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God doesn’t give you more than you can handle…or does He?
“God doesn’t give you more than you can handle.” I’ve heard this saying all my life, always from well-meaning Christians. But there have been plenty of times when I just couldn’t “handle.” After my grandmother passed away, I couldn’t handle the grief, and depression set in for two years. Later on, my body couldn’t handle what I was eating and the stress I was under, and I suffered with physical pain for several years. During those periods, hearing that God hadn’t actually given me more than I could handle felt disingenuous. What’s more, it added to my frustration and self-condemnation. So let me give it to you straight: yes, God…
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New Smells, New Year, and 3 Timeless Truths
I remember when I bought my first car after college. It had belonged to one owner before me and still had a faint new car smell. Even more potent was the feeling of buying a car for the first time. Perhaps you can think of an experience when life brought a “new smell.” Today, we’re on the cusp of 2018. Perhaps 2017 was a year of tremendous blessing for you, but maybe, it also brought unexpected trials or changes that have been particularly hard. For some, looking over the year doesn’t leave a warm fuzzy feeling. While reflecting on the past has its place, even more important is focusing on…
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Run to the Word
Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statues, And I shall keep it to the end. (Psalm 119:33 NKJV) My half marathon is just over a month away. One. Month. Away. Last week, I ran 7.3 miles and was feeling pretty good about my mileage, until I did the math. 13.1 – 7.3 = 5.8 Did I mention I never liked math? (Hence, I teach English.) The good news is I’m over half way there. The bad news is that I almost need to double last week’s distance to reach the finish line. *Groans* Don’t worry. I’m not quitting. I will cross that finish line. There just might be…
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Dare to Know God’s Word
Know that God’s Word has to be front and center. We have to be thinking about it, be able to quote it. Refuse to let fear and discouragement hold us back; for wherever we go, God will be with us.- Lysa TerKeurst. Last week, I introduced you to TerKeurst’s book, The Best Yes, which challenged me in the area of priorities. My running friend gave me a daily calendar based on the book to help me focus daily on some key principles. The above quote reminded me that I not only need to train physically for this half marathon, but I also need to prepare mentally for the spiritual endurance…
