Do you like to be scared? Do you get a thrill from watching scary movies or reading a thriller? Some may argue that fear as part of entertainment is harmless and fun – it doesn’t have any bearing on actual fear. But is that true? Do our bodies and minds categorize entertainment vs. actual fear? Fear is engrained in the fabric of our lives from the nightly news to TV shows and movies. Unfortunately, it is also rampant in our minds taking the form of anxiety, panic attacks, and depression.

Do you ever feel like you’re running on empty – like you have nothing else to give? If that’s you, you’re not alone! Life has a tendency to chew us up and spit us out. God knew life would be like that, so He gave us the special gift of the Holy Spirit to meet our needs above and beyond anything we could ask or think.

Did you know that you have an advantage? Well, if you have asked Jesus to forgive your sins and come into your life, you now have the greatest advantage ever! You have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit. He lives in you and is there to help you, guide you, and bring you into all truth.

Jesus' goal was to usher in the ability of the Holy Spirit to dwell not just with us but IN us. He said that the Holy Spirit would fill that void of loneliness in their hearts. We wouldn't be left orphans but would be made a member of God's family.

They aren’t easy, these living and breathing people who walk into our lives and ask us to participate. Who ask us to face the ugly truth...that we are not always kind, or giving, or self-sacrificial. People often make us realize how far we are from Christlikeness. We cannot always be everything they want, and oftentimes, we are too scared to even try. Without relationships, there would be so much less pain. Without relationships, there would be hardly any growth. There are concepts I have grappled with for years when it comes to people. What ministry looks like without eventual burnout. What 1 Corinthians 13 love looks like while instating healthy boundaries.

The scripture tells us in Matthew 10:8, “Freely you have received, freely give.” Isn’t’ that what the gospel is about? The priceless gifts we have received through Jesus aren’t for us to hoard and keep to ourselves. Yes, we are to enjoy them, but then give those same gifts to others, showing and telling them about Jesus.

During one of the darkest hours of his life, the apostle Paul received a revelation of God’s strengthening grace that revolutionized his thinking and his life. After he had sought the Lord in three seasons of prayer, beseeching Him to cause the debilitating thorn in the flesh/messenger of Satan to depart from him, the Lord answered. But rather than delivering Paul from his situation as he had prayed, the Lord delivered to Paul a revelation of His strengthening grace! This revelation of the available provision of divine help for his time of need revolutionized Paul’s life. He began immediately to rejoice, knowing that in his weakness, the power of Christ would rest upon him and knowing that even when he was weak in himself, he could be strong in grace!

The last two years have been unbelievably hard. Almost everyone I know has gone through a rough time - even if it is the stress from the world around us. Although we can't do anything about what has happened, we do have a choice about how we let those things affect us. Maybe you need to release the last year – let it go (cue the music) and keep your eyes focused on what lies ahead.

I’m sure you have heard about how important giving thanks is, but have you learned about how powerful it is? When we tap into the place of genuine gratitude, the world all-of-the-sudden seems like a brighter and better place. Find out more in this weeks blog.

God’s grace and love never cease to amaze me. He never promised that life would be easy or comfortable. But He did promise that He would never leave us or forsake us. He is with us, guiding us THROUGH the tough times if we let Him.

God wants us to walk in the fullness of the blessing – the fullness of what Jesus bought and paid for when He died on the cross for us. Did you know that there is more available to help you with your Christian walk than salvation? Don't get me wrong – salvation is THE #1 most important thing that Jesus gives us. But what about our lives now? Well, He wants us to do the good works that He has called us to do, and better yet, He wants to underwrite that plan as well. To underwrite something means to guarantee financial support.

“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” Ephesians 4:29

Anyone would agree that the words we speak are important. There has been scientific research and studies that prove the power of words. However, you don’t need that research to confirm the truth of how powerful words are. Just think back over your life and undoubtedly you will recall how someone’s words impacted you positively or negatively.

Do you ever wonder what true rest really feels like? Maybe you believe that it is a place of escape or some much-needed, uninterrupted sleep. And that is a part of the definition, but there is so much more. Rest is a place we are to live from every day. Learn how in today’s post.

Living in the Word and having faith in His Word is the place you can experience peace in your life. It doesn’t matter who you are or what circumstances you are in; you can live in the peace of God. The key is to DAILY seek Him through prayer and His Word, DAILY check your heart and motives, DAILY take your authority over evil trying to come against you, DAILY forgive. Do you get the point? To stay in a place of peace, you have to make these things a daily habit – a way of life.

As a child, sitting and “resting” had a negative connotation. It was to sit and think about what you did wrong – and who wants to do that? Taking a nap as a child was torture as well! Could this be why taking a time-out from our busy schedules is difficult for some of us to do? However, just as God did after creating the world, a time of rest should be about enjoying the fruit of your labor. When God rested, it wasn’t because He was tired but rather to stop and enjoy what He had done.

We would all agree that building a successful family takes love. But what about faith? Faith sometimes falls by the wayside. However, it is faith that will keep us going when the hard times come.

Many married relationships don’t even get to the level of true intimacy that they could experience. They might even have a decent sex life, but that isn’t the same as intimacy. True intimacy happens when you allow yourself to be open and vulnerable, spirit, soul, and body.

We all know that communication is key to any healthy relationship. However, most of us lack the skills it takes to communicate effectively, meaningfully, and respectfully. Let’s face it, most of us got our communication skills - or lack thereof from our parents and families.

Stop! Don’t get married! Well...at least don’t get married to the wrong person or for the wrong reasons. Have you ever wondered how some people are so lucky in love while you seem to come up short time and time again? Maybe it’s not luck. Find out how to Find Your Match Made in Heaven here.