That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:10-11, emphasis added By any means possible. I have to confess, this scares me. Paul said this and he was stoned, beaten, shipwrecked, imprisoned. Me? I'm more of a "go to church, hang out with my Christian friends, read Karen Kingsbury books, and talk about our favorite worship songs" ... [Read More]
{Joy Day 12} Jesus Christ Is Lord
Today is a little different. As you read the passage from Philippians today, I encourage you to make it your prayer. Pray for the mind of Christ Jesus and praise Him that He is Lord. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a things to be grasped, But made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming ... [Read More]
{Joy Day 7} To Live Is Christ
As it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose, I cannot tell. Philippians 1:20-22, emphasis added We've all said it, "The Lord is my top priority." We mean it, we really do. We know that our relationship with Christ is ... [Read More]
{Joy Day 4} The Fruit of Righteousness
And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so, be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11, emphasis added Our righteousness can only come through Jesus Christ, through His work in us, His strength for us, His grace through us. Is your life bearing the fruit of His ... [Read More]
Easily Distracted
I first read Your Girl: Raising a Godly Daughter in an Ungodly World by Vicki Courtney in June 2004. I knew then that I would buy anything she wrote! Since that time I've devoured Five Conversations You Must Have with Your Daughter, The Virtuous Woman: Shattering the Superwoman Myth, and Logged On and Tuned Out: A Non-Techie's Guide to Parenting a Tech-Savvy Generation. She has challenged me and mentored me in my role as a mother but also as a women seeking the face of God. When I had the ... [Read More]
Beautifully Devastating
Angie Smith is amazing. When she spoke last year at a conference I attended, I was moved beyond words. Giving expression to the depths of despair and the heights of hope, she reminds us to trust God with the hurts and sorrows and longings of our hearts. This past weekend at the dotMom conference she described motherhood as "beautifully devastating." Oh my word! Isn't that exactly right? Devastate means "to lay waste" ... oh y'all, isn't that just what motherhood does to us? It lays ... [Read More]
