In This World You Will Have Trouble…

When will the violence end? How long, O Lord, must we wait for justice? Why did you allow this to happen?

And it has happened again. A school-related shooting, this time in Minneapolis, Minnesota. News feeds were filled with information, speculation, analysis, and commentary for days after the incident. A week later, the fury seems to have moved on, and the fate of the two murdered children, their families, and the other wounded victims of the shooter’s rampage are dwarfed by the cries of those with a political agenda. Some are raising concerns over gun control; others want to look at the effect of puberty blockers and other treatments used for those in the trans community. Everyone looking for a quick explanation and a quick solution, so that this “never happens again.”

Senseless violence, natural disasters, sudden tragic circumstances, still have the power to shock us, overwhelm us, shake our confidence, our composure, our beliefs. Most of us want to believe that we live in a predictable world, a safe and orderly world, a world that has been tamed, and groomed, and civilized. And we don’t want those beliefs shattered with the truth– life is unpredictable, filled with tragedy, evil, and danger, and it will end in death. I’m not saying this as a cynic or a pessimist– life is also wonderful, filled with love, laughter, achievement, delight, and eternally precious. But why are we so deeply disturbed to face the truth about our troubled world?

I believe it is due, in part, to the recognition that this is a fallen world. It was not made for evil and tragedy and death, but every tragedy reminds us that the whole earth groans for restoration to what it was always meant to be. The echo of Eden, and the hope of Heaven live in us, and the reality of our lost state cannot be denied when tragedy strikes. The pleasant facade of the triumph of reason and humanity cracks, and we are forced to see that evil resides next door, down the street, across town, perhaps even in our own hearts and minds.

I love the movie “The Princess Bride” (ask any of my friends–I can quote whole scenes!), but when I first saw it in the theater, there was one line that struck me like a punch in the stomach. The Dread Pirate Roberts (a.k.a. Westley) kidnaps/rescues Buttercup from her original captors, and after she tells him of the pain and desolation of losing her true love, he doesn’t comfort her by revealing that he is, indeed, her own sweet love, still alive and well. Instead, he says, “Life is pain, highness. Anyone who tells you differently is selling something.” Wha-what?! What kind of lover, when confronted by that kind of tragic outpouring, says something so callous? To quote another line from the movie, “Why don’t you give me a nice paper cut and pour lemon juice on it?” But Westley is not heartless. The line is memorable, both because it is jarring in its context, and because we recognize that it holds a truth. Anyone who tells you that this life will be free of pain and suffering IS selling something. In the movie, Humperdink is “selling” the idea that he is going to make Buttercup a princess and marry her, and they will live happily ever after; all the while planning to kill her. In today’s world, there are people trying to sell us ideas– that they “have it all figured out”; that truth and justice and morality and even a person’s worth and value are all relative; that God doesn’t exist or that he doesn’t care; that evil is a figment of our imagination, or that human institutions can create a perfect society and “save” the planet from other human activities and institutions.

Jesus tells us in John 16:33 that in this world, we will have trials, trouble, tribulation, and/or suffering (depending on which version you read). Not because God doesn’t care; not because he is incapable of stopping tragedies, but because we (humankind) have turned away from God, and the consequence of our rebellion is tragedy and death. He doesn’t tell us this because he is callous or insensitive or cynical. In fact, in the next phrase, he tells us to take heart, and to be of good cheer, for he has overcome the world. HE has overcome the world, and in doing so, he has given us hope, and peace, and strength– not to avoid or deny tragedy, but to overcome it, and to triumph over it.

How does this relate to the pursuit of prayer? Prayer is not a magic panacea in times of trouble– it isn’t a chocolate-coated miracle pill. Prayer (and sharing thoughts and prayers with those who are suffering) doesn’t make the suffering disappear– it doesn’t lessen the horror or the evil of an event, and it doesn’t guarantee that future hate, violence, injustice, or tragedy will disappear or even diminish. But prayer reminds us that evil will not always triumph; that it need not overwhelm us, paralyze us, or defeat us. I believe it can bring us from being “mostly dead” in despair, fruitless rage, divisive finger-pointing and fault-finding, “inconceivable” arguments, vengeful fantasies, and conceited self-indulgence, back to abundant life in Christ, and renewed courage to do what is kind and loving, even in the face of evil. Prayer should also restore our focus on what is good, and noble, and true, so that we can be equipped to fight for what is right, instead of just ranting against what is wrong.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.– Philippians 4:8

I pray, in the wake of this newest tragedy, that God would show me where I am wrong in my thoughts and actions toward Him and toward others; that he would surround those who are suffering pain and loss, giving them comfort, strength and renewed purpose in the days ahead; that he would lead us to have the tough conversations, and take the right steps to bring renewal, restoration, hope, and healing to our communities and our land; and finally, that we would listen to, and acknowledge the truth, and take heart as we focus on the One who has overcome the world.

