Esther showed great love for her people and for her uncle Mordecai, but she also showed that she had a great deal of courage in her heart. Ask the children to think about times when they have needed to show love to others or needed to be brave so they could help others.
Formations 10.09.2022: From the Heart
October 2, 2022 by
Years ago, I attended a workshop on worship renewal led by Robert Webber, who was one of the top names in that field in the 1990s and early 2000s.
With All Your Heart
June 15, 2022 by
Good counselors ask good questions. The counselor who helped me work through my season of depression once asked me a question that revealed a source of my pain and a path I needed to take toward healing. She asked, “Who knows your whole story?”
Formations 12.05.2021: The Lord Looks on the Heart
November 28, 2021 by
What is God doing here? God has sent the prophet Samuel to anoint the new king of Israel. The king will be a son of Jesse from Bethlehem. When Samuel sees Jesse’s son Eliab, he’s ready to call off the search.
Crossroads: Don’t Lose Heart
June 14, 2021 by
We all have bad days sometimes. Maybe we forget to do something important like studying for a test or doing homework, we drop things, we step in giant puddles, we are late for an important event, and on and on.
Formations 08.09.2020: The Gift of a Cheerful Heart
August 2, 2020 by
As a young mother at church when my girls were small, I would watch the older women, hoping for some insight and wisdom. Some days I just needed assurance that my kids would get through early childhood and still leave me a little sanity.
David, a Warrior after God’s Own Heart: Community
June 12, 2018 by
We see many of the needs of our returning service members and their families by also looking at Psalm 69 and the life of David, a warrior himself. This week, for our final devotion in this series, I want to focus on verses 12-13.
David, a Warrior after God’s Own Heart: Guilt
June 6, 2018 by
We’ve been focusing on some of the struggles that veterans face after coming home from war and how we might help them. But we’re looking at those needs through a unique perspective: the eyes of biblical hero King David, who was also a warrior for most of his life.
Connections 06.10.2018: Keeping Heart
June 3, 2018 by
When Paul says that he and his missionary companions “do not lose heart” (4:16), he means they aren’t overcome with despair. I don’t think he means they never get discouraged.
David, a Warrior after God’s Own Heart: Enemies and Family
May 30, 2018 by
Pretty much all of us here have enemies, but I doubt any of us have the kind of enemies that David had. David had been facing enemies since he fought Goliath as a young man. His own mentor Saul repeatedly tried to kill him. The Philistines tried to kill him. In fact, while king, all the surrounding nations were trying to kill him and destroy Israel.
David, a Warrior after God’s Own Heart: Depressed?
May 23, 2018 by
David is in a bad place. He has been sinking in the miry depths, the floodwaters are rising over his head, and he can no longer get a foothold. He’s in trouble so he is calling out to God for help. In fact he has already been calling out to God. He says he’s been calling for God’s help so much that his throat is parched.
Connections 08.21.2016: Places in our Hearts
August 14, 2016 by
Robert Benton’s 1984 film Places in the Heart takes place in 1935 Waxahachie, Texas. Royce and Edna Spalding own a cotton farm. Royce is also the local sheriff.
Connections 08.14.2016: The Hardened Heart
August 7, 2016 by
If I asked you what verse in today’s passage is most confusing, which one would you choose? Paul’s writing, like the writing of many great theologians, can be just as bewildering as it is inspiring.
Connections 05.08.2016: The Struggle for a Grateful Heart
May 1, 2016 by
Bold, shocking, and even offensive to some, Anne Lamott writes about the rawness of the spiritual journey—especially for a person who has lost much, made big mistakes, and still managed to find God in the process.