As believers, we are constantly in a war. Not with flesh and blood entities, but in the spiritual realm. God provides us with the armor we need to fight these spiritual battles. He gives us the belt of truth, body armor of righteousness, shoes of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and … Read more“We Need the Armor of God”
The problem is – “should” is quick and dirty. I can analyze what is and what “should” be and spit it out in a simple sentence. Reaching for the truthful standard while offering understanding for who I am, forgiveness for who I am not and encouragement to reach toward goodness requires more. Typically, it takes five thoughtful sentences to do the job. This may seem like semantics, but how these desires are framed in our belief system is the difference between a life of joy and peace… or one of anxiety, futility and despair.
Knowing that we matter to someone else is a need we all share and one that when met produces pleasant emotions. With the realization that we matter in the life of another person comes the sense that we are valued, loved, known, included and wanted. Mattering is particularly important if that other person is someone that matters to you.
One thing I have noticed come up a lot lately in conversations with others and in my own life is the issue of contentment. Contentment seems like this simple, easy concept, but it is extraordinarily difficult to practice. Now, when I say practicing contentment, I mean that it is something that we have to do, … Read moreContentment