September 10, 2025 0

Not Enough Prayer..

There is a dangerous idea that sometimes appears in Christian circles. If we are struggling with circumstances, someone, usually with good intentions, will ask us if we have prayed. Then they may suggest that we haven’t prayed “enough” or that maybe we haven’t prayed the “right” way.

We want to see results– immediate, dramatic, positive results. It’s what we expect from everything else in life; from the drive-thru fast food place, the vacation resort, weight loss program, graduation, manicure, even marriage. When results are not evident, or slow in coming, we think we can and must do something to speed up the process. We begin looking around for what else we can try– what else we “should have” done– to get the results we want. We even say to ourselves that God wants more from us before he will provide blessing or healing or a breakthrough.

But that’s not always the case. God makes everything good–IN HIS TIME. He has the power to bring about immediate change, but he frequently chooses to walk with us through the times of stress and shadows, when we can’t see the end from the beginning, and we are tempted to turn back or doubt. He doesn’t do this because he enjoys seeing us go through struggles, but because he knows that we learn to lean on him, to trust him, and to find our strength in him by traveling the narrow road.

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Our prayers need to focus on God’s love and faithfulness. He knows our need, sees our situation, and hears our prayers. Our job is to know His word, look for his hand in our situation, and listen for his counsel as we trust him. We should not grow weary of praying or give up in our efforts. But neither should we doubt God’s wisdom or try to manipulate his timing with empty gestures or endless repetition.

Sometimes, we may find that God changes our desires, or opens our eyes to habits we need to change or worries we need to give over to him. Hear out those well-meaning folks–some of them may carry God’s wisdom. But in the end, our prayers– our life’s struggles and triumphs– are in God’s hands, not theirs. It’s not the quantity or the quality of your prayer that makes the difference. It’s the perfect love and timing of God.

Remember that even Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane– he prayed with so much intensity that he sweat blood drops. He prayed more than once that God might let the burden of death and separation pass from him. It wasn’t that Jesus didn’t pray “enough”, or that his prayers weren’t valid. It wasn’t that God didn’t listen or care about his own son. But God sent the assurance that Jesus needed to end his prayers with “Thy will be done.” So it should be with our prayers.

August 22, 2025 0

Green Eggs and Prayer?

Have you ever read the Dr. Seuss classic, “Green Eggs and Ham”? In this early childhood reader, the narrator (nameless) is accosted by an enthusiastic character named Sam (Sam I Am), who wants him to try a dish called green eggs and ham. But the narrator refuses. Sam keeps offering, but the narrator continues to refuse, saying he does not like green eggs and ham, and will not try them under a variety of circumstances (in a box, with a fox, on a train, in the rain, etc..) offered by the optimistic Sam.

Finally, Sam’s persistence wears down the narrator’s resistance, and he agrees to try the dish. To his surprise, he LOVES them. In his newfound enthusiasm, he declares he WILL eat them in a box, with a fox, in a tree, in a boat, with a goat, on a train, in the rain, here or there…in fact, he WILL eat them anywhere! He ends by thanking Sam.

So what does a children’s book have to do with prayer?

Well, I believe that the pursuit of prayer as an integral part of living a Christ-like lifestyle is kind of like green eggs and ham. Most people who dismiss the power of prayer have never really pursued it. They have seen it, heard about it– maybe even gotten a whiff of it. They may have “sampled” prayer many years ago as a child or in a single moment of desperation. And the result was disappointment or confusion. Prayer didn’t solve all their problems in an instant. They didn’t get the miracle they hoped for. They didn’t get the bike for Christmas. Their neighbor’s leukemia wasn’t cured. Their situation at work got even worse. Their wife still left and filed for divorce. “Prayer” left a bad taste in their mouth. And they have heard others dismiss prayer and faith as obsolete, ignorant practices, designed for backward and unenlightened people. Like the slightly nauseating color of green eggs and ham, prayer has been deemed unappetizing and best avoided.

And now, when someone mentions a lifestyle of prayer– when someone talks about praying as a daily habit, or a natural part of their worship–the reaction is scorn and suspicion. Prayer doesn’t look powerful. It doesn’t look appetizing. How can something so simple and tame have any effect? Why is the world still suffering so much injustice and evil if there are people out there praying every day? And why do Christians (and others with a prayer tradition) cling to prayer as though it will solve life’s problems?

