The holiday season is in full swing, having started a few weeks ago with Thanksgiving and lasting until after New Year’s Day. During the holidays, many people will spend time with family. On Thanksgiving my family had lunch at my parents and dinner at my in-laws. Thankfully, they live only 5 minutes apart. Over theContinue reading “When pain is like a house guest that wears out their welcome – Advent Psalm of Thanksgiving, Preview”
Tag Archives: depression
When life is bitter pill – Advent Psalms of Lament, Part 2
This week I welcome guest blogger, Jeff Byerly. Jeff is my pastoral colleague, friend, ThD classmate, and traveling partner! He and his wife Tasha have two daughters, a son-in-law and new grandbaby! As I mentioned in the previous post, we will turn our hearts toward lament in order to turn our heads upward toward God’sContinue reading “When life is bitter pill – Advent Psalms of Lament, Part 2”
How deeply God desires us to experience peace – Boots of Peace, Part 5
As we conclude this week’s blog series about the Boots of Peace in the Armor of God, consider what Paul writes about peace in Ephesians 2, verses 11-22: “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his fleshContinue reading “How deeply God desires us to experience peace – Boots of Peace, Part 5”
The important connection between building highways and depression – Advent 2022, Week 4, Part 2
Editor’s Note: This post is written by guest blogger, David Hundert. David is a current Master of Divinity student at Evangelical Seminary. As I mentioned in the previous post, the meaning of Advent is connected to an ancient phrase from the Hebrew prophet Isaiah: “Prepare the way for the Lord…” What was Isaiah talking about,Continue reading “The important connection between building highways and depression – Advent 2022, Week 4, Part 2”
An antidote to despair – Ecclesiastes 8:16-9:10, Part 4
If we aren’t supposed to succumb to worry about the future, is there an antidote to despair? Again, the Teacher, the writer of Ecclesiastes, is ready with more wisdom for us. Look at chapter 9, verses 7-9a. Dorsey’s Translation: “7 Therefore go, eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a joyful heart,Continue reading “An antidote to despair – Ecclesiastes 8:16-9:10, Part 4”
You don’t have to be perfect! – Ecclesiastes 7:15-8:8, Part 4
Do you feel you need to be perfect? Do you look around your life, find it is less than perfect and feel like a failure? You’re not alone. For many of us, life feels like this, even if a little bit. And I’m right there with you. I see various ways my house or propertyContinue reading “You don’t have to be perfect! – Ecclesiastes 7:15-8:8, Part 4”
Your life matters – Ecclesiastes 1:1-11, Part 2
Have you ever wondered if you life matters? Have you wrestled with dark, sad thoughts, thinking that you are not important? If so, you’re not alone. Just about everyone has battled those kinds of thoughts at least some time in their lives. What can be confusing is that there is a book of the BibleContinue reading “Your life matters – Ecclesiastes 1:1-11, Part 2”
The most depressing book in the Bible? – Ecclesiastes 1:1-11, Part 1
Did you hear that news that actor Chadwick Boseman passed away on Friday? The star of Black Panther, and many other films, had secretly been battling colon cancer for years, and on Friday, at the age of 43 he passed away, shocking many. I tell you this because I saw a news report about Boseman’sContinue reading “The most depressing book in the Bible? – Ecclesiastes 1:1-11, Part 1”
What do you do when it seems like the storm of life is pounding you, and it won’t let up? – Acts 27, Part 1
I’ve been listening to a podcast called Deep Cover, the wild, true story of an FBI agent who, in the 1980s, goes undercover, posing as a member of a biker gang, digging up info about drug trafficking the gang is involved in. As the months go by he earns the trust of numerous people inContinue reading “What do you do when it seems like the storm of life is pounding you, and it won’t let up? – Acts 27, Part 1”
When holidays are depressing [Third Sunday of Advent]
Editor’s Note: I’m playing catch-up with blogging Faith Church’s sermons. My doctoral coursework, a heavy load grading online classes I teach, and the holidays landed simultaneously these past few weeks! So before we jump back to the Deuteronomy series, I’ll survey the last few weeks of Advent, belatedly, of course. On the Third Sunday ofContinue reading “When holidays are depressing [Third Sunday of Advent]”
Engaging Scripture 