Tried With Fire

I don't like unexpected change especially when the future outcome is unknown, and I was hit with a possible big change last week. As I wait, fear is trying to rise up even as I struggle to fight back. And it's not just fear of the final result. It's a fear that is directly related to my present actions. It's trying to sow doubts like - Are you praying enough? Are you doing enough? Should you be doing more? Are you doing too much? What if you make a wrong decision? What if the outcome hinges on that decision? Will you miss out on God's will? Can you really trust him to see you through this time? This fear tries to remove God from the picture or at least minimize his active role as much as possible. Its intent is to make me feel alone like a lab rat in a maze. No maps or external help allowed. It's all up to me to navigate my way, which would be terrifying if it was true. But there's an added twist. Depending on which path I take, I could miss the grand p...

Forgive me for being blunt, but I might as well call it what it is. Perfectionism is worse than "You will be like God." It's "You must be like God or else ..." Perfectionism is a dystopian version of " The Little Red Hen " on steroids, where you ask for help and receive none. "Then I must do it myself or else ..." It creates a virtual reality where there is no God. There is no common grace and especially no grace to sinners. But it's a lie. All of it. This world is groaning under the curse and we are groaning, too. But we live as imperfect people in an imperfect world where there is a merciful, compassionate, and perfect Savior. We live in a world where this is true: The Lord is compassionate and gracious,  Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. ...

Beth Spraul of Capitol Hill Baptist Church has written this article titled You've Got Lies: Chick Flicks and the World's Approach to Men and Marriage. I recommend this article. I don't think we realize how much we are influenced by the whole notion of romance in our culture, particularly the way it is portrayed in movies and books. I also think, for the majority of women, there is something in us that is drawn to the dream of an ideal romantic relationship. The author draws a possible parallel between pornography for men and romance for women. For men, it is explicit images. For women, it is feeding the thoughts and imaginations of an unreal ideal relationship. She also gives three powerful lies that are propagated by romance that have no Biblical foundation. I actually threw out You've Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle , and some other chick flicks. In Sleepless , the main female character is living with her fiance and going behind his back in search of the one person...