But prayer, like eggs, can have a bad reputation. For years, we were told that eggs were awful for you– high in protein, yes, but also high in cholesterol, and likely to contribute to diabetes and colon cancer. Recent studies contradict each other, but many now say that eggs are actually good for you. Similarly, during times of crises or disasters, prayer is often derided as inactive and ineffective, and we get mixed messages about people who offer to pray for victims and their families.

Recently, I was challenged about my pursuit of prayer. What good does my prayer do in the face of injustice and disease, death and suffering that people experience? Why do I pray to a God that allows bad things to happen? I have been challenged before, and my answer remains the same. I pray because I have known the peace that comes from trusting God’s wisdom, HIS timing, and His Love for each of us. I don’t have answers for all the “what-ifs” or the “whys.” But I continue to trust that God DOES! And daily prayer is not about “me,” or my questions or what I wish for. It’s about communing with the God who has been faithful all my life and continues to be faithful in every season. The God I love, and the God who knows the end from the beginning.

So what if more of us prayed daily– not just as a reaction to disasters– but pro-actively? What if we prayed, not in anger or bitterness, not transactionally, expecting a particular outcome, but with gratitude for who God is, what He has already done, and what He will choose to do in His loving sovereignty? What if we prayed with open minds and hearts, trusting that we are talking to a God who loves us and knows what is best, not just in the temporary, but in the eternal scope of our lives? We would still see evil in this fallen world, but what if our prayers DO make a difference– we just don’t see the whole scope of what God has provided, or the evil He has NOT allowed to touch us?

I speak as one who has pursued prayer for more than half a century. I’m not perfect. Sometimes, I get frustrated when my desires don’t align with God’s answers. But that’s not the fault of Prayer. Prayer DOES change things– maybe not instantly, and maybe not in the ways I imagine in the short term– but I have seen and experienced the power of prayer. I have felt it in my own life, and I have seen in in studying history and talking to people whose lives were radically transformed by their prayers and the prayers of others.

Philippians 4: 6 says: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” After this, Paul promises in verses 7 and 8 “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” (taken from the King James Bible online).

In every situation, we can pray. So, to paraphrase Sam I Am, I WILL pray here and there! I will pray most anywhere (except I won’t close my eyes if I am driving!) So to end:

“I’ll be praying in a boat,
I could be praying with a goat.
I may be praying in the rain.
Or in the dark. Or on a train.

And in a car (eyes open of course). And in a tree.
Because Prayer, it is so good, you see!

So I would still pray in a box.
And I would still pray with a fox.
I will pray inside my house.
And I will pray beside a mouse.

And I will write “Pursuing Prayer”
Because I serve a Lord who Cares!

What if we all had the same enthusiasm for prayer as Sam had about Green Eggs and Ham? What if we keep praying “without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and with confidence (1 John 5:14-15) each day?

“Try it! Try it!”

You’ll be so glad you did.

August 18, 2025 0

Praying to Win

Have you ever watched a sporting event–a real nail-biter–and prayed for your team to win? Do you wonder if God is concerned about Little League or High School Basketball, or which team wins the Superbowl? And what about the parents and coaches on both teams praying to him–one side has to “lose”–how does God answer such prayers? DOES he answer such prayers?

While the Bible doesn’t give us a specific answer, I think there are some general principles that apply. When teams prepare for a big game, they may talk about their desire to win, they may study their opponents, assess their own strengths and weaknesses, and give themselves pep-talks about winning, but they don’t practice winning– they practice playing their best, improving those areas where they are weakest, and working to bring their best on game day. They don’t pray to win by default or by bad sportsmanship.

The apostle Paul uses athletic analogies for the Christian life– he talks about running the good race, fighting the good fight, and working to be worthy of the prize. But he doesn’t direct Christians to pray that God gives us a victory. Instead, he points out that the greatest victory– that over sin and death– has already been won! We don’t fight the battles wondering if our victory or loss will turn the tide of the war. We fight in the hope of strengthening our fellow warriors and bringing our victorious Savior more glory and honor.

This holds true in other areas as well. In politics, we fight to win, but not in desperation or despair, knowing that if we lose this battle, God is not defeated or even surprised by the outcome. Even in situations of corruption, despotism, and chaos, God can raise up leaders, topple evil powers, and bring renewal and revival. In war, we fight to win, we fight to defend what we know to be right; but even if we lose the battles, we don’t lose faith.

God doesn’t always give us “wins.” He doesn’t guarantee that we will never face setbacks or disappointments. In fact, sometimes we need to “lose.” We need to lose our selfish ambition, our pride, our drive to compare ourselves with others, our envy and greed, and our failure to submit to God’s best plan.

