Spiritual Encouragement

You've likely heard it said that Sunday’s coming, and this phrase brings us hope as we look toward better days. Well, Easter Sunday’s coming and with that is great rejoicing for CHRIST IS RISEN! But we can't get to Sunday without going through Friday. And we can't get to Easter Sunday without walking through Good Friday. And I wonder – Is Good Friday really good?...

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...My teacher would tell stories from the Bible and she would stick felt characters to a background board, as the stories would come to life. On Palm Sunday, the felt Jesus would make his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, on the back of a donkey. The townsfolk would cheer and wave palm branches. They would shout, “Hosanna”!! 

I’ve learned that Hosanna is a word used in Judaism and in Christianity. In Judaism, it refers to a cry for divine help. In Christianity, it is used as a cry of praise.  

As I consider all the hills and valleys I’ve been through...

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Last week, I was able to go for a walk in my neighborhood. The air was fresh and crisp, even chilly, but still felt warm. The sun was shining, and you could see it and feel its warmth. The sky was blue, not winter gray! There were many birds chirping loudly. My heart thought, YAY, Spring is on the way...

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Impact

Forgiveness is a powerful gift from God. I have both extended forgiveness and needed it extended to me. My salvation required me to see a need to be forgiven for the deep rooted sin in my life. My confession and repentance resulted in overwhelming joy that flowed from the foot of the cross of Christ. Could there be a greater sense of joy than that which comes after being truly forgiven?...

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Impact

I was visiting someone and noticed a plaque on the wall that said “Choose Joy”. It reminded me of a time when there wasn’t much joy in my life. I had lost my husband after battling cancer for a year. As you can imagine I was incredibly sad and there was nothing to be joyful about. I had been Mrs. Sam McCullough for 43 years. I would wake up in the morning and sit on the edge of my bed and wonder, “Who am I? What am I supposed to do today?”...

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Impact

As I choreographed “The Bright Side of Broken” by MercyMe, I found myself in tears. The lyrics, “Even in the darkest time, there is always hope. What we see as a broken mess, Jesus sees as a chance to be made whole,” hit so close to home. Over the past year and a half I have felt myself as that broken mess both physically and emotionally as I have walked through repeated miscarriages...

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Impact

As an almost 60-year-old I found learning this new skill quite challenging and wasn’t sure I would ever be able to ‘bring to completion’ my goal of leading our church’s Sunday School in a few songs each week. But, as with anything else, practicing regularly makes a huge difference and I am getting better.  

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Impact

Likewise, there are times in our lives when God allows situations that cause a “breaking;” although this is painful, this opens access to the Holy Spirit to work in a deeper way within our hearts.

This is all the work of the Holy Spirit as we yield and surrender our hearts wholly to Him...

 

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Impact

When I take these ‘joyful heart meds’ regularly, something amazing happens - I’m joyful! I don’t think about all the things that are on my mind trying to bother me. These things might still be there, but my joy just gives me a better perspective!  And what I don’t focus on, I don’t feel as much...

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Impact

Having grown up in the south, to say “bless your heart” could mean a couple of different things. The most well-known (and more appropriate) interpretation of this phrase is expressing sympathy, fondness or endearment. For example, a neighbor brings a pot of homemade soup over after hearing that you’ve been sick. “Oh, bless your heart! I know you’ve been under the weather, so I brought dinner.” Rather than sympathy, the lesser-known usage of this expression can be used as a precursor to an insult to soften the blow...

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