Divorce is only one of many avenues through which shame and condemnation can travel. Unfortunately, we as Christians either place that shame on others or walk in it ourselves. But if we truly are forgiven in Christ Jesus, who can point a finger at us?

A paddling in sixth grade was based on false accusations, and the punishment was without cause. Thanks to Jesus, we are free from even the accusations that are true, and we will never receive punishment for them!

Praise God for children who don’t get permanently scarred from a dad’s failed attempt to teach a “Jesus lesson” while on a family vacation. And praise God for a Father who did not spare His own Son in order to save our lives!

We’ve all likely had our share of bullies in our lives. Some have taken human form like an “Eddie” in high school. Some live within our hearts and heads to torment us. But take great hope in this: If God is for you, no bully can be against you.

We are never forced to answer God’s call on our lives, but we are forever invited. Whether it’s a backyard funeral for a dove or a divine voice that sends you running scared as hard and as fast as you can, God will use whatever He will to get our attention.

Have you discovered your calling from God? Have you surrendered to it and said yes?

The debate will continue until Jesus returns: man’s free will versus God’s sovereign will, especially in hard life-and-death moments. But take heart and hope in Romand 8:28!

First, we see creation groaning. Next, we see us as Christians groaning. Now, it’s the Holy Spirit? What good could come from the Spirit of God groaning? Unless He is praying for us to know the Father’s perfect will!

With apologies to Billy Ray Cyrus . . .

Even though we all have to deal with it, no one likes pain in our bodies, whether in our heads and shoulders or knees and toes. But that pain, which causes groaning now, can turn our focus toward a great hope to come in the future!

From the stars in the sky to the sands on the beaches, creation causes us to be in awe and wonder. But lest we forget, both the creation of God and the children of God are awaiting the redeeming work to come!

Emphysema slowly drained the breath and life out of my mom, but near the end of her life, she found Life! Her children laughed and cried (and healed) their way as her earthly heirs. Praise God for the inheritance that awaits us on the other side of suffering! 

Two nephews, two different perspectives of their own adoptive lives. But they have the same love and gratitude that someone did indeed do the adapting. How much more awed should we be by God’s great adoption!

A harmless childhood legend may or may not be the root of real fear, but let’s face it: real fear does exist today, and unfortunately, it can mess with our hearts and minds. Praise God for the Holy Spirit who gives us all we need to fight that fear.

A mistake in a pick-up point on a fishing trip down a creek leads to a teenage boy being misled and lost for hours. As children of God who are truly led by the Spirit of God, we can never be misled.

As the baby in the family, sometimes you can feel as if you are always in debt to your older siblings. But you can never dismiss the enormous influence they have in your life. Thanks be to the “influence” of the Holy Spirit, we are no longer “in debt” to our sinful nature!

A horrific traffic accident leaves a young man paralyzed, but he is so very grateful to be alive. Let us never take for granted the supernatural life given to us by the Holy Spirit!

From the taunts and bullying due to a childhood speech impediment to being confident in the God who calls us to speak on His behalf, the power of the Spirit of God living within us cannot be underestimated.

Every believer in Jesus Christ has the Holy Spirit in them, but not every believer in Jesus Christ is filled with the Holy Spirit. Don’t stop at verse 9; go on to verse 11.

Try as we might, this feline fighter named Smokey was not going to be domesticated. The same can be said of our sinful nature which has always been hostile to God.

A cold, foggy night and a bad defroster in a Chevy Nova equal a DUI stop that had nothing to do with alcohol and a warning for reckless driving. Thanks be to the Spirit of God, we can stay in the “one lane” of power and victory over sin!

With the right amount of forgery and fakery, one can build a life that looks marvelous on the outside but is truly miserable on the inside. Thanks be to the one and only God who can take our misery and turn it into majesty!