We pray for victory, but more than victory at any cost, we pray for God’s will to be victorious– for his strength to be shown even in and through our own weakness. We pray for victory on God’s terms– which may mean a painful loss today, and grieving for the night, but joy that comes in the morning. Great teams, great nations, great leaders– are not forged in continuous expectation of easy victory. Sometimes we learn more and become greater by learning from our failures.

Let’s not just pray to win– let’s pray to be more than conquerors (Romans 8:37)!

August 1, 2025 0

The Road to Hell…

I started down the boulevard,
Freshly paved, smooth and gleaming,
Its lanes clearly marked and a gentle rise
Toward a glorious horizon.

New construction sites caught my eye;
Here was progress– here was the future!
I drove on, excited in my new course,
Dreaming of destiny and fulfillment.

view of city street — Photo by IKRAM shaari on Pexels.com

Gradually, the scenery changed.
Construction gave way to abandoned projects:
Half-finished high-rises, silent storefronts,
Driveways leading nowhere, weedy parking lots.

Now the road, so smooth at the beginning,
Twisted and turned without purpose.
Gravel and broken pavement lined with
Abandoned cars and broken glass.

white and black house painting — Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Frightening thoughts intruded–
I had seen no open stores, no gas stations,
No houses, or other cars for miles. I was alone.
There were no crossroads; no places to turn around.

The road that had begun with so much promise
Was now a rutted path going nowhere.

photography of railway — Photo by MESSALA CIULLA on Pexels.com

I woke up in a cold sweat– it had been a dream.
More– it had been a warning.

I had “good intentions” for my journey.
But the easy road, the appearance of future success
Had lured me away from the path marked with suffering
And paved with ancient truths.

I had packed no maps, ignored the GPS, and trusted to “instinct”
To lead me, not to a fixed destination, but to “discovery.”

I drifted back to sleep, and dreamed that I was back at the beginning.
Roads branched out all around me.
The gleaming new boulevard no longer held any appeal.
But now I studied the other roads.

aerial photo of buildings and roads — Photo by Aleksejs Bergmanis on Pexels.com

There were so many; roads leading to “enlightenment”;
Roads offering “fame” and “immortality”;
Narrow paths promising “mysticism”;
Superhighways advertising “happiness.”

Off to the right, there was a tiny filling station–
The old fashioned kind, with a service man.
He offered to fill my tank, but then he said,
“They all end up in the same place, you know.”

abandoned business classic dirty — Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

I looked up into his eyes–eyes that held in them
The wisdom of the ages and boundless love.
“Enter in at the narrow gate…”
“I am the way, the truth, and the life…”
“This is the way, walk ye in it…”

He turned and walked through the back door
And I followed him down a sunlit path,
Up a small rise, and into glory.

landscape photo of pathway between green leaf trees — Photo by Skitterphoto on Pexels.com

July 30, 2025 0

Why Do I Pray?

I pray every day. But why? There are short, glib answers– “Prayer works,” or “The Bible tells me to.” Or I could say that it’s just a “good” habit, or that it “does something” for me. But prayer is more complex than that. I can give a lot of generic reasons for someone to pray. I can list (and have listed) many benefits of regular prayer. But what are my personal reasons for praying?

Prayer does “do something” for me– lots of somethings. Not every time; not always in the same measure, but prayer can:

Put me in a better mindset; it changes my focus and my attitude. When I pray, the world around me shrinks, along with all the worries and distractions it presents. Instead, I begin to focus on “God” things– the metaphysical reality that I am not the center of the universe, and my limited understanding is not enough to navigate life in its fullest sense. Jesus offers “abundant life” (See John 10:10)– life to the full. And prayer ignites that, taps into that, and lifts me from futility and confusion to meet with One who sees the end from the beginning.

“Recharge my batteries.” Prayer, meditation, “quiet time”– they are all similar, and they all have a physical benefit. Spending time in prayer can lower blood pressure, promote clearer thinking, and increase a person’s ability to withstand stress. Prayer can improve mood, but it can also improve the body’s ability to fight off depression, infection, and other stress-related issues. This is very personal for me, because I have struggled with stress and depression at various times in my life, and prayer can calm me, help me to change negative thought patterns, and endure hardship better than anything else. (Please note this does not mean that I don’t also need to do other things– proper diet, plenty of sleep, hydration are all necessary. Some people may require medication– prayer is not a substitute for good health advice, rather it is an integral part of being physically and spiritually healthy.)

Deepen my faith. God doesn’t always give immediate and clear answers to my prayers. In fact, it may feel sometimes as though He has forgotten me. So why continue to pray? Because God DOES answer prayer. Often, He answers in surprising and unexpected ways. Sometimes His answers come so slowly, so subtly, that I might miss them– if I weren’t keeping track. This is one of the great benefits of keeping a prayer journal or diary…I will often see an old entry, one that I had given up on or forgotten, and realize that God answered it weeks ago without any startling revelation or dramatic rescue. If I only pray when I expect God to do the impossible immediately, I may miss the development of something even more amazing that I imagined!

