You can decorate your house to perfection, with twinkling lights, wrapped gifts, and a table full of delicious food. But none of that can make Christmas a special gathering on its own.
I can still see myself in the living room, forehead pressed against the window, watching the condensation come and go with my breath. The glass was cold against my skin, and I looked down the road for my grandparents’ lime green truck to slow down and turn into our driveway.
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Everyone is born with a thirsty soul in search of significance. We cannot rest until we discover answers to the questions: “Who am I?” and “Why?” Often, these questions leave us desiring more from life than a daily rinse-and-repeat routine. Deep within, we long for meaning that defines and establishes our worth and purpose. …
Fifteen years of ministry have proven to me that we all struggle with the belief that we are “not good enough.” It is the most common refrain we hear from our clients. That subtle lie is the mother of all shame and the source of all debilitating emotional, mental, and relational stress. Shame is the belief that there is something wrong with me. Once you believe you are not good enough, you also perpetually feel like you do not have enough time, talent, resources, money, love, or acceptance. …
Looking back, I can’t pinpoint when I stopped being a slave to fear, depreciating self-talk, self-protective mindsets, and actions generated from inner turmoil. When I started to live as a Christian at 22, I tried to find freedom from the internal storms by controlling myself, others, and everything around me. All my good intentions only increased everyone’s frustration and conflict. I sought freedom through biblical knowledge, as if healing and victory were an intellectual acquisition. …
Looking back, I can’t pinpoint when I stopped being a slave to fear, depreciating self-talk, self-protective mindsets, and actions generated from inner turmoil. When I started to live as a Christian at 22, I tried to find freedom from the internal storms by controlling myself, others, and everything around me. All my good intentions only increased everyone’s frustration and conflict. I sought freedom through biblical knowledge, as if healing and victory were an intellectual acquisition. …
Anthony contacted Life Center five years ago and asked, “What is your success rate?” He expressed his desperation, sharing that he was contemplating suicide. He sought reassurance that Life Center could offer him a different experience, as he couldn’t bear the thought of having his hopes crushed once more. Dawn, one of our wonderful receptionists, shared Luke 1:27, saying, “Nothing is impossible WITH God.” She scheduled Anthony’s first meeting for that same week. …
Envision yourself among the shepherds on that dark night. Rome occupied their homeland and much of the known world with loveless authority. The weight of Roman taxes was an oppressive burden. Hellenism, the belief that man is the sum of all things, had sadly brushed God and His love aside as irrelevant. In their place, man’s opinions and desires were exalted and even enjoyed by some spiritual leaders and countrymen. …
