"This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do. (Jos 1:8) Instead, his delight is in the LORD's instruction, and he meditates on it … Continue reading How Do I Meditate? 10 Tips for “Chewing the Cud”
Author: Cindy Matson
A Song in the Desert
Stranded. Thirsty. Alone. Helpless. Thirsty. Lost. Desperate. Weary. Thirsty. Thirsty. Thirsty. I’ve never been lost in the desert, but if I were, I suspect my thoughts would run along these lines. Desperation would begin to set in as I see nothing but sand and cacti in every direction. No landmarks. No Google. And, most importantly, … Continue reading A Song in the Desert
God’s Training Program
The best part of every movie in the Rocky franchise is the training montage—the footage of Rocky, finally inspired to take on the opponent he should have no business fighting, getting up early, drinking a few raw eggs, and then pounding the pavement with every neighborhood kid in tow. But the best of these (at … Continue reading God’s Training Program
Resurrection Sunday Hope for a Tuesday Afternoon
Easter Sunday has a special vibe about it. The church is fuller than normal. Everyone is dressed a little extra fancy. Voices have a little more oomph than they do during a typical worship service. The pastor gives his sermon a little extra polish. Families gather together for a special meal. The kids get hopped … Continue reading Resurrection Sunday Hope for a Tuesday Afternoon
Competition…to God’s Glory?
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!With March madness coming,The office is humming with bracket-brained cheer!It’s the most wonderful time of the year! There’ll be brackets for busting,Buzzers for beating,Cinderellas making a run.Upsets and close-calls,It’s the year’s best bballWill a sixteen take down a one? With the greatest sporting event on the calendar about … Continue reading Competition…to God’s Glory?
Wrestling in Prayer
Aside from many elementary-school recesses, my football career was very short-lived. It consisted of exactly one “powderpuff” game during Homecoming Week my senior year of high school. We girls each borrowed a football player’s jersey for the game and suited up to face one another for one glorious night on the gridiron. My big moment … Continue reading Wrestling in Prayer
Love Even for Oppressors
Dividing the world’s population is easy: Salty cravers and sweet cravers. Avocado lovers and avocado haters. Conservatives and Progressives. Coffee drinkers and tea drinkers. Jocks and nerds. Oppressor and oppressed. That final category has received increasingly more attention in recent years. While none of us would ever want to admit to being an oppressor, historically, … Continue reading Love Even for Oppressors
Praying for Discernment
“Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong; it’s knowing the difference between right and almost right.” This quotation attributed to Charles Spurgeon captures the difficulty of discernment. Plenty of the images, videos, and sound-bytes we encounter every day carry an overtly worldly and unbiblical worldview. Rooting this out does require discernment but … Continue reading Praying for Discernment
We Must Not Glorify Anxiety
It’s no secret that in the four years since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the rates of anxiety have skyrocketed, particularly among young people. However, along with that has come an accompanying trend that’s not so quantifiable with surveys and statistics, but is no less concerning: anxiety has become “cool” and even expected. Rather than a … Continue reading We Must Not Glorify Anxiety
My Heart Stands in Awe
The unbelievable one-handed catch in the endzone. The first bite of a steak that's been grilled to perfection. A jaw-dropping sunset that no camera could capture. The first cry of a newborn infant. The gymnast’s perfect-10 routine. A choir’s flawless performance of Handel’s Messiah. These seemingly disconnected moments share one common thread: they each make … Continue reading My Heart Stands in Awe