Dance with the Trinity!
Sometimes the Christian life feels like a “dogged, religious plod” rather than a “living, spirited dance!” (1 Thessalonians 4:1-2, MSG). What’s gone wrong? Dallas Willard answers, “You need to arrange...
View ArticleHappy Christmas?
Christmas isn’t all happy. Trying to make it that way actually diminishes our enjoyment and meaning of this sacred season. Consider the first Christmas. The backdrop is that God’s people go four...
View ArticleEnjoying Cats in Our God-Bathed World
A couple of nights ago Bill and I had just finished a 4-mile walk. Our cat Charlie had been napping and he woke up and started stretching too! He got up and was sniffing and playing around at my feet,...
View ArticleA Deeper Life in Christ is Holy and Happy
Yesterday on my Sabbath day I read a little book by the early 19th Century Scottish preacher Robert Murray McCheyne, The Deeper Life. He died at the young age of 29, but he brought many souls to Christ...
View ArticleThe Happiest Life
What is so important to you that if you go days without doing it you start feeling depressed? For some people it’s earning money, having their favorite drink of alcohol, or receiving praise from other...
View ArticleWhen You Feel a Lack of Joy
We all want to experience more joy in life. Jesus prays this for us, asking the Father for us to have the fullness of his joy (John 15:11, 17:13). Fullness of joy! His joy! That’s a lot of joy! What...
View ArticleYou Can Have Crazy Love — Skip with Jesus!
If we let Jesus ravish our hearts will develop crazy love. A fun way to practice this is to skip and sing, "I'm the disciple Jesus loves!" Some people think I'm crazy but it's the most sane way to be....
View ArticlePerfect Joy!
St Francis experienced perfect joy. Many buy a statue of him, but few are prepared to imitate his devotion to Jesus Christ. Here's his story of perfect joy. The post Perfect Joy! appeared first on Soul...
View ArticleJoyful, Thankful Bible Verses in Philippians
Paul wrote these Thankful Bible Verses to the Philippians while in prison. They'll inspire you to be thankful to God and loving to all in your trials. The post Joyful, Thankful Bible Verses in...
View ArticleSing Praise to God!
“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant… The Mighty One has done great things for me — holy is his name.” — Luke...
View ArticleLight Posts for the Depressed
Pastors and their wives, along with other leaders and caregivers may struggle with depression. They give so much to others but may not care for their own souls under God. There are many Bible verses...
View ArticleHeather was Paralyzed but Now She can Dance with Jesus!
Heather was paralyzed for eight years after a car accident. But today she can walk with ease and dance with joy! Glory to God! Thanks and praise to Jesus Christ! Heather is one of the readers of the...
View ArticleRejoicing on a Mundane Monday!
Just another mundane Monday. Jesus Christ, the carpenter from Nazareth, understands — and he knows how to help us find joy and peace in tedious work. Much of our lives includes ordinary work and...
View ArticleGood News of Great Joy!
It’s Christmastime! Are you celebrating Christ in your heart? Are you appreciating the incarnate Son of God, the King of kings, in your thoughts? It’s easy too be distracted with busyness or worries...
View ArticleGod Dawns on You!
Early one winter morning at the Prince of Peace Abbey I got up to pray. It was still dark. I stood at the edge of the hill and looked out over the valley below and the mountains in the distant horizon....
View ArticleCome Close to Christ
“[The Lord] raised up for his people [the Christ], the praise of… the people close to his heart” (Psalm 148:14). “People close to his heart.” I am close to the Lord’s heart! You are close to the Lord’s...
View ArticleHere and Now
“Teach us to number our days aright,” is Moses’ prayer of wisdom for us. “Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all of our days” (Psalm 90:12, 14)....
View ArticleHow Could it Be?
Sometimes I’m just overwhelmed with appreciation for God’s grace — aren’t you? The grace of God isn’t just “unmerited favor” — it’s God acting in our lives with kindness and power. Praying a Psalm...
View ArticleLift Up Your Head!
This Christmas season maybe you need to appreciate that God bestows his favor on you personally? Maybe you’ve been feeling discouraged or insignificant and need to lift up your head to Christ? I did....
View ArticleSmile and Skip to Hear God’s Voice!
In Psalm 29 David praises the God of glory whose voice thunders over the waters and flashes like lightening. Like the waves of the sea God speaks with crashing authority and soothing gentleness at the...
View ArticleSongs of Joy!
On a retreat at the Prince of Peace Abbey a few years ago I was taking a walk and praying from Psalm 65. Down the hill and across the ocean the sun was setting. Above my head the birds were singing and...
View ArticleMorning and Evening Prayer
In Psalm 65 David sings out to the Lord, “Where morning dawns and evening fades you call forth songs of joy” (verse 8). Where does his joy come from? Not his circumstances — he’s rejoicing in the...
View ArticlePrevent Burnout: Be a Mary-nated Martha!
“But Martha was distracted with much serving” (Luke 10:40, ESV). Do these words haunt you? They do me. Like Martha I have given my life to serve the Lord. My life is filled with acts of service that I...
View ArticleRejoice in the Lord!
“Rejoice in the Lord!” “Rejoice in the Lord!” Again and again praises, prayers, prophecies, and principles in the Bible invite us to “Rejoice in the Lord!” Twelve times the exact phrase, “Rejoice in...
View ArticleSmile, Play, and Laugh with Jesus!
We developed this Scripture meditation for our Soul Care Groups. The post Smile, Play, and Laugh with Jesus! appeared first on Soul Shepherding.
