rebelling against low expectations
Fitting an arrow to the string, the crown prince took aim and released. The arrow flew through the air, landing a great distance away. A small boy–his servant–hurried to pick it up and bring it back to him. “Is not the arrow beyond you?” he called after the boy. As he said those words, he remembered his excellent education, his training with a sword and bow, his preparation to be a...
Growing up, my father was never physically absent. I never wondered if he would come home at night. But throughout my childhood, he was mentally and spiritually absent. As a child, I felt his absence deeply. I longed for a relationship with him. I lived to please him. When he was home, I followed him around like a puppy dog. I waited desperately for the day he would finally finish all the things...
It was a beautiful Sunday morning. Light streamed in through the windows, making the cozy, family-like atmosphere of the little church even more inviting. As the pastor began speaking, the congregation leaned in, eager to hear his message. Suddenly, loud sobbing disrupted the service. Everyone turned to see who was crying. A little boy with Down syndrome, a boy who was usually happy and friendly...
“I am tired of moving around. I am tired of saying goodbye. I am tired of this ache in my heart that won’t go away.” Finally alone, I let myself cry as I expressed my feelings to the Lord. After all, I was passionate about my faith and desired to serve God. I was ready to follow Him wherever He might lead. But here I was, moving to a strange place, serving the Lord in a new ministry–for the...
Abby Johnson stared at the black and white ultrasound image. The tiny baby on the monitor was so perfect and beautiful. Suddenly, something else appeared on the screen. It looked foreign and out of place. Abby didn’t want to look, but she could not pull her eyes away from the image. As the abortion doctor turned on the suction, the baby, once so perfect and beautiful, disappeared as she was...
You are far too content! Yes. You read that right. You are too content. You need to become dis-content. You need to become hungry for more. Until you do so, you will be virtually useless to the kingdom of God. Don’t Be Content With Simple Scales As a child, I took piano lessons. I learned to play scales and simple songs and hated it all. I hated it because none of it sounded good. I heard...
Clutching the jar tightly, the woman stood in the doorway and looked into the room. Her heart beat furiously. Her eyes darted back and forth. The room was so full of men, most of whom knew her. She glanced behind her and considered retreating. Suddenly she saw him. Everything else vanished. None of it mattered. Rushing into the room, she fell trembling at his feet. Breaking her jar open, she...
I watched from the back of the room as people sat, knelt, stood, sang and prayed at all the right times. From my vantage point, it looked like a performance. “These people are so legalistic,” I thought to myself. Suddenly I felt a stab of conviction. I could not see the hearts of these people. How could I tell whether they were just going through the motions or truly worshiping the...
Standing nervously behind the table, I fidgeted with my blouse. Meanwhile, a student signed our poll: Yes, abortion should be legal. I was at a college campus with a pro-life group called Justice for All. We were talking with students about abortion. Our goal was to create conversation and help them to think through the issue. As I stood there, I knew that I should talk with the girl who, by now...
George Muller cared for 10,000 orphans. Don Richardson preached the gospel to a violent tribe that had never heard it before. He saw half of that tribe embrace Christ. David Wilkerson preached the gospel to the gangs of New York City and watched as God transformed the lives of countless drug addicts. When I look at these great Christian heroes, I feel overwhelmed. I too want to serve the Lord...
rebelling against low expectations
