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.
He Won't Leave You
Do you ever feel like life has knocked the breath out of you? If so, you’re not alone. In fact, it’s no secret that this world is full of both goodness and trouble.
King David, whose life was recorded in various parts of the Old Testament, was highly accustomed to trouble—constantly threatened by legitimate enemies and faced with the reality of impending death.
Yet, inspired by the Holy Spirit, he wrote:
“The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.”
Psalm 34:19 NLT
If there’s one thing you can depend on, it’s that God is alive, active, and ever-present in your life—yes, even the hardest parts of your life.
But who is the “righteous person” David speaks of in this particular Psalm, when other parts of the Bible say things like, “no one is righteous—not even one”? (Romans 3:10, Psalm 14:3). There’s a trick to understanding this at-first-glance contradiction:
Righteousness can’t be achieved, but it can be given.
When we trust in God, as well as His Son, Jesus Christ (who sacrificed His life so that we could truly live), we’re trusting that His righteousness will extend to us as well.
To put it simply, a righteous person is one who relies on God’s righteousness.
Seems unfair and unmerited, doesn’t it? But that’s grace. It’s by grace, through faith, that we—that you—can be counted as righteous. You can’t work for it and you can’t buy it.
Because of that, when we’re facing hard stuff, we can expect God to show up in a million unique ways. Not because we’re righteous on our own, but because He is righteous on His own. And His righteousness has no limits.
So how does God show up?
He guides. He comforts. He corrects. He reroutes. He reminds us of true things. He helps us persevere. He brings wisdom and discernment to our minds. He inspires others to help us. He compels us to help others. He gives us peace in the midst of trouble. He encourages us as we stand boldly in faith. He works and works and works in mysterious ways.
And just when you might wonder if your neediness is becoming a nuisance to God, remember: God’s presence is inexhaustible and His resources are limitless. It’s good to need God every moment of every day. To breathe. To survive. To flourish.
So yes, trouble will come. But God will never leave your side.
Undeserved Mercies
When someone hurts you or, worse, hurts somebody that you love, revenge can seem appealing. After all…
They were mean.
They were selfish.
They talked behind your back.
They broke a vital promise.
They lied about you.
They criticized you.
They ignored you.
They did the unthinkable.
They walked away.
They deserve to be punished, right? To feel some of that same pain? They deserve a consequence that will not only help them learn, but will be just as severe as the inflicted wounds.
And yet—because God sees things differently, both His standards and tactics can be surprising. And that’s why the apostle Paul, writing to the believers in Thessaloniki, said:
“See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.”
1 Thessalonians 5:15 NLT
Paul’s words sound a lot like Jesus’ words—to love your neighbor as yourself; to do to others what you’d like them to do to you. (See: Matthew 22:38-40)
God’s ways ...
