I seethed with anger for a whole week. My friend attempted to manipulate my behavior through guilt. That may work on some people. It just made me mad. I felt bullied and trampled on rather than loved and cherished.

I wish I would have known . . .

I wallpapered a world map on our family room wall. We pinned family photos over the countries we visited. We strung yarn along our travel routes. Geography and social science lessons flowed easily. So did my prayers.

I knelt for hours in front of the map praying through the 10/40 window. I paced from end-to-end decreeing and declaring . . . .

I slipped in and out of a feverish sleep. Every time I opened my eyes, tears of pain gathered. My body ached too much to sob with the tears, so they quietly trickled toward my ears. I could not hold a thought or focus more than a moment or two. The fog was impenetrable, but the pain was worse. . . .

“Successful is God’s word spoken over you. He says you are successful even if the world does not see it. God will remind you why you are running for Him.”

I received this prophetic word with joy. I am elated to know that my God regards me as “successful.” I have no position or power or wealth which the world associates with success.

What is God’s measure of success? Jeremiah 9:24 is a good example. . . .

At His second coming, Jesus will finally and fully destroy the enemies of God (Rev. 20). When He comes on His white horse, His armies will be with Him (Rev. 1).

Have you ever wondered why Jesus needs an army when He is already the Victor? His is an army of worshipers. This sounds like a victory march. . .

Which is your least favorite book of the Bible? Mine is Leviticus. All the blood and gore of the sacrifices turns my stomach.

Of course, Jesus Christ is foreshadowed in each of the sacrifices . . . .

Linda and her husband jumped at the chance to plant a church with two other couples. Now, she is counting the cost. They had delighted when God blessed . . .

God rescued Sarah from a homosexual and destructive lifestyle. Looking back, she realized how even the music she had listened to glorified corruption. The lyrics honored what God calls evil and drew her deeper into darkness. She was literally worshipping the enemy of her soul by singing along with his mantra. . . .

Many mariners died, and ships wrecked on the shoals of Destruction Island (Washington State) in the early 1800s. Salvation came in 1891 when a lighthouse with a Fresnel lens projected its light 24 miles out to sea. A Fresnel lens consists of over a thousand glass prisms assembled . . .

I got a rare and treasured gift today, a thank you card. In addition to the . . . .

Millions of decisions and details must be considered when building a house: which floor plan; where to build; what materials; who to hire; how to pay for it. The list seems endless. Even just the furnishing and decorating phase can be overwhelming. Which sink and stove and other fixtures to choose? What flooring and furniture will coordinate well together? Whew! Building a house is a huge undertaking.

Now imagine that you are building a house for God . . .

Medical science confirms what we knew all along. Yes, a broken heart can make a body sick.

My medical provider sent an . . . .