That Sunday started out just like any other

Every Sunday morning, I drink coffee and eat breakfast, and then I take a shower as part of my getting-ready-for-church routine.

That Sunday, as the water poured down on me, I started talking to God. It’s not uncommon for me to talk to God while I’m in the shower. It’s one of the few moments of “alone time” I have. So, it’s a good time to focus on uninterrupted prayer with Him.

This particular prayer time was different, though. He said something directly to me, and it stopped me in my tracks.

It wasn’t really a command, more of a suggestion

The way He phrased it, it wasn’t like…

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1, NIV)

In the beginning,
God …
But,
what if …
not?

What if I had never seen “Jesus” gazing out at me from the cover of the family Bible on my grandmother’s coffee table?
“Hi, Jesus,” I said, as I toddled around and around.
Not my first words, but probably my first words to Him.
I knew then who He was, and I knew He knew me.

What if I had never heard Jesus calling out to me through the kids’ Bible stories on the cassette tape I…

Scripture Prompt

The world is a scary place

For a couple of decades now, I’ve joked that George Orwell’s 1984 was meant to be a work of fiction, not an instruction manual. Now, I’m even more convinced that the humor inside the statement lies in the fact that it’s absolutely true.

Except … it’s not very funny. It’s slightly terrifying.

And we know that things are only going to get worse as the day of Jesus’ second coming approaches (and, of course, we’re closer to that than ever before! )

Consider what Jesus said about the signs that show He is returning soon:

Watch out that no one…

Lord,

Teach us to pray,
“God’s kingdom come,
Your will be done,”
for forgiveness for us to extend to others.

Teach us to pray,
to keep asking,
to not give up
until You answer.

Teach us to pray,
to look for open doors,
to knock them down if need be,
to get to Your heart.

Teach us to pray for what we need,
for what we want,
for what You want to give us.
Because You want to give us more than we could ever ask.

Teach us to pray for unity,
unity with You and with others. …

My daughter’s confession

Not long ago, my younger daughter confessed to me that she felt lonely. How do you help someone else who feels that way? What do you do when you’re feeling lonely yourself? What is the best loneliness solution?

This is something Pastor Jack Eason, husband of bestselling fiction author Lynette Eason, explores in The Loneliness Solution. When presented with the opportunity to review this book, I was immediately drawn to the title because of my daughter’s recent confession.

Would I find anything inside these pages I could use to help her?

I didn’t really know what to expect from ‘The Loneliness Solution’

When I first opened the package for this book…

Should I really be reviewing this movie?

Most people don’t believe that the rapture will occur. What if there was evidence to prove that it will? — Before the Wrath

These are the words and the thought that this movie, Before the Wrath, begins with.

When I was presented with the opportunity to review this movie, I wondered if I should take it. End times prophecy has never been all that interesting to me. It’s never been that important to me, given that I know Jesus is coming back for me before the end (I am a pre-tribulation rapture believer).

What happens after that is pretty much…

When the worship music begins to play during the church service, what do you expect? Blessing? Fun? Excitement? Connection?

What about conviction?

Do you ever expect to be convicted during worship?

I never did … until it happened to me.

Let me give you the back story

One Saturday afternoon, I had a backache. And when I say backache, I mean excruciating pain every time I tried to bend over or do anything.

The same Saturday afternoon, my husband decided he was going fishing, leaving me at home alone, in pain, with the responsibility of taking care of our two girls. And when he got done fishing…

It pays to pay attention in church

One Sunday morning, the pastor was giving a sermon on a very familiar story, that of The Rich Young Ruler.

And someone [Luke 18:18 calls him a ruler] came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” Then he said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall…