…your life has new meaning!

Rugged Beauty
     'Voice of Inspiration' from Andy Castro

She walks with a painful limp, feet are blistered, legs burn with every step and her clothes are battle worn. Uncovered skin sluggishly bleeds from intruding jungle brush. Her weathered face and unkept hair paint a picture of unbridled determination. She holds two weapons; her machete to forge her own path and the memory of the voice who called her to greatness. In the brief moments of drifting into restless sleep she rewrites the definition of greatness in her mind and fights the desire to revert to the old life of mediocrity. With a sudden jolt from her heart she wakens to her bold…

Belief, Faith, Trust ... Are They Different?
     'Refreshment in Refuge' from Gina Burgess

But let all who put their trust in You rejoice; let them shout for joy forever, because You cover them. And let those who love Your name be joyful in You. Psalm 5:11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" Mark 9:23-24 The Psalm was written and sung long after God had performed many miracles: …

Discouragement
     ''Christ in You...'' from Dale Krebbs

At times it seems so easy to become discouraged - just discouraged with living in general in our world around us. It's a feeling down deep. It can't be explained, even described in a way that someone else could understand what is meant. Then we realize that this is not God's world. But we must live in it. And by the grace of God, and Christ in us, we will survive. As a Christian leader once said, "I have read the book...AND WE WIN!". But as the world is now, the devil will discourage us any way he can. Down deep we know something just isn't right. If we are Christians,…

Seeing Another's Light
     'Inspiration For You' from Randy Mitchell

No matter who you work with, marry, be-friend, date, parent, or live beside, sooner or later there’ll be personality traits which you don’t agree with, or find uncomfortable to be around. We’re all created differently, are an original masterpiece created by God, and like any living thing, there are no two of us exactly alike. It’s what makes the human race such an incredibly diverse body of souls. But, how we interact, and appreciate each others positive and negative qualities is more about our personality rather than the individuals inside our target zone. …

Bible and Quote - April 19-23
     'Bible verse and quote' from Jan Couns

The ungodly crouches, he lies low, That the helpless may fall by his strength. Psalm 10:10 Beasts cover their malicious designs with the pretence of meekness, humility, and kindness. They concern themselves in their victim’s concernments to make them fall, to make a prey of them. Matthew Henry, 1662-1714, was a Welsh-born, English nonconformist minister and Bible commentator The ungodly says to himself, ‘God has forgotten; he covers his face and never sees.’ Psalm 10:11 What better rational to do wrong than to minimize or deny the One who can either…

God, What Does He Want From Us?
     'God's Words For US' from Cecelia Lester

God, What Does He Want From Us? “And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8 (NIV) We read certain passages of scripture and we tend to overlook the meaning of the words and phrases. In our culture in the USA, we tend to read something, say ‘That’s nice,’ and hurry onto the next adventure, the next business deal, or fun thing to do. As young people, we sat around campfires singing “Kumbaya” possibly thinking we…

From Commitment to Reality
     'Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life' from Tom Kelley

He started the day at seven under par and tied for the lead at the Masters with Chris DeMarco. By the sixth hole he was was four under and out of the lead with South African Ernie Els on top of the leader board. He rallied on the back nine and played falwlessly through one of the most difficult stretches of golf holes in the world capping it with a birdie on sixteen to tie Els for the lead. On eighteen he had eighteen feet of nasty Augusta National green to traverse for a birdie and the victory. The ball dropped in the cup as the crowd around the eigtheenth green exploded in cheers.…

Identity
     ''Winging It' from Stan Smith

There is a tendency in human beings to identify ourselves in particular groups. "I'm an American." "I'm a woman." "I'm gay." "I'm a Jones." "I'm black." Along a lot of different lines, but we all seem to use this for identity. The most common, I think, is family. It's inherent just in our identification -- the last name (at least in American culture). This recent Christmas that fell on a Sunday, producing the dilemma of "church or family", made me ask the question of identity. Who are we? Oh, sure, we are lots of things.…

Christian Vaccination
     'The Way' from Kevin Pauley

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. - Revelation 3:15-16 In the 18th century, smallpox was a killer. Those infected would become covered in horrible pustules and die a painful death. Those who were fortunate enough to recover were left with ugly scars called “poc marks” on their skin. Lady Mary Wortley Montagu had seen people in Turkey deliberately infect themselves with a mild form of smallpox in order to develop immunity…

Justification XVI (3-9-11)
     'Today's Little Lift' from Jim Bullington

“He is a prophet.” Justification was depicted in a real life event during the earthly ministry of Jesus. This series of articles explores John 9 and the events surrounding the gift of sight which was bestowed upon a man who had been blind from birth. At the end of John 9, Jesus likened the granting of sight to spiritual enlightenment and justification so we are making the same application throughout the chapter. “They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also…

At an Hour of Crisis God Calls Jeremiah
     'Word from Scotland' from Sandy Shaw

Turn to Jeremiah Chapter 1 – Jeremiah is one of the prophets raised up by our loving God, in Israel, at that time when the situation was serious and critical. The nation was facing a crisis. The nation was facing the judgement of God. We are presently being confronted with crisis after crisis – nationally……