How I Learned Not to Go on Guilt Trips

We weren’t created to experience guilt trips. But we learned to send ourselves and each other on these unpleasant excursions because sin entered the world.

First, let’s look at desirable trips.

Maybe a planned or spontaneous travel schedule. Perhaps our favorite vacation spots. Possibly, places familiar or unknown. Or, traveling abroad. And a voyage by sea.

Also, guided tours, historical landmarks, the mountains, a natural wonder, the beach, tropical climates, and soaring altitudes.

Still further, there are resorts for sight seekers, adventure junkies, and tourists of all shapes and sizes. Crossing out a bucket list item—going somewhere we’ve never visited.

Even people are labeled trips.

Whatever the mode of transportation. Whether a one-way-trip or round-trip. Short or extended stay. It’s movement toward a point of destination. A journey for recreation, relaxation, and getaways—a means to escape.

Learned Guilt Trips

Sometimes we go on trips and land somewhere we’d rather not visit. The worst trips ever.

Guilt trips qualify. Guilt trips make us painfully aware of being stuck in an unwanted place. So we feel it deep inside. A restless, unsettled state of wishing we were home—back to familiar surroundings. A safe place.

A Special Valentine Invitation: Will You be Mine?

What if there’s a special valentine invitation unlike any we’ve ever received? 

When you think of love and Valentine’s Day, what memories come to mind?

Perhaps you received Will you be mine? invites in grade school, college, and into adulthood.

Maybe a special someone entered your life, you received a marriage proposal from the love of your life, or your spouse went over the top to celebrate your love.

Even a sweet childhood memory may still captivate us.

Or, your memories surrounding this love-holiday uncover feelings of emptiness or a lack of love.

Memories from childhood to the present you’d rather forget. 

Because many of us have experienced both highs and lows when it comes to love and special valentine invitations.

But the most lavish, epic, and monumental Valentine’s Day to ever take place in history, celebrates the best kind of love—God’s extravagant love.

This is Love

First, let’s look at what love is and what love is not.

The Bible contains some of the most powerful and beautiful words ever penned on love. 

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (ESV)

6 Sources of Real Joy Never Taken From Us

Real joy is the end result of God’s faithful promises. The Lord adds these spiritual sources of joy to our lives that no person, not even the enemy, can take from us.

Still further, joyfulness is:

Ammunition for difficult circumstances and people. 

The best medicine for a downcast spirit. 

A shield against attacks from the enemy. 

So let’s look at it in a broader sense. And not just what we believe and know, but also how it manifests in our lives—how we live joyful.

You see, unlike images, there’s not a filter for joyful. Instead, it lies beneath the surface and radiates through.

God wants to bring a smile back to our face. But more than that.

He wants to bring rejoicing back to our soul.

God provides many wonderful sources of rejoicing. But in this article, we look at 6 along with Bible verses for each one.

And I love powerful refrains in certain songs and poems. So after each of our points, repeat the refrain I include out loud.

Sources of Real Joy: Salvation, God’s Works and Word

1.)  In salvation.

“Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” Psalm 51:12

“My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed.” Psalm 71:23

Is my joy showing through? 

Because there’s no filter for joyful. 

And it’s never shaken or taken.

How to Know Jesus and Make Him Known

How can we know Jesus more intimately?

During my early years of being a Christ-follower, I missed an important aspect of the Christian life.

Christ not only desired that I know Him as Savior and Lord, but also that I continued to grow in knowing Him more intimately on a daily basis.

Because this is the only way to let Christ live in and through my life, and for others to see Jesus in me.

Eventually, this became my mission statement for my speaking, writing, and blogging ministry:

To know Jesus more and make Him known.

To really know someone, we spend time with that person. For instance, we know our spouse and children more than anyone else.

Who we live with, we grow to know more each day through two-way communication and interaction.

Know Jesus

These same simple principles hold true to K.N.O.W. Jesus.

K – Keep our relationship alive and well. Cultivate our love relationship with Jesus as if our life depends on it. Because most of the time, dear friend, we will find this to be the case. A growing and vibrant friendship with Jesus makes a world of difference in the ups and downs of life.