Become a vital part of my discipleship. Being a disciple literally involves discipline…I can’t say that I follow Christ part-time. Ignoring daily habits, like prayer and Bible study; failing to make time for fellowship with others; depending on my feelings instead of God’s Truth to guide my life– is hypocritical. Also, prayer should open my heart and mind to others who need to BE discipled. And this leads me to another benefit…Prayer can
Help me develop empathy for others. As I pray for others, I learn more about the struggles they face; I learn about their deeper needs. For instance, I may begin praying for someone with a chronic illness to be healed. And that is good. But as I pray for them daily, I learn that along with healing, they desire help with everyday chores that they can no longer do, or they need support and encouragement. Maybe they need rides to doctor appointments and tests. If I am praying for someone struggling with past mistakes or addictions, I learn to see with eyes of compassion and encouragement, rather than judgment and self-righteousness. It’s not just about praying for the “big” needs but learning to pray for (and find ways to help with!) intermediate needs as well. Finally, prayer can…

Remind me that I am never alone! I don’t pray to a brick wall, nor do I pray in a vacuum. I LOVE meeting with our local prayer group every week. I love hearing the others pray. I love being reminded that God listens to my prayers– The Father listens; The Son is my intercessor; The Spirit translates even my groans and mumbles–God delights in hearing from me! (See Zechariah 3:17; Hebrews 13:5; others)

So, Yes, I would say that “Prayer works.” But not in the sense that I can show that God has answered my requests exactly how or when I wanted. There are prayers I have prayed for most of my life that have not been answered “my way” yet. Reckoning with hurtful words and deeds from my past; family members who still haven’t accepted Christ; friends who are still facing the consequences of sinful life choices; situations and circumstances that I would like to see changed. And I don’t have any jaw-dropping evidence that my prayers can cure cancer or end world hunger or make my life problem-free. Quite the opposite. But I DO have evidence that Prayer has made a difference in my life; that I HAVE seen lives changed in ways that are impossible to explain away; that prayer is worth pursuing.

And that is why I pray.

July 18, 2025 0

Jesus’s Prayer List

Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun.So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:
They kill us in cold blood because they hate you.
We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.
None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us. (Romans 8:26-38– The Message. Emphases added)

I keep a Prayer Journal– (for more info, click here: Prayer Journal). In my prayer journal, I have lists of names– people I pray for on their birthday or anniversary; people I pray for on the anniversary of a loved ones’ death; people who are hurting or in need at a particular time– and some days, the list seems very long. Sometimes the names on my lists are people I know well, but other names are there because I knew them well in the past, or because they are important to people I know well, but I don’t really know them personally. Often, I don’t really know how best to pray for an individual on my list. But imagine if Jesus were to keep a written prayer journal! He doesn’t just pray for people on special occasions or even in their time of trial– He prays continually for all who are His! And He knows each one intimately– He knows our every need better than we do!

You and I (if we are followers of Christ) are CONTINUALLY on His mind, and CONTINUALLY in His prayers! In fact, His Spirit even inhabits our groans and fumbled or aborted prayers. There is not a moment or a set of circumstances in which Jesus has turned His back on us or been distracted by something else. He is our Eternal Advocate, our Ever-Present Help, and our Heavenly prayer-warrior!

What a comfort to know that I don’t have to know exactly how or what to pray in order to lift up my heart-cry to God. My words may be muddled, my mind distracted by fleeting worries or doubts, but if I have placed my trust in Christ, I will never pray in vain. I may not be able to understand how or why or when God will work; I may not understand how my prayers fit into God’s overall plans. But I can pray with confidence that comes from knowing that God is Good, and Christ is my liaison with all that is Sovereign and Good. I cannot be separated from any of that by my own inadequacies or my lack of understanding. I cannot be kept apart from God by any personal failings or any forces working against me. And my fumbling prayers cannot be intercepted or twisted or negated by the enemy.

Your name is on Jesus’s prayer “list”; you are in His constant prayers before the Father. And each of your prayers is personally siphoned through the Holy Spirit and the Son to be presented– perfected– to the Father! What a captivating and encouraging thought! What an Amazing God we serve!

July 16, 2025 0

That Voice in Your Head

Most days, I post about Pursuing Prayer from the “praying” end…how do I pray, what attitude do I have about praying, why do I pray, etc.

