Joyfully Trust Jesus

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance."—James 1:2–3 NIV What brings us joy? Naturally, we think of pleasant experiences and happy moments. Certainly, God wants us to have joy in these situations, but He also wants us to experience a different kind of joy. This happens when…

The Healing Power of Forgiveness

The medical community is increasingly acknowledging the toll that unforgiveness and bitterness take on the body. Cancer, arthritis, chronic back pain … all these are often rooted in a lack of forgiveness toward those in our past who have knowingly or unknowingly wounded us. Unforgiveness can lead to bitterness, which is toxic to your body and soul. Acts 8:23 talks about a man who was “poisoned…

You Can’t Outgive God

When Sandra desperately needed a breakthrough, God used Inspiration Campmeeting to stir her faith for the promises of His Word. Our Campmeeting program stirred Sandra’s heart to remember who God is and how He loves her! Living on a fixed income can make giving feel like an impossibility, but as she listened to the show, she remembered, “Nothing is impossible with God!” Sandra then raised…

Spiritual Detox: Cleansing by Changing of the Mind

Have you noticed how we can classify sins … big sins, little sins ... but God doesn’t do that! To Him all sins … are sins! They are acts of transgression against Him … and furthermore, we all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. So what does this mean? Is there life after sin? Hello everyone and welcome to Strengthen Your Walk and our Spiritual Detoxing Boot camp … I’m Kim Crabill.…

I’d Concluded My Life Was Over

In 2004 and at the age of 20, I broke my neck diving into a shallow swimming pool in Costa Rica. Our surf trip ended early that year. Mom had begged me not to go (a mother’s intuition). She had dreamt that it rained heavily, and all the trees in the jungle snapped. I still remember the bottom of that pool and my body a pile of brittle bone. In the emergency room, the doctor told me I’d never…

Bless Your Heart: How Emotions Affect Our Health

Though I was born and raised on the shores of beautiful Lake Erie, I have lived in the South now for almost half of my life. In the South they have a saying — “bless your heart” — that means different things depending on the circumstances. For our purposes, we will focus on the positive side of this familiar phrase. We all can be a blessing to the hearts of others, but in order to live a…

The Story Behind ‘We Three Kings’

We Three Kings — Movie Review Just the Facts   We Three Kings: Gold, Frankincense & Myrrh — A Christmas Story for the Whole Family is a 2020 movie that provides context and history for the Christmas carol of the same name, written by John Hopkins Fay. Produced by Thorn Crown Films, LLC, this movie adds to their library of quality family-friendly entertainment. We Three Kings was first…

‘Dumbo’ Is High-Flying Fun for the Entire Family

Yes, that's right! He's not just another set of ears. He can't speak like other Disney animals, but his ears and eyes speak loud and clear. Quite frankly, I am somewhat surprised that a live action remake of a movie entitled "Dumbo" passed through the scrutiny of today's hyper-sensitivity and political correctness. I am glad that it did. Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages, you will…

The Friendship Initiative

Q: Can you tell us a little about your new devotional, The Friendship Initiative? When I wrote my Bible study, The Belonging Project: Finding Your Tribe and Learning to Thrive, I realized that in order to flourish in biblical community, one must follow the “one another” sayings in the New Testament.  Those verses in the Bible, however, often describe actions, but not necessarily the heart…

Dave Says: Follow the Plan and Make Stuff Happen

Dear Dave, I just started Baby Step 3 of your plan. It took me about 12 months to pay off $8,000 in debt during Baby Step 2. I am 50, and I work in the printing industry making about $38,000 a year in a city with no local or state income tax. I have not done a lot about retirement yet, and that worries me now that I am learning to manage money in a smarter way. How can I stay on track with the…