THE SPIRITUAL CHALLENGES AND BENEFITS OF TRUE FASTING I can hear it now – oh no! A blog on fasting! I’m smiling because I basically balked at writing it. I’m not particularly good at fasting; however, my ultimate goal is to prayerfully engage this discipline in such a...

PRAYER FOR THE NEW YEAR I have been prayerfully reflecting upon this past year and looking ahead to what God is holding in His heart for me in this new year. His faithfulness emerges so clearly out of the difficult places of the past season of my life. Psalm 86:11...

BEING HEARD IN HEAVEN “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission” (Hebrews 5:7). We don’t often hear the...

ALONENESS IN PRAYER This morning as I was preparing for work, I thought through all that was on my plate for the day and began to feel a bit overwhelmed. Then, a small thought came into my mind… “Maybe you need some aloneness in prayer.” It occurred to me that it was...

PRAYER IN SUFFERING Recently, I have heard the heart cry of several friends and family who have been enduring significant seasons of suffering. Some are dealing with physical and emotional struggles; others, with financial stresses and setbacks or prodigal children....

THE VOICE When my husband calls me on the phone, he never has to identify himself. I know his voice so well that further identification is not needed. At the risk of embarrassing us both, I will share that almost every phone conversation begins with Dave saying, “Hi...

BE THE ANSWER “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead” (James 2:26 NASB). Years ago I met a young woman in a Bible study whose family was struggling financially. Her husband was in prison and she had four young sons at...

RETURN TO THE UPPER ROOM “Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew;...

A GOD-CENTERED DIALOGUE “Converting our unceasing thinking into unceasing prayer moves us from a self-centered monologue to a God-centered dialogue.” – Henri Nouwen Reading Nouwen’s quote this week, I paused to consider once again what has been changing about my...