Today, I want to explore the “responding” end…how do I know when God is answering my prayer, or what he’s asking me to do in response to his will? While I don’t have a complete answer, I do want to share some wisdom– some from experience and some from Biblical principles and others’ testimony.

Isaiah 55:8-9 English Standard Version (ESV)

⁸For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
⁹For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform. He plants his footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the storm. William Cowper

It often surprises people to learn that “God works in mysterious ways” is not actually in the Bible. God’s ways are NOT our ways, and his thoughts are not our thoughts, but his answers to prayer are not always obscure and unknowable. God does not delight in vexing us and making us guess and second-guess his will. It would be easy if God always answered our prayers with a flashing neon sign that gave a simple, one-sentence directive– “Take two aspirin and call me in the morning.” “Click your heels together and say, ‘There’s no place like home.'” “Hakuna Matata.” But pithy platitudes and easy answers are not God’s way, either. God created each of us as a unique reflection of his divine image– his answers will be uniquely designed to fulfill his will and meet our deepest needs, not always in ways we expect or understand.

So how do we discern God’s will when there is no neon sign or simple answer to our prayers? Here are a few guiding principles:

God will NEVER answer your prayer by contradicting himself or compromising his holiness.
- God will not answer your prayer for money by giving you an opportunity to cheat or steal. He will not answer your prayer for a husband by throwing you into the arms of someone else’s.
- Just because God doesn’t send a lightning bolt or physically stop you from doing something doesn’t mean that he has given his OK. If he ALLOWS you to sin, that doesn’t mean that he APPROVES of your sin or that it is his answer to your prayer.
- God will never ask you to do harm to yourself or others as an answer to your prayer. Vengeance, sacrifice, atonement, and retribution are the province of God alone. I believe that God asks us to be vigilant in defense, and allows us to take up arms in defense, but to initiate a feud, to seek personal vengeance, or to act out vigilante justice is to flout both God’s authority and the authority of the powers God has set in place over us.
God MAY use circumstances or people to answer your prayer. But the same principle above applies– circumstances that lead to sinful actions are NOT God’s answer to your prayer; people who advise you to do what you know is contrary to God’s holiness are not sent from God– no matter how appealing the prospect, no matter how powerful the person or persons. That being said, God may choose to use the most unlikely of persons or events to bring about a resolution to your need–LET HIM! Don’t judge a gift by the size, the shape, or the wrapping paper!

God may use time to answer your prayer. I prayed for a husband from the time I was a young girl– I married at age 46. Waiting doesn’t mean that God has forgotten about you; it doesn’t mean that you aren’t worthy of an answer or ready for an answer– sometimes your answer isn’t ready for you! There are two caveats I want to share from my own experience of waiting for an answer:
- Don’t give up! God knows the desires of your heart– but keep praying anyway. Well-meaning people will say awful, hurtful things– that you aren’t praying enough, or praying the “right” way; that you must be hiding un-confessed sin; that you need to try some other way to get what you want, or to hurry God along. In my case, I had people trying to fix me up, suggest dating services, remind me that my “clock” was ticking (it was broken, but they didn’t know that), or suggest that it just wasn’t God’s will that I marry, and I should pray for him to take away the desire for a husband. Listen to folks like this (if you must) with half an ear and less than 10% of your heart– let them cause you to re-examine your heart and your desires, but don’t let them cause you to give up or doubt God. That was not their intention, but it can often be the result of their ill-considered words.
- Do the next right thing. Doing nothing while you wait for the perfect answer gets you nowhere. Wringing your hands and pacing gets you nowhere. God wants our trust and our obedience. As we wait for more specific direction, we need to trust that doing the next right thing IS the RIGHT thing to do. This was the hardest lesson for me, but the one I most needed to learn. So while I waited, I moved ahead step-by-step. I made a lot of friends, gained a lot of experiences, and learned about marriage by watching the examples of others (both good and bad). I got involved working with children, first as a secondary teacher, and then as a librarian. I got to spend nearly thirty years of my working life surrounded by young people. I got to laugh with them, love on them, mentor them, dream with them, discipline them, and cry over them (and send them home). I didn’t just “settle for” a single lifestyle– I learned to embrace it. I learned to be grateful for the wonderful opportunities I had as a single woman, and to anticipate the changes that marriage would bring, should it come along. I learned that marriage should be a means to an end, not the end itself– that marriage done right is not about my growth and fulfillment; not even about his growth and fulfillment; but about OUR growth together and toward Godliness.
Trust “that voice in your head”– (not the one that speaks out loud and gets you strange looks!) –but your God-given conscience, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. “That still, small voice” is often the most personal way God speaks to us. In my own life, it was taking the risk to leave a career I loved (teaching) to reach for a deeper dependence on God. I left the security of my teaching position for three part-time jobs (at one point), no health insurance, and a move to a new community where I knew virtually no one. I had other choices, other more appealing options, chances to reconsider. I wasn’t being pushed out of teaching–in fact, I left just as my options at the school were opening up for bigger and better things. Yet I felt compelled to leave. I had no safety net waiting– I ended up in libraries, but that wasn’t my original plan. There were many people counseling me to reconsider– and their reasons were compelling. But as I stood firm, other voices came along to encourage me. I believe they were sent by God to confirm that this risk was from him and for my good.
Don’t trust “that voice in your head”–No, I’m not trying to confuse you or contradict what I just said. But this is another caveat (see above). We are told to “test the spirits”, and sometimes, that voice in your head is NOT the Holy Spirit. In the case I mentioned above, I had to follow all the other principles of discerning God’s will. In my case, leaving teaching did not violate God’s holiness or come about because I wasn’t willing to follow God’s leading–I wasn’t leaving teaching to try my hand at a get-rich-quick scheme, or because I had lost my desire to work with students, or had lost faith in God’s sovereignty in my life. God DID use circumstances and people to confirm my decision and help me grow through the experiences that followed. God used time to help me transition from schools to libraries, and prepare me for other opportunities, including short-term missions trips and marriage. I can’t even begin to list all the ways I tested and examined what I felt God was leading me to do before I made the leap. That much testing may not always be necessary, but we need to be careful not to rely on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6), but to Trust in the Lord with all our hearts. He WILL direct our paths when we do that.