N – Never stop investing time. My adult son recently moved halfway across the country. It drove home the point to continue to connect with him. We frequently text, call and FaceTime. We also started a family group on Marco Polo so all of us can send and receive videos.

Make it a habit to spend time with Christ. Connect with who Jesus is by reading the Bible and getting to know the words Christ spoke, the way He prayed, and the words spoken about Him. Never move away from Jesus emotionally or spiritually.

When We Fill Ourselves With Things That Expire

Have you ever thought about how all that life has to offer are things that expire? None of them last forever.

So it’s no wonder we are chasing the next best technology device or fashion or eatery or the things of this world that quickly fade in fulfillment.

There’s nothing wrong with this stuff in and of itself. But it’s about how we fill ourselves, with them or God.

Even though we are wired for God’s filling, we learn to self-fill. We attempt to fill ourselves with life’s stuff and substitutions for God.

But there are problems with our self-filling techniques. 

Things That Expire: Everything Life Offers

Maybe you or your church collects non-perishables for local food banks. Items with a long shelf life for the underprivileged. 

Poor in spirit, we have intangible needs that never expire. Like grace, love, mercy, joy, peace, and hope. Although they seem abstract, we actually take hold of them when we go to God.

Because unlike things that expire, God manifests these characteristics in our lives. And they never run out, run dry or have expiration dates.

Yet, when we turn to life’s stuff to bring us fulfillment, such as the perfect body, aspirations, accolades, or material possessions, it only temporarily fills empty spaces, never empty souls. Real fullness is not dictated by anything life offers but revealed in Jesus.

Jesus is eternal and He never expires. 

Christ exchanges our empty for His full: our lack for His bounty (Psalm 65:11), our shame for His mercy (Ephesians 2:4), our sorrow for His joy (Isaiah 35:10), our weakness for His strength (2 Corinthians 12:9), and our worry for His peace (John 16:33).

Things That Expire: Substitutes for God

Valley Promises From God Himself

What if we knew God had valley promises just waiting for us to claim and cling to?

Because sometimes we travel on a journey we never chose. A valley experience.

And we never made reservations, packed our bags, or headed off in that direction. 

Besides, my heart’s GPS is wired to stay on the mountain top. Isn’t that what we secretly or openly wish the Christian life promised? 

Still, we often forget God’s glory and presence dwells wherever we are, and in whatever we go through. Further, the Bible says we will have trouble in this world, valleys to walk through. It’s not “if” but “when.”

Perhaps, you relate to valleys of emotional suffering, physical pain, heartbreak, tragedy, grief, spiritual warfare, or other.

During one of my valley experiences, the Lord revealed a comforting message of truth for any and all valleys. 

And it comes from two phrases and two passages in the Bible. These are valley promises.

(1.) Even though. Psalm 23.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4 (ESV)

David, a shepherd, led, rescued, and cared for sheep. In Psalm 23, he relates the job description to God’s care of us.

The provision of green pastures and still waters showcases the Lord’s goodness (verse 2). Restoring souls and leading in righteousness spotlight the Shepherd’s mercy (verse 3). So, we won’t lack anything on the spiritual journey, including in the valleys (verse 1).

But David mentions less-than-pleasant moments and hard days. The valley of the shadow of death, evil, and the presence of enemies. Since we live in a fallen world, there’s no guarantee of valley-free living.

Yet, the Lord guarantees He is with me “even though” I find myself in the valley (verse 4). And He’s with you.

22 Truths About God to Embrace in 2022

Embarking on a new year always brings mixed emotions for me. I look forward to new experiences, possibilities, adventures, and all the things in life worth celebrating. On the flip side, the world is still in a troubled and hurting state. And I wonder what the path holds on up ahead. Maybe you relate. But what if we simply and intentionally embraced truths about God?

Embracing what we know is true about God strengthens our heart, gives understanding and peace to our minds, and keeps us focused on spiritual things.

So let’s look 22 of these truths for our new year.

Truths About God That Make Him God

(1.) The One true God. Oh, there are other gods. But there’s no other god like our God. “For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.” (Isaiah 46:9b)

(2.) Living. Jeremiah compares man-made idols to the living God. “But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God.” (Jeremiah 10:10) How sad and foolish when we bow to idols without breath. Or, believe in gods who are dead.

