What does perfect narcissism look like? We can see it in the evil of Satan. I read a list the other day about the characteristics of those with narcistic personality disorder. Grandiose Sense of Self-Importance: They believe they are superior and special, deserving of exceptional treatment and recognition. Exploitative […]
Faith
There is a fear in all of us. It’s been there seemingly forever. The Psalmist sings ‘Search me, Know my Anxious Thoughts.’ Can God be that good? I was watching a TV program about border control in the U.S.A. The officers had a tip that someone coming through immigration was […]
When the receiving of love has strings attached, then is it really love? Love is a Gift With no Strings Attached. In many of the gardens I visit, they have garden hoses, and for the last few years many gardeners have been installing retractable hose reels. They are quite a […]
Your pain is legitimate, and second-place prayers reveal the need, but first-place prayers must always come first, so we pray a simple prayer. Simple sounds easy. Requiring little effort. First place. It’s where we put the best, second-place things go behind first-place things. There is an order—first place, then […]
People can let us down. We let others down. But there is one that we can entrust our ‘self’ to that is solid and true. Deep knowing grows that makes us strong. I’ve been dwelling on a word lately. Entrust. Words carry power. They connect thoughts, memories, ideas, and wisdom […]
There is a kind of loneliness that feels like a huge void has been opened up, and you’re broken on the other side. But there is one that crosses the void to bring connection. I’m still trying to understand why they avoided me. They knew I was in a mess, […]
Fear can be like a shadow creeping up and over you, but what do you fear the most? Understanding what you fear the most can bring assurance. It was a simple wire bridge on a confidence course. Not very high, the three-wire bridge was a challenge for some and not […]
We want God to answer our prayer our way, but there is a larger story going on, so we wait to see the way God answers prayer. Most weekends, when my children were young, I made buns for lunch. First, I would make the bread dough in a breadmaker, then […]
There is a comfort zone in the familiar, but there is a calling to step out of the boat and find a little something to stand on. There’s always a call to step out of the boat. The other day I was cleaning some items off a pinboard and came […]
We are happy to accept good from God, but what about trouble? There is something deeper available when we center on clinging to God. As a gardener, I work in all kinds of weather. Rain, sun, and wind – both light and strong. In the extremes, I complain. The furnace […]