Finally, Pray for it– pray for discernment, for wisdom, for strength to do the right thing! Won’t God DO IT!

July 11, 2025 0

The “Fake” Good News

I keep hearing about, and seeing reports of “Fake” News. Even the term “Fake” News is somewhat misleading–is it news? Is it False News? Is it “fake” because it never happened, or because it has been exaggerated or taken out of context? Or because it doesn’t say what I want it to say? How do I know what is “real” news anymore?

The biggest problem with “Fake” news is that it “feels” real, true, and important. In reality, it may be none of those things. Yet there if often a kernel of fact, or a dusting of truth that makes it hard to disprove or dispel. And, if it had already been accepted as legitimate news by thousands, it’s even harder to stop it from being spread.

But the more insidious problem with “fake” news is the time wasted trying to sort truth from fiction, and plain fact from exaggeration and distortion. If my friend sends me an article, or a video, or a photo, I may accept it as true on the strength of my friendship. But what if they’re just passing it on from another source? What if I see it from a recognized news source? Do I dare question it? And if so, where do I turn to verify it? There are several fact-checking websites, but even they have biases that cause them to weigh facts differently in various situations. Whatever assumptions we used to hold about “neutral” reporting have been proved wrong. We are being conditioned to trust none of what we hear and less than half of what we see!

What about the “Good” News that Christians carry into the world? Is it like the “Fake” news we see on TV or read about on our tablets? And if someone challenges our faith in God’s word, how can we prove that the Gospel is not “Fake”, and that our Faith is not just more hype with smoke and mirrors? If we are pursuing prayer, shouldn’t we be confident that our prayers are not in vain and that our faith is sound?

The claim of “Fake” news makes an assumption that there is such a thing as “True” news. Similarly, saying the Gospel is “Fake” assumes that there is an alternate truth. But the real burden of proof is on those who want to push for the alternative. The truths of the Bible have been time-tested, and shown to be real. The challenges I hear most often are to the exceptions, not the rule. I don’t hear anyone saying that “Thou shalt not steal” is a “fake” morality. Instead, I hear that, “Christianity is fake because I know Christians who cheat and steal.” I don’t hear people claim that “it is not morally wrong to kill.” Instead I hear them justify exceptions. “I’m not promoting abortion as a good thing. I don’t think it’s right to kill another human being, but this is just a fetus, and anyway, I’m just protecting a woman’s right to her own body.” “I don’t think it’s ethical to force someone to stay alive if they are in pain and they want to die.” “You can’t go around just killing anybody, but I think it would be better for everyone else if ___________________ (insert the name of a group– Down’s Syndrome children, Jews, Sunnis, Hutu/Tutsi) didn’t exist.” “I don’t believe the morals found in the Bible are wrong. I just don’t think you need to believe the rest of it to “be moral.”

