore (sometimes on purpose). To “forget” is to fail to hold something in our minds.
When faced with hard things, we might beg for miracles or plead for provision, but when we get the thing we asked for, we can still tend to forget what God has already done for us. We’re not alone in this—the Bible is full of stories about people forgetting God … But that doesn’t have to be us. That doesn’t have to be you.
We’ve stepped into an ongoing story that’s been playing out since the beginning of time. With zero help from us, God has hand-crafted this breathtaking world and chosen the unique times and spaces in which we show up. And even though the world seems to get crazier and scarier by the minute, God is always at work in the mess.
We...
