Staying close. Standing firm. Speaking light into the darkness.
After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here …” –Revelation 4:1 There is a door standing open in heaven. “Come up here!” The invitation has been issued. The way has been made. … More The Open Door
Not by force, nor by strength–will I find my purpose. Not by force, nor by strength–will I see restoration. Not by force, nor by strength–will I find favor. Not by force, nor by strength–will I see justice. Not by force, nor by strength–will I find success. Not by force, nor by strength–will I see breakthrough. … More Not by Force, Nor by Strength
There is a time to stand. When the battle over your identity–and destiny–is raging. When you’ve done everything you know how to do, and prayed every prayer you know how to pray, yet you’re still hard-pressed on every side. When you’ve pressed in and pressed on to “lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has laid hold of … More A Time to Stand …
Look at me. I wanted to. I needed to. But I couldn’t. Instead, both my gaze and my heart remained downcast. He persisted. Look at me. I tried, I really did. But I couldn’t quite will myself to look up. So I did what I should have done much earlier that morning–I cried out to him. “Help me, … More His Eyes
Been asking a lot of questions this week. Don’t have a lot of answers–just questions … Brian Johnson has a song called “What Does it Sound Like?” The lyrics are simple: What does it sound like when we sing heaven’s songs? What does it feel like when heaven comes down? What does it look like … More What Will it Sound Like?
They met their senior year of high school. They became friends. They went to Senior Prom together. They walked together at graduation. Then life happened. She moved down south where she met and married the man who became the father of her children. The man she thought would love her forever. The man she planned to … More A Love Story … Right onTime
“Lord, I’m such a failure!” I had already spent way too long listing everything that was wrong with me and everything that was wrong in my life, when I tearfully blurted out the words. I wasn’t expecting a response from Jesus, but I got one anyway. Really, in whose eyes? I was a bit startled. I stammered a reply, … More Love Never Fails
Times are tough, so you see them everywhere. Sitting by the off ramp with a makeshift sign, holding out a dirty cup for change. Shuffling down the street with all of their worldly possessions in a shopping cart. Curled up in a cardboard box under the freeway overpass. The broken. The rejected and dejected. The lonely. The poor. … More A Banana and a Sandwich
“Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” – Acts 3:6 The man had been crippled since birth. Every day someone placed him there so he could beg from those entering the temple courts. He wasn’t looking for healing – … More Waiting at the Gate Called Beautiful
I have this rocking chair in the corner of my bedroom that I have affectionately called “the prayer chair” for years. I have quite a history in that chair. In fact, I’m pretty convinced that history itself has been changed from that chair. But it’s been empty a lot the last couple of years. I’ve been in … More A Prayer Chair Epiphany
It has finally hit me that it really is Christmas time. Almost a week into December there is no longer any denying that Christmas is nearly upon us. I even decorated my little tree, lit a fire, and put on some Christmas music this afternoon in reluctant acquiescence to the reality of the season. The … More Looking for Faith on the Earth
Been studying the fruit of the Spirit in church over the past few weeks and been really stuck on the traits of patience and kindness. Certainly not because I exhibit so much of them! But it also hasn’t been because of my lack of them either. Really, I have been chewing on these two traits … More Love is Patient, Love is Kind
Just some “free flow” thoughts I began to jot down as I was sitting with him this morning. Not polished. Zero literary merit as a poem – just thoughts from my heart mostly as they came… There are things only I can give So it’s what I want to bring My heart My love My … More The Things Only I Can Give
I’m sitting at my keyboard compelled to communicate, yet feeling like I have absolutely nothing to say. Nothing of merit at any rate. Nothing terribly encouraging. Nothing worth noting. Nothing worth stopping your day to read. I could complain. I have, actually. Far, far too often in recent weeks. But it doesn’t do any good. … More Trusting God in the Silence
Ever have one of those days (or longer!) when you just can’t seem to get it right? Those times when all your buttons are pushed and all your “stuff” just seems to be oozing out all over the place for the entire world to see? If we’re honest, we all have those times. The results … More Laying Hold of Grace
It has been quite a week. Sometimes the reality of living in a restless, fallen world is like that. Unexpected things have happened that have broken my heart. Good things that were expected didn’t materialize. Delays and disappointments have been the norm along with a variety of other perplexing circumstances popping up at exactly the wrong time. It’s been one of those … More The Strive Free Zone
“We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” –John 1:14 Grace and truth – two small words large with meaning. Although they oppose and contradict each other at times, they live in complete harmony within the heart and mind of God. A paradox … More Grace and Truth
Been thinking a lot about glory. Been pondering and praying, too. Been longing. Been hearing a lot of messages that have stirred my soul and made my heart ache, even more, for glory. The messages are great. Praying and pondering is great. But oh to taste. I have tasted– a little–but there’s more. There is so, so much more. I want it. I … More Longing for Glory
Time. Seems there is never enough of it. I find myself running late far too often. On any given day I feel like I’m behind on dozens of things. That feeling often carries over from a task level to a heart level. Often I feel like I’m behind in life. I feel like there are so … More Time is My Ally
So time has slipped by and I missed a week of posting. Trying not to let that slide into two weeks so here I am at the eleventh hour … again. I actually started a post earlier in the week but never finished it. By the time I got back to it the topic no longer … More Taking it to the Next Level
Cindy Powell 