“…to give them beauty for ashes,the oil of joy for mourning,the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness…”— Isaiah 61:3 KJV We don’t talk about it much in church, but many believers know what it feels like to carry a spirit of heaviness. It’s more than a bad mood. It’s despair. It’s a weight….
Originally written in 2014. Updated April 2025. I’m in the cafeteria at MD Anderson Cancer Center. My mom is getting some tests done. To my left sits a group of Japanese doctors. They’re visitors. The only thing I know about them is that one of the female doctors gave up her chair so that our…
I’ve been sitting with Matthew 14:22–33 this week, and I can’t shake the image of Peter stepping out of that boat. Jesus had just fed thousands, the crowds were fired up, and He immediately sent His disciples away. Why? John tells us it’s because the people were about to force Him into kingship. Jesus knew…