Isaiah 40:31 King James Version (KJV) But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. It’s hard to wait – let alone be in a season of waiting. Having to wait can stir up questions and emotions within us and we always seem to want to rush through the waiting as fast as we can. It can feel so draining, and like such a waste of time when we have to wait. During times when I…
In these heartbreaking times, it’s easy to question where the world is going and to search for hope, goodness and truth in it all. But that can lead to painful questions. What is truth when somebody is callously killed? What is truth when unrest and turmoil sweep across cities? What is truth when disease ravages nations? What is truth when new headlines seep into your thoughts, wearing down your well-being and upending your balance? Here we are, in the throes of chaos, hurting at the result, wondering what is truth in all this? It’s a question that goes back thousands…
A beautiful tree stands just outside my apartment window. In springtime, most of its branches overflow with delicate white blossoms. But some branches are bare, cut off near the trunk, unable to produce new life this season. Why did the caretaker cut those branches? Perhaps they hadn’t produced blossoms in a while. Maybe they were rotting. Perhaps they were growing in a direction that would eventually be harmful to them. Pruning is a vital process for most trees, shrubs and flowers. It stimulates healthier production of fruit and flowers, removes damaged parts and, as one arborist website says, maintains the…