(3.) Creator. Genesis 1:1 tells us in the beginning God created…. God existed first. Then He created everything else, all of creation, and humans in His image. 

(4.) Holy. The Blue Letter Bible shares, “God is holy means there is no trace of evil in his character. Only God is holy.” Further, “There is no one holy like the LORD.” (1 Samuel 2:2a)

(5.) Sovereign. God rules as the supreme authority, doing what pleases Him (Psalm 115:3), His kingdom rules over all (Psalm 103:19). 

(6.) In control. “For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?” (Isaiah 14:27)

(7.) Majestic. “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! (Psalm 8:9)

(8.) Almighty. “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’” (Revelation 1:8)

Giving Our Heart Completely to God in the New Year

Is giving our heart completely to God possible? And, is it easy?

I believe the answers are Yes and No respectively.

Ever since I gave my heart to the Lord at sixteen, I’ve heard God’s people speak about whole-hearted devotion to the Lord.

Also, how committed believers protect their heart from becoming divided.

Because the Lord never meant for the human heart to belong completely to anything or anyone other than Him.

In college, I chose 2 Chronicles 16:9a as my life verse:

“For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.” (NASB 1995, emphasis added)

According to Dictionary.com, the phrase to and fro means “a continuous or regular movement backward and forward.”

The Lord is looking for people with this kind of undivided devotion and heart for Him.

So if it’s really possible, but not easy, where do we even start and how do we go about it?

The Bible is the best place to discover the key to giving our heart completely to God.

Giving Our Heart: Love, Serve, Seek

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Deuteronomy 6:5 (ESV, emphasis added)

“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” Deuteronomy 10:12 (NIV, emphasis added)

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV, emphasis added)

The Story of Christmas from Jesus’ Mother

Do you love to hear a good story? I enjoy stories passed down through generations and in literature. And I’m especially fond of stories told as first-hand accounts of actual events. But what about the story of Christmas?

Have you read the Christmas story in the Bible? How have others told the story?

I wonder how Mary, the earthly mother of Jesus, felt and experienced the birth of the Christ child. Or, what it was like to see Jesus grow into a man and fulfill His mission.

Perhaps Mary’s thoughts went something like this.

The Story of Christmas: First Breath of Grace

He took His first breath. The first breath of grace. Wrapped in a swaddling cloth, though adorned with royal titles. Wonderful. Counselor. Prince of Peace. Holy King. Immanuel. The Ancient of Days.

The Lamb of God created the star placed in the heavens to announce His arrival. The light of the world.

I held Him in my arms, so overjoyed. Barely minutes old and seemingly fragile. But this baby embodied the fullness of the Godhead. Such power later demonstrated when He cast out evil spirits and even raised the dead to life again.

I  studied every feature as mothers do when handed a newborn. Gazing intently at Him, I saw the goodness and greatness of God.

3 Divine Christmas Presents not Under Our Tree

When we think of Christmas presents, our thoughts ponder what to buy that family member who has everything.

Or there’s the person who is particular.

Perhaps we wonder what treasures lay under the tree for us.

But as we head toward Christmas, let’s discuss presents not found under our tree.

Because these are not typical Christmas gifts.

Instead, they are gifts money cannot buy.

They are intangible, yet wonderful.

And these presents gift us with some of the most glorious things in life.

(1.) Divine Christmas Present: Forgiveness

According to Merriam-Webster, forgiveness is “To cease to feel resentment against (an offender): PARDON: forgive one’s enemies.”

Several forms of the word in the Greek are used in the Bible: aphiemi means “to send forth, send away”; “to remit or forgive” as in completely canceling debts (Blue Letter Bible/Vine’s Expository Dictionary).

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 (ESV)

“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Matthew 6:12 (ESV)

To give and receive forgiveness, we thank God for forgiving us of our sins. And we continue to confess and repent when we fail to obey Him.

Next, we ask others to forgive us for any missteps against them. Then, we generously forgive others of hurts and offenses.

Finally, we strive to keep a short account with God and people. We ask the Lord to give us the ability to extend forgiveness, ask for forgiveness, and truly see it as a gift.

(2.) Divine Christmas Present: Encouragement