Touched By the Heart
Power of Forgiveness: Seeking God for justice
When we have been hurt, it is easy to want to exact justice and get a person back. Programs such as Dateline and 20/20 and stations such as Investigation Discovery are filled with stories of revenge and payback in their murder mysteries. I know there were times, when I was so hurt, it was easy to plot revenge, but I […]
Read morePower of Forgiveness: If Christ can forgive, why can’t I
Corrie ten Boom became an inspirational speaker, following her years in a Nazi prison. She was born in the Netherlands in 1892. By the start of World War II, she was a young woman, living at home with her parents. Her family were devout Christians, who harbored hundreds of Jews over the years, considering them “God’s ancient people.” The entire […]
Read moreOpportunities are Teachable Moments
Several months ago, an opening came up at work that I would have never considered in the beginning. But, the more I thought about it I realized I had the qualifications and such a position would be a true challenge. I thought about it and listed the pros and cons in my mind. I was also honest with myself about […]
Read moreFaithful Heroes: Sadhu Sundar Singh, Spread Gospel through India
Sadhu Sundar Singh into a Sikh family in northern India on September 3, 1889. As a child, his mother took him to a holy man where he learned English and about God. But, life changed for him when he turned fourteen and his mother died. He was pitched into a world of violence and took his anger out on […]
Read moreThe True Cost of Friendship
We’ve all heard the old saying “keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” There are relationships in which I would have been saved a lot of heartache if I’d listened to that inner voice and the warning it provided. True friends stay by us no matter what we are going through. Often when we are going through a […]
Read moreSong Story: Put Your Hand in the Hand
Put Your Hand in the Hand is a catchy, upbeat tune that was written by Gene MacLellan. Anne Murray first recorded the song for her 1970 album Honey, Wheat and Laughter with Capitol Records. I’ve not been able to find the details which prompted MacLellan to write the song. Gene MacLellan was born on February 2, 1938 in Quebec, Canada. […]
Read moreSpread Love Where You Go
Power of Forgiveness: Keep Forgiving and in time it will get easier
Forgiving is not easy and does not happen overnight. I have had experiences where I was able to forgive immediately and other experiences that took me years to forgive. Working through an experience of betrayal, hurt or deception takes time and rarely happens overnight and immediately. Even when I forgave in the midst of betrayal, I still had to work […]
Read morePower of Forgiveness: Forgiving Does Not Mean Forgetting
We have been discussing forgiveness and letting go of the anger we hold when we have been injured by another. When we forgive, we are releasing the power the person and/or event has over our lives and minds. We are moving forward from the past and stepping into the future. However, just because we forgive, does not mean we have […]
Read moreEnduring Love
Working with the elderly, I often encounter couples that have been married for 50, 60, or 70+ years. The couples are as different as the individuals themselves. Some of them have grown apart and rarely spend time together. However, I’ve noticed that the majority still enjoy being together. Many enjoy just sitting together quietly, enjoying one another’s company and presence. […]
Read moreFaithful Heroes: Count Zinzendorf, father of Moravian Church
Nicolaus Zinzendorf was a major figure of the 18th Century protestantism. He was born on May 26, 1700 in Dresden, Saxony of the Holy Roman Empire {modern day Austria}. He was born to a noble family and his great-grandfather was made an Imperial Count. But, his grandfather, chose to emigrate to Franconia rather than convert to Catholocism. His father was […]
Read moreServing Others
When we are hurting, it is so easy to get caught up in our own web of pity, despair, selfishness and one track thinking. However, one of the best ways to get out of our own funk, is to reach out and help others. When we help others, we end up feeling better about ourselves and even at times […]
Read moreSong story: The Love of God
Frederick M. Lehman, the 20th Century author and composer of the hymn The Love of God, wrote a pamphlet in 1948. He wrote the following account of writing the song in his pamphlet “History of the Song, The Love of God.” “While at camp meeting in a mid-western state, some fifty years ago in our early ministry, an evangelist climaxed […]
Read moreLove Gives
Power of Forgiveness: Forgiving multiple offenses
When I was in the midst of my second abusive relationship, I began to wonder if I would ever survive. On more than one occasion, I prayed “Lord you told us to forgive seventy times seven, but I’ve forgiven that several times over. I’m not sure how much more I can forgive or take.” In the days of the Old […]
Read morePower of Forgiveness: Forgiving Others
Dawn Smith Jordan, Miss South Carolina 1986, has gone on to become a Christian speaker and artists. Part of her testimony is the story of the murder of her sister, Sheri, in 1985. The man who kidnapped Sheri, led the family to believe she was still alive for weeks, although he killed her that first day. He later killed an […]
Read moreGrace Through Perfectionism
I have a confession to make. I’m a perfectionist. I want everything to be perfect and come across as perfect. But, I am not perfect. Therefore, no matter how hard I try, I cannot make the event, piece of writing, song, speech, or service provided completely perfect. Only, with the Lord’s help can I make anything close to perfect. But, […]
Read moreFaithful Heroes: Hans Egede, Apostle of Greenland
Hans Poulsen Egede, a Dano-Norwegian Lutheran missionary, is known as the Apostle of Greenland. Hans Egede was born on January 31, 1686 to a civil servant in Harstad, Norway. His uncle was a clergyman in the Lutheran Church, who taught him and his grandfather was a vicar in southern Zealand, Denmark. In 1704, he entered the University of Copenhagen where […]
Read moreSetting Healthy Boundaries
I have a person close to me that frustrates me at times and I wonder if I’m being taken advantaged of. Sometimes it’s difficult to understand if the request are just easier for the individual or if I’m being taken advantage of. In all relationships, it is important to set healthy boundaries. This includes: Knowing what I am/am not […]
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