Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian church and one we can pray for ourselves and our own churches is “..that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height–to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that…
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A Brush with Death: Swimming with Crocodiles
God is to us a God of deliverances; and to God the Lord belong escapes from death. Psalm 68:20 NASB I had no idea I would swim with crocodiles that day. Fresh out of college, I headed to Central America to serve in an international school. On a break, my colleagues and I flew to Tikal—a remote area in northern…
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Personalizing the Lord’s Prayer: A Pattern by Martin Luther
Timothy Keller’s book, Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God is rocking my world. In chapter 6, Keller cites Martin Luther’s suggestion that we “…pray through each petition of the Lord’s prayer, paraphrasing and personalizing each one using your own needs and concerns (p. 93).” This morning, I tried it. Here’s how it went: “Our Father who art in Heaven…” You are…
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When We Forget Who We Are
“Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” —James 1:23-24 (NIV) A couple of days ago I had an “aha” moment about this passage of scripture. I realized I had read…
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The Day I Stood Behind Anderson Cooper at Kabul International Airport
I was on my way back into Afghanistan after a break, and there he was—Anderson Cooper—at the Kabul International Airport, right in front of me: handsome, brave, and curious. My heart was aflutter. I wanted to speak to him—he would surely be interested in a small business employing women—yet I stayed silent, avoided eye contact. I had to remain incognito. Having an international…
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God Sees You Differently Than You See Yourself
Have you ever known something to be true, even had a pretty good grasp on it, but then watched helplessly as it slipped away with the slightest breeze, like a balloon from a child’s hand? That’s how I felt about my identity in Christ. I knew I shouldn’t be so fragile. I knew that being in Jesus should ground me, make me heartier,…
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