View ArticleMy Joy and My Delight
What is your joy and delight in life? A good way to know is to see how you respond to trials. The Psalmist’s Song in the Dark The Psalmist was in a time of darkness and desolation. His soul is...
View ArticleI was “Strong but Stupid!” (Trying vs Training)
Two years ago I was riding 25 miles on my bike as fast as I could in my first Olympic Triathlon and I was soon to get one of the most important lessons of my life. I was still dripping wet from my one...
View ArticleThankfulness: The Way to Holiness and Happiness
The Lord Jesus Christ is holy and happy and so are his students. Holiness and happiness go together. In the Bible we read, “The disciples were full of joy and of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13:52; see also...
View ArticleThe Way Jesus Died
What if while Jesus was being crucified he would’ve gotten angry at the people who tortured him? Imagine if he would’ve said things like, “Father, zap those soldiers with lighting!… Cause an earthquake...
View ArticleHow Many Birds are You Worth?
How many birds are you worth? Really. Have you ever thought about pricing a person in terms of birds?! Jesus has such a delightful and humorous way to get our attention! (In Divine Conspiracy Dallas...
View ArticleThe Joy of Jesus in Us!
“Joy in Jesus!” That was the theme of the retreat that Kristi and I led for a church staff earlier this week. We’d like to invite you into the afterglow of this retreat by sharing a short Scripture...
View ArticlePlay! Play!! Play!!! (Having Fun With Jesus)
“Play! Play!! Play!!!” that’s what our friend Papa Joe Johnson said to Kristi and I in our time of need. How do you play? When do you have fun? Do you know how to have fun with Jesus? This is an...
View ArticleSatisfy Your Soul in a Moment
In the press of a day you may forget that it only takes a moment to satisfy your soul in your Savior. In the temptations of our life we may turn to what we can accomplish or how ideal we can appear in...
View ArticleMy Mom Finds Joy In Pain
When I was small my mother held me and cared for me. Healing Your Mother Wounds Of course, she didn’t love me perfectly. But along the way God provided spiritual mothers and fathers to help me grow...
View ArticleCrazy Fun With Jesus! (Like Chicago Cubs Fans)
What’s it like to have crazy fun with Jesus? Look at Chicago Cubs baseball fans this October and you’ll see! The post Crazy Fun With Jesus! (Like Chicago Cubs Fans) appeared first on Soul Shepherding.
View ArticleThe Disciple’s Ambition to Please Christ
Featuring excerpts from The Joy of Following Jesus by J. Oswald Sanders Paul says, “It is my constant ambition to please Christ.” (2 Corinthians 5:9) Or “I make it a point of honor to please Christ.”...
View ArticleJoy as Happy-Sad Longing for God (C. S. Lewis and The Inklings)
One of C. S. (“Jack”) Lewis’ greatest teachings is on Joy (with a capital “J”). It’s blessed me and I’m excited to share it with you! When Kristi and I vacationed in Europe with David and Bri (our son...
View Article70 Happy Words
Paul uses 70 expressions of joy in his short letter to the Philippians! Seventy! Reading them infects us with his “good virus” of devotion to Jesus. To joy in Jesus is the best way to start our day and...
View ArticleGod is Fun!
The Christmas gospel shows us how very fun God is. Appreciating the Lord’s fun-natured personality can have a huge positive impact on our life and ministry to others. We expect God to be a judge, holy,...
View ArticleJesus is Glad to See You!
Do you know that the Lord Jesus is glad to see you? That when you walk into a room he notices you and his Spirit walks up to you with a beaming face and an enthusiastic hug? When you minister to people...
View ArticleThe Easy Yoke Gospel
I was forty years old when I discovered the Gospel of Christ as an Easy Yoke and the Lord inflamed my heart with his love! I learned to live with the blessed awareness that the risen Christ is standing...
View ArticleRelaxed
One day I was having lunch with Dallas Willard and he asked me, “If you had one word to describe Jesus what would it be?” How would you answer that question? If you could only use one word to describe...
View ArticleJesus’ Secret to a Better Life
Why was Jesus able to deliver a demon without even saying a prayer? Why was he able to calm the storm? Why was he able to feed the 5,000+ with just five loaves and two fishes? Why was he able to walk...
View ArticleChristmas Joy in a Crazy Year
Each year during the Advent season I pick a character from the nativity scene to spend some time reading about in scripture while praying and listening to the Lord. The post Christmas Joy in a Crazy...
View ArticleBreathe in the Miracle of Christmas
Mary offered a prayer of faith to receive the birth of Christ and the world has never been the same. It’s like a breath of heaven for Christmas! It’s a powerful prayer of submission that helps us...
View Article3 Steps to Greater Intimacy with God
Without a friend who feels our hurt, stress, and longings with us our souls shrivel up and die. Giving and receiving empathy are key to life in Christ. The post 3 Steps to Greater Intimacy with God...
View ArticleHow to Celebrate Advent
The meaning of Advent has changed over the years. The word Advent comes from the Latin word adventus and means “coming.” In ancient times Christians focused their Advent prayers and meditations on...
View ArticleWhat is Advent?
The Advent season is a time of spiritual preparation for celebrating the coming of Jesus Christ. For 24 days we anticipate the joy of Christmas Day. In Jesus, the Word, God became human as a vulnerable...
View ArticleChristmas Devotional Experience
We'd like to share with you my favorite Christmas devotional experience that we use for Advent... The post Christmas Devotional Experience appeared first on Soul Shepherding.
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