People point to single passages, single verses, even single words to “prove” that the Bible is racist, sexist, intolerant, and promotes violence. The Bible includes many examples of people NOT following God’s laws, and yes, the results are grisly. And there are difficult passages when God calls for a wicked city to be destroyed completely. Critics are not wrong to point out that the Bible is not about perfect people behaving perfectly. And the same Loving God who frees the slaves from Egypt is the God who destroys Jericho, and Sodom and Gomorrah. Taken out of context, these few examples may seem to cast doubt on the authority of God’s word. Yet the same critics who pound away at the same few examples in the Bible discount hundreds of instances of historical events that highlight human sacrifice, genocide, mass infanticide, slavery, torture, and all sorts of other evil that occurred without the Bible’s influence. Moreover, I hear a lot about claims against “Christians” who fought in the Crusades or owned slaves–I hear a lot less about Christians who worked to end slavery and the slave trade, or Christians who founded universities, charitable institutions, or brought revivals that sparked decades of social progress throughout countries and continents.

I don’t hear many people claim that there was no such person as Abraham, or King David, or Solomon, or Nebuchadnezzar, or Pontius Pilate or Caesar Augustus. But they want to deny the historical reality of Adam and Eve, Jesus of Nazareth, and the Apostle Paul, who are found in the same Bible. Why? Because if Adam and Eve are real, there must be a creation and a creator. If Jesus really lived and said the things that are attributed to him, we must deal with the claim that he was Messiah. If the Apostle Paul really lived and wrote his letters to the churches of Asia Minor, we must deal with his claim that he encountered the risen Christ and his life was dramatically and eternally changed.

However, there is a “Fake” gospel– Good news that doesn’t match the Biblical account–a “Fake” Christ that only said or did or “would do” what we want him to say or do; a Christ that isn’t holy or righteous, but just loves us because it’s the “zen” thing to do; a Christ who is without power to save or to sanctify; a Christ who is without mercy and loves only those who look the part or say the right things. How do you spot a “Fake” Christ and a “Fake” Gospel? Get to know the real ones of the Bible. You’ll soon be able to spot an “imposter.”

“Fake” News will always fail the test of time and the challenges of real evidence. Good News will transcend the test of time and the challenges of faulty evidence.

Christ Has Died, Christ Is Risen, Christ Will Come Again! THAT’s the Good News!

June 30, 2025 0

“Praying Favorites”

We all have lists of “favorites”– favorite color, favorite foods, favorite songs, favorite bands, favorite movies, favorite books…the list goes on and on. And we all have our comfort zones– preferences, habits, traditions, routines– that impact the way we go through our daily lives. There is nothing inherently wrong with having favorite things or preferences. But we can let such things become idols or obsessions that get in the way of prayer and worship.

We all know someone who has a “pet peeve”–it comes up in every conversation, overshadows more important issues, and becomes a defining characteristic of that person. “Grammar Nazi”, “Clean Freak”, “Political Junkie”, that person who always spoils the new movie by giving you their critique; the person who can spot a piece of lint on your sweater from across the room; the person at the restaurant who is never satisfied…

We probably also know someone who “plays favorites”– they show favoritism in their families, in the workplace, and in other situations, to the detriment of others. They are unjust in their treatment; giving very unequal amounts of attention, time, energy, and love to those around them. This world plays favorites– we have celebrities, rock stars, corporate bigwigs, power brokers, tyrants, and billionaires, while countless millions remain nameless, forgotten, and oppressed.

God doesn’t “play favorites.” He chooses to bless both the just and the unjust; he offers the same salvation and mercy to rich and poor, foolish and wise, famous and forgotten, sanctimonious and scandalous; to any who will receive him. We must remember this in our prayers. God wants to hear our heart-cry; he wants all of it– our favorite praises, our naked confessions, our pet peeves, and our deepest needs. He does not bless us based on who we are, or how urgent our request may be to us–remember, he knows what is on our mind before we do! AND, he already knows our deepest needs, and which seemingly unimportant moments will have the greatest impact in our lives, and in our world.

One of the benefits I have found in keeping a prayer journal is reading back requests and needs I have raised–for two reasons. First, I am amazed and encouraged to see all the ways God has answered prayer over the months and years as I look back. I am reminded, humbled, astonished, and grateful–I receive fresh inspiration to worship, evidence to trust, and encouragement to hope.

Second, I am watching to see if I am “praying favorites”–spending more time listing and praying for “rock star” requests (miraculous healing, “prayer chain” prayers from the internet for people I don’t know, selfish prayers, praying for people based on their “importance”, etc.) than for the “other things” (my friend who wants prayer because she’s having a bad day, that friend who wants me to pray that his mother’s car will start after a cold and snowy weekend, confessing that “little” sin, praying for my annoying neighbor who just lost her cat, etc. ), There’s nothing wrong with praying for the former, unless those prayers are squeezing out other needs and getting in the way of being wholly open before God and seeking His heart and others’ needs above my own preferences.

June 23, 2025 0

Tag: Prayer