Are Our Souls Neglected?
When we were living in North Carolina, there was a house down the street from us that was always a mess. There were always toys and debris all over the front lawn, junk stacked high on the porch, mattresses tossed in the backyard, a weedy garden, falling down fence, and I’m fairly certain the garage doors were broken because they were always open. Whenever we passed it, we’d grumble and complain about how the homeowner didn’t take care of the home.
If you looked past all the neglect, it would be a beautiful house. It was a log cabin build with a big, beautiful porch. With a little love and hard work, it would look like a picturesque little property. Instead we cringed, because if the outside was so overgrown and unkempt, we could only imagine what the inside looked like.
Christ the Better Bethesda
Central Park is the biggest landmark in New York City– literally. Looking at a map of Manhattan, it’s impossible to miss the 843 acres that make up this huge, green rectangle in the middle of a city made of concrete, metal, and glass. There are so many iconic corners of the park that have been in movies, TV shows, and music videos. But probably one of the most recognizable places is the Bethesda Fountain.
Depositing our Souls with Commitment
When Sam and I were dating or newly married, whenever we went somewhere– be it a park, a concert, or an amusement park– Sam would without fail ask me to put his car keys in my purse. And then he’d ask me to hold his phone… and his wallet. It would always annoy me, because my bag would be brimming with someone else’s stuff. And Sam wasn’t the only person to do it. I’d have friends who would do it too. I guess it’s prone to happen when you’re the one in the group that always carries a bag. That bag was a safe place to keep those items people didn’t want to lose. And they would have been correct, because nothing was ever misplaced when it was in my bag.
SERIES! The Temple, P3: Your Soul Comes First
The true key to real success in our health, work, schooling, relationships– you name it– is nurturing our souls by giving them over to our Savior each and everyday. This key verse challenges us and reveals to us that a person who meditates in Jesus daily will have a life removed from shame, sadness, and fears. When we submit to God, we find true purpose, clarity, and ultimate joy. This is the challenge we wake up to each and every morning. The way we face this challenge we have in our souls influences every other part of our life.
Hell Fears YOU: Learning to Use True Worship as a Weapon
How often do we limit our capacity to worship Jesus? Let me be more specific: how often do we categorize worship neatly into a box for Sunday morning church service or a special playlist on our phones? In all reality, worship goes much farther than ambient music or beautiful lyrics. Worship is a lifestyle. It is something that should be fully integrated into Christian life.
A Word for the Groaning Spirit
If I find in myself desires nothing in this world can satisfy, I can only conclude that I was not made for here. I first heard this incredibly personal lyric on an old Brooke Fraser (now Ligertwood) CD when I was 12 years old. I remember hearing the rest of the song and feeling understood in a way I never anticipated before. Suddenly, something deep inside me felt seen and spoken for as I hungrily listened. The statement behind the lyrics comes from C.S. Lewis, the man this song is named after. His version goes a little like this: “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”