What’s that Smell? Sometimes life circumstances can flat out stink. The cause can come from many directions and leave us with many unhelpful emotions. We can look at the patterns in Scripture to give us clues in how to handle life events that come out of nowhere and leave us spinning. These patterns give us confidence knowing that God is near and participating with us, working for our good.

“Never Ever” is an emphatic qualifier used to assure others of our intentions. The trouble is, even though we mean well, oftentimes what we never thought would, does occur. We often find ourselves in scenarios we never thought likely. But what do we do when everything we thought or planned goes up in smoke?

The Friend Zones.

From the very beginning of the Bible, we see God is relational. We were created in His likeness, so we too are relational. Throughout the Scriptures we uncover what healthy relationships look like.

Daughters.

The difference between men and women is vast. It goes way beyond biological realities. Within those differences, we are given a glimpse of the full image of God. He created both men and women in His image, equally. And God longs for His daughters to be fully alive.

Sons. Every man starts life as a son. All through life, men search for the answer to some key questions, like “Do I have what it takes?” God invites us to experience His love in a way that helps us answer the deepest questions, as we return to Him as sons.

Uncovered Heart. God’s desire is that we would walk with Him in unbroken fellowship. Brokenness caused by sin can cause us to walk in insecurity instead of intimacy. Let’s look at how we can arrest our insecurities and restore a transparency that strengthens our relationship with God.

Loopholes. When it comes to loving others, loopholes are not the way forward. Jesus came to set a standard of living and loving that we need to strive toward, not skirt around.

Money Matters. Is there an area in our life where money doesn’t matter? Perhaps, but one thing is for certain, our personal attachment and management of money matters a lot. So much so, that 25% of Jesus’ teachings involve the subject of money.

The paradox of Purpose. Every person wants to find purpose in their life. The paradox of purpose is that we must allow God to shape our priorities if we want to discover a truly meaningful purpose. Envy, comparison, criticism, and complaining cut away at our purpose and cause us to live pursuing entitlement instead of fulfilling our purpose.

Stewardship. God’s Kingdom is one where our participation is key. As the people of God we have the opportunity to use our abilities for God’s purpose. The abilities we have are gifts from God and lead us to an understanding that our responsibilities in life are simply our response to His ability within us.