God’s a Good Father Who Works for Our Good

We believe God’s a good Father who works all things for our good, until we don’t.

Because those “until we don’t” reasons include things like tragedy, sickness, loss, unimaginable grief, fizzled dreams, and so on. 

And let’s get really honest here. Life happens and life is full of ups and downs. 

So it’s easy to listen to the enemy’s lies during the down-times. Satan’s lies claim God doesn’t have our good in mind. Or else He would not have let this thing happen to us.

But even when I’m at the end of my rope, I know God is good, does good, and works behind the scenes for my good. I may not understand the whys or what He is doing, but it doesn’t change who God is or His good nature. 

Our circumstances never change God’s goodness. 

So let’s remind our hearts of the Bible verse containing this promise.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 (NIV) 

Notice the promise is not that all things are good, but all the things work toward our good.

God’s a Good Father

God has promised good to us. 

The Lord has plans for our good, now and in our future. 

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Have You Found a Friend in Jesus?

Besties. BFF’s. Life-long friends. 

Friend is such a wonderful and endearing term. And we all long for friends because they make our lives richer. 

I still keep in touch with friends from high school and college. Also, over the years, the Lord blessed me with new friends. 

You see, we moved a lot when my husband and I were in church ministry. So I prayed for at least one friend in every new town. 

Early in our marriage, we moved to a small farm town in a new state. Our daughter was only eighteen months old at the time. Gracious ladies from the church brought us dinner for a few nights and I unpacked boxes while our daughter napped during the day.

Still, I’ll never forget the Sunday when a young woman approached me after a church service. “Do you need anything?” Her sentiments seemed honest and heartfelt. I politely thanked her and continued with: No, we are fine.

But as I started to walk away, I felt the Lord nudging me to turn back around and tell her I needed a friend. With the Lord helping me to be brave, I walked toward her: I thought of something I need, I really need a friend.

You know what? We formed a wonderful friendship and kept in touch when my family moved again. It was a God-thing.

Friendship with Christ

The good Lord created us as relational beings, first with Him, then with others. For that reason, it makes sense to not only understand the importance of friends in our lives, but to also celebrate a friendship with Jesus Himself.

But in order to find a friend in Jesus, we must find Jesus as Savior and Lord. 

I made the decision at sixteen to give my heart and life to Christ. And I found a wonderful friend in Jesus. 

Scripture has much to say about friendship with the Lord.

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5 Things Only a Loving Creator Would Do

The age-old question still exists. How can a loving Creator allow evil and suffering? 

In other words, if God is real and if He is good and loving, how and why do bad things happen in the world and to me? 

Perhaps before we knew the Lord, we also thought or wondered about these same sentiments. 

But God is a loving Creator. And He never intended for the fall of man. Because the fall brought sin, evil, pain, and suffering into the world (Genesis 3).

Yet, He still designed a plan to not only lead His people, but to also bring people into fellowship with Him. 

Yes, the age-old question will continue to be asked in a world that denies God’s existence and deity. And a culture that refuses to bow to His majesty, glory, righteousness, and justice. 

So let’s look at 5 things only a loving Creator would do.

(1.) Only a loving Creator would create me in His image.

Out of great love, God created humans in His own image. 

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27 (ESV)

“For you formed my inward parts, you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” Psalm 139:13-14 (ESV)

God didn’t have to create me or you, but He chose to. He wanted to. And He took great pleasure in forming us into His image to reflect His glory.

Only a loving Creator would create me in His image. God didn’t have to create me or you, but He chose to. He wanted to. And He took great pleasure in forming us into His image to reflect His glory. Share on X Read More…

Claim These 21 Promises as God’s Child

Sometimes we struggle with who we are and where we belong in this life. And we separate who we are with whose we are.

But the two were always meant to be one and the same.

The Bible promises wonderful truths to claim when we belong to the Heavenly Father as His child.

I hope these 21 Promises encourage you as a child of God.

Let’s claim each as our own.

Promises: God Knows My Name

(1.) My heavenly Father never goes missing from my life. “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5b (ESV)

(2.) God knows my name. (Isaiah 43:1)

(3.) My heavenly Father is intimately acquainted with everything about me. “You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.” Psalm 139:3 (ESV)

(4.) God, the Father, adopted me into His family. No longer a spiritual orphan, I now belong. (Galatians 4:5-7)

(5.) The Lord loves and cares for me. (Ephesians 3:18-19, Psalm 23)

The Lord Fights For Me

(6.) My heavenly Father calls me beloved, child, saint, blessed, and His. (Romans 1:7, John 1:12)

(7.) God, the Father, delights in me. “He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.” Psalm 18:19 (ESV)

(8.) The Lord fights for me. (Exodus 14:14)

(9.) My heavenly Father watches over me. (Psalm 121:5-8)

(10.) God has desires and plans for me. (Ephesians 2:10, Proverbs 3:5-6)

God knows my name. The Lord fights for me. My heavenly Father delights in me. Share on X Read More…

5 Beneficial Areas to Grow in Christ

How do we grow in Christ?

Did you experience growing pains during childhood?

Most of us probably remember how growing up had hard, celebratory, and memorable moments. Now, we sometimes even grow weary of adulting.

Likewise, the Bible describes ways we grow in Christ as believers.

So here are five of those beneficial areas.

(1.) Mindset: Grow in Christ by seeking the mind of Christ

This is of utmost importance and a good place to start. Why?

Because our mindset is connected to everything about us. And it influences our outlook in life and plays a role in our choices and actions.

But how do we go about seeking the mind of Christ? The Bible tells us: set our minds on things above(Colossians 3:2); do not transform to the world, but transform by the renewing of our mind(Romans 12:2); and to take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).

More biblical wisdom gives us further insight:

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8 (ESV)

What we think about, set our minds on, is of utmost importance. If affects every aspect of our life. Do we desire to have the mind of Christ? Share on X

What we think about, set our minds on, affects every aspect of our life. Do we desire to have the mind of Christ?

These scriptures give us intentional steps to a beneficial mindset.

“‘For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 2:16 (ESV)

(2.) Heart Focus

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