An untested faith is an unreliable faith.
Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be all right, and the determined choice to praise God in all things.
In the United States, if one family out of every four churches adopted a child, there would be no orphans in the country.
Fallen man is both terrified of vulnerability and committed to maintaining independence.
Joy begins with our convictions about spiritual truths we’re willing to bet our lives on, and truths that are lodged so deeply within us that they produce a settled assurance about God.
I would rather walk every day in the darkness with a God who remains a mystery to me than in the light with a God I completely understand.
Believe that there is a purpose in your pain.
Depth, not speed, is the truest measure of a balanced life.
Joy is rooted in gratitude. You cannot have a joyful heart without having a grateful heart.
Loving a moment doesn’t remove the pain, but it does make room for joy.
When trials expose our faith-life, will others see us embracing both the joy and the pain of our life? We do not need to live out one and deny the other. Those around us need to recognize that both of these elements are part of life, and both give us hope for heaven.
You and I were made for connection, to be emotionally attached to others. It’s a well-known fact that physical touch is crucial for us as human beings, not just for emotional health but for our very survival. Studies show that the elderly die sooner if they don’t have physical touch. Babies are more likely to be diagnosed with “failure to thrive” if they’re not touched. One.