Purposeful Prayer & More

Joseph could not be concerned with such things now. Mary and the Baby about to be birthed required his assistance. In the midst of the frenzy, he realized that being needed was a gift from God. His faith swelled. In the chill of the evening, with cows, sheep, goats, and a donkey as witnesses, he delivered the...

The avian must not have been pleased with me following because it dropped its feast on the grass and ascended to land on a branch over the road. Upon landing, a white head and yellow beak confirmed it was a bald eagle. I stopped and...

God has promised to fill you with hope and peace as you trust in Him. When trouble comes, when you are perplexed, when you need a friend, God is there to calm your heart and deliver you. He has a plan for your future, guidance for each day, strength to impart during times of trial and grace to give you courage when you make mistakes. He has a plan for successful, abundant living. He is ready today to...

There are some really sad stories in this life. There always have been, and there always will be until Jesus comes back to this earth and puts an end to sin and suffering once and for all. I long for that day. As a nurse for many years, I have seen and heard a lot of painful stories. Presently, I work with...

Two years before the anointing, my life as a type 1 diabetic catapulted out of control. I had been a diabetic for more than 25 years and had always kept very tight control of my blood sugar levels. The doses I gave were very calculated and had proven trustworthy for my body for many years. The following two events were very uncharacteristic of everything...

Left behind! When I think of those two words I consider feelings of abandonment, loneliness, despair, isolation, unworthiness, rejection, and frustration. No one wants to be left behind. Jarett did not choose to be left behind while his family returned home. It was a matter of...

I was born on February 26, 2007. Two years later, our family moved to Lancaster, Ohio, where my dad became a bi-vocational pastor. We lived in an apartment for a while, then a rented house on...

Jesus is ready to come. He's just waiting for His people to be ready, so He can pour out the "Latter Rain" and the final work can be completed. How can we be ready to receive the "Latter Rain"? Here are three important steps...

Surrendering is very important for a Christian. Our family has practiced surrendering, but sometimes it is hard! I try to listen to God in the mornings, and sometimes I don’t like what He says. I try to let God take the driver’s seat, even if it’s against...

The yearly Day of Atonement in the earthly sanctuary was symbolic of the heavenly Day of Atonement, when our Great High Priest Jesus Christ will cleanse the heavenly sanctuary once and for all, removing all the sins we have transferred there since the fall of humanity. All the confessed sins in heaven will be placed on...

We know the drill. Children and adults alike choose their favorite costume and go door to door collecting gobs of candy. For one night they indulge in the creepy ambiance of haunted houses and ghost stories. Too many people, it seems like harmless fun. But what is really being celebrated here? Should we, as Christians, really be participating in this holiday? Halloween is an ancient...

I remember in my early 20s having the same problem of believing lies. I was convinced that I was unattractive, undesirable, and intellectually incapable, among other insecurities. On top of that were my own battles with personal sins that I could not gain victory over. Then one day my girlfriend invited me to...