Posts with the tag “joy”

“Hallelujah” is an exclamation of worship or a call to praise. It comes from a Hebrew phrase that means “Praise the Lord.” It’s a joyful expression of praise and thanksgiving to God. Honestly, a Hallelujah should be on our lips every day for all the Lord has done and is doing for us. But sometimes it’s hard to find your Hallelujah or even remember you had it.Have you ever gotten up in the morning ...  Read More

Sometimes, it is best to let Scripture alone speak. We don’t need to add words or interpretation. Today, let’s let the Word speak to our hearts about the beauty of the resurrection of Jesus as seen through the eyes of those who dearly loved Him. They were no different from us, just ordinary people who believed He was the Son of God, and that through Him, we could all be saved and have eternal life...  Read More

Have you ever been so sad and confused over something that you found it hard to move forward another day? Some of us may feel that way because of the issues COVID-19 has brought. Some of us may feel that way because we’ve had a defining life event that was so hurtful. Some of us may identify because we’ve lost something or someone so suddenly.Imagine you are one of Jesus’ disciples and it’s the da...  Read More

How do you see Jesus? Is He your 911 call when you’ve exhausted all options? Is He your quick fix at the moment? Or is He your “go to” for life whether you are in the midst of the good or the bad? How you see Jesus actually determines what shape your heart is in.You can tell what shape your heart is in by the words that come out of your mouth. Those words connect with your actions. Unfortunately, ...  Read More

When we were kids, we loved a big downpour of rain in the summer because after the storm, we could run out and jump in the puddles. It was even more fun to walk along the curb in the water as it rushed down the street. Because I was Miss Don’t Want To Get Dirty, I would put my old sneakers on instead of going barefoot. Once we were done, I would walk home with squishy shoes, water just teeming out...  Read More

We need to stay healthy, especially under stress. Over the past year, we’ve experienced just that as we’ve adjusted to the impact of COVID-19. Many of us take extra care to bolster our immune systems to improve our physical health. Taking vitamins like B, C, D, and zinc each day help. Our mental and spiritual health, however, are important too.Maintaining a healthy attitude and mental state increa...  Read More

We’ve been in the midst of a pandemic for over a year now. Our finances have been affected, our jobs have been impacted and our ability to move about freely has nearly evaporated. We’ve all experienced what I call “COVID brain.” Whether we realize it or not, our minds have been scrambled by the lock downs and the new way of living. This season has reignited loneliness, anger, depression, disappoin...  Read More

Yesterday, we talked about our need to get moving if we want to see change and the move of the Lord in our lives. We have to break out of our comfort zones and awaken the fire we have down in our bones for Jesus. In that fire and passion for Him, we will find a joy and peace that will overcome every crazy twist and turn of life.Does your soul burn for Jesus or has your faith and passion been reduc...  Read More

There’s a great program on television that just returned called 911 Lone Star. The new episode is about a disaster that hits Austin. A dormant volcano erupts and causes great damage and injury all over the town. Unfortunately, a paramedic trying to save a young man dies from flying debris from the volcano. The fire house is devastated. And what song is played as they deal with their grief? Hallelu...  Read More

Sometimes it’s the small things that mean so much. There’s a saying, “Small things come in big packages.” Well, think of your day as a big package. What small things bring you joy in your day? For me, it’s that first sip of coffee. I look forward to it as it flows over my taste buds and I get to savor the flavor. You know you can meet the day because of that first cup of coffee (or tea). All it to...  Read More

It can be so easy to feel broken by all the unrest, sickness and death surrounding us right now. We are walking in unprecedented times and we need unprecedented solutions. Those can only come through the Hope of our salvation, Jesus. In the midst of it all, His victory is our victory. But to be victorious, we must not walk in fear, but in confidence knowing that He is with us. This week, join us a...  Read More

This is the third week of advent and it’s the week of joy. We celebrate the joy of Jesus’s birth, the joy of His resurrection and the joy knowing He will return for us one day. What is joy and can we really have joy in these times? Joy is great pleasure and delight. It is an emotion, not a conviction or a choice. It comes when we get excited about something magnificent. It comes from deep within t...  Read More

Praise and worship were the first actions taken when Jesus was born. Imagine how the Israelites felt. They had waited for hundreds of years. It took fourteen generations from Abraham to the birth of the Messiah. They waited for Immanuel, “God with us.”This tiny baby would save His people from sin, a heavy burden placed on the shoulders of a child. The night Jesus was born, the stars were shining s...  Read More

This is the time of year when Christmas lists are made, hints are dropped and commercials never seem to end. If you have kids or grandkids, they can’t wait to give you their lists of what they just can’t do without. But this is 2020 and for the first time, we will experience Christmas during a pandemic. How different the lists may be this year. What’s on your Christmas list?If you’re having troubl...  Read More

Why do we send Christmas cards each year? Most of us send cards because that’s tradition, and some of us send cards because someone sent us one. The Christmas card was actually invented by a very wealthy Englisman who was too busy to reach out to all of his family and friends. So he developed a postcard with just a few words to wish them a merry Christmas. Somehow the idea caught on and the Hall b...  Read More

When Jesus was born, the earth rejoiced! Hope had come to save us. He would be that bridge between the old covenant and the new covenant. He would be the link between the past and the present, between the present and the future. He would be the glue that would seal us and our relationship to the Lord. He would be the peace between God and sinners. The Prince of Peace!This is the season when we cel...  Read More

We are entering our second week of Advent and our focus is on Peace. You know, in order to have peace, you have to be still. Being still can be a challenge, though, for many of us. Our culture rewards busyness and multitasking. The spinning plate syndrome receives accolades: the more plates you can spin, the more successful you are. But Jesus actually taught something very different, be still, pea...  Read More

The world Jesus was born into wasn’t too different from ours. There was a crisis and a meltdown, both politically and socially. There were revolutionary ideas and great divisions among the people. The Roman Empire ruled over the Jews at this time, and the Jews wanted a Messiah to come and bring order to the chaos.God didn’t send an army of angels to take over, nor did He send a full grown Jesus to...  Read More

Waterfalls are so fascinating. Not only are they beautiful, but to hear the roar of the water as it rushes over the rocks is amazing. One of the most visited waterfalls in the world is Niagara Falls that sits between Canada and New York. If you’ve never been there, put it on your bucket list for the future. There are actually three together and they are just gorgeous. Every time I go there and wat...  Read More

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. What a special holiday when we come together with our families for a Thanksgiving meal and a great time of bonding. This year may be different, though, because of COVID-19 restrictions. Travel may be out of the question and gathering with family and friends could be unwise. Very tough decisions may be necessary in order to keep our loved ones and ourselves ...  Read More