Articles Tagged 'Difficult'

The Blessing of Raising Teens?

Parenting teens is one of the best, hardest, most growing things I've ever done.

Melissa Troyer is back living in her crazy world with grace and reminding us that raising teenagers can be embraced as a grace from God despite being hard if it calls us to look at our brokenness and weak place.

In Everything Give Thanks... in EVERYTHING!

And there I began hunting out places of worship through tears of joy in pain.

Melissa Troyer reminds us that giving thanks -- and finding reasons to give thanks -- is a decision we make every day in all circumstances, especially when it is hard to be thankful!

Tough Times Toughen

Wow, tough times can be hard, but is there a payoff to them?

Tough times, even when they are filled with temptation can help us grow and better appreciate good times when they come.

Don't Settle for a Small Destiny

What do we let define us, call or catastrophe?

Max Lucado from his book "You'll Get Through This" encourages us to not let our disappointments define us but instead let God's destiny for us define us.

What Jesus Can't Do!

Why did Mark include it in his gospel? After all, his gospel is the shortest and most compact story of Jesus among the four gospels!

Phil Ware looks at Mark 6:1-6 and reminds us that this story is for us because we are Jesus' family, relatives, and hometown!

Raindrops and Crucibles

In every crucible, God longs for us to see Him, to trust Him, to lean in on Him.

Ron Rose is back with his coffee, friends, and insights into life, faith, crucibles, and raindrops.

ToGather: Safe! (October 2, 2022)

Much of the recent worldwide conversation has been focused on the question, 'How can we be kept safe in our world today?'

Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in an online, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to call us to trust that God will keep us safe and honor all that we have entrusted to him.

Peace in This World?

We were not created for war, fighting, and death. No wonder our souls gasp for justice and a peaceful community.

Melissa Troyer reminds us that our world is broken and full of chaos, but we can find peace in this world in Jesus.

Overcoming the Greater Pandemic: From Hopeless to Living Hope

We can't think of a more important commitment for us as believers in our uncertain times.

James Nored and Phil Ware share a message of hope in video and word and Scripture to remind us to be ready to share our living hope for those caught in life's dark winter.

In the Face of Uncertain Odds

Don't focus on the building waves or let the pitching boat convince you otherwise.

Melissa Troyer reminds us of Jesus who brings peace in the worst of storms, both the early disciples in a boat and us in our troubled world.

Desert of Trial

Because he knew the true and living God, the heart behind the Scriptures, he could recognize the forger, the fraud — Satan — who tried to distort and misuse truth and Scripture.

James Nored and Phil Ware discuss the temptations and trials of Jesus and why they are important to us and what they have to say to us as people who are part of God's story.

When Life Is Unfair!

God’s great story of redemption reminds us of three truths that we must take with us as we live in a world that always seems to tilt away from fairness.

James Nored and Phil Ware remind us of the importance of God's past stories of deliverance to help us know how to live in our times of unfairness and hold onto hope in the middle of oppression.

Not Molded by Our Circumstances!

We can change our world for the better rather than having our values eroded by our circumstances!

James Nored and Phil Ware remind us of Joseph's story and how God works in our lives to bless people if we are faithful, have character, and share compassion no matter our circumstance.

Experiencing God on Our Journey of Faith

No matter how comfortable we feel we are with God, a genuine relationship with the Almighty goes far beyond a few religious rituals, like making time for him at Christmas and Easter.

James Nored and Phil Ware challenge us to be open to God's work in our lives while we continue on our journey of faith.

Questions on Our Journey of Faith

Someone who is without faith in God doesn't yearn for answers for their deepest questions from God. Our questions as believers can be signs that we are reaching out to God for reassurance.

James Nored and Phil Ware remind us in word and video that faith is not about always having the answers and never having doubts, but persevering on the journey to Jesus.

What Jesus Can't Do!

Why did Mark include it in his gospel? After all, his gospel is the shortest and most compact story of Jesus among the four gospels!

Phil Ware looks at Mark 6:1-6 and reminds us that this story is for us because we are Jesus' family, relatives, and hometown!

Dry Pine Needles and Cold, Dusty Attics

Jesus' real-to-life circumstances, along with his dangerous predicaments caused by his divine reality, are comforting to me.

Phil Ware reminds us that as we clean up from Christmas and New Year, the mess left after the holidays should remind us of the hard times Jesus and his family faced after his birth.

Desert of Trial

Because he knew the true and living God, the heart behind the Scriptures, he could recognize the forger, the fraud.

James Nored and Phil Ware discuss the temptations and trials of Jesus and why they are important to us and what they have to say to us as people who are part of God's story.

Dear Husband, You're Worth It!

What happened last weekend felt hopeless and dark. But this weekend says it wasn’t.

Jordan Harrell captures the reality of the good times and challenging times in a marriage and what God is up to in all of it if we will keep on loving each other.

Primal Fears

Instinctive? Maybe. Pervasive? Absolutely! Primal fears have plagued humanity for as long as we have told stories and laid awake at night... afraid!

Phil Ware looks at Jesus and how he brings us victory over our worst fears as adults.

Simple Oil Changes

Why is it so hard to let our Father help us?

Max Lucado reminds us that God wants to help us through our hardest challenges.

Joys of the Feast

The difficulties of yesterday's journey will be forgotten in the joy of the feast.

Max Lucado reminds us as we finish up with Thanksgiving that the joys of the feast and the family will swallow up the memories of the journey and the wait.

Lifestyle: Connecting Others with Jesus

How we view people impacts our lifestyle

Phil Ware finishes his series on "The Andrew Effect" about connecting people with Jesus by reminding us how Jesus viewed people.

Finding Contagious Joy

How can we move from contingent joy through courageous joy to contagious joy?

Max Lucado reminds us that contagious joy is rooted in courageous joy and not contingent joy, and our courageous joy is rooted in Jesus and faith in what God did through Jesus.

No Turning Back!

We can't go back, so let's go forward with faith and determination and hope!

Phillip Morrison reminds us to focus forward and let go of the past.