Tag: god
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The Strength of Joy
When I read Nehemiah 8:10 — “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” — I am reminded that joy is not something fragile or fleeting. It is a gift from God, a deep well that never runs dry, even when life feels heavy. There are days when sorrow or worry…
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Finding My Spiritual Home: A Journey Across Traditions
I grew up with a strong sense of dualism—the sacred and the profane, heaven and hell, saved and lost. In the Free Will Baptist Church, I was taught the Arminian way, yet it still carried the weight of a worldview where humanity was seen as sinful and bound for judgment. Though I did not embrace…
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Devotional Reflection on Matthew 6:12
I heard the hymn “Forgive Our Sins as We Forgive” by Rosamond Herklots today, and it stirred something deep within me. It reminded me that forgiveness lies at the very heart of our faith. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He included a bold request: “Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who…
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Finding Joy in Life’s Trials
Scripture Reading: “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. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”— James 1:2-4 (NIV) Reflection Life rarely goes according to our plans.…
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The Journey of a Pilgrim
Scripture:“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” – Psalm 119:105 When I was in high school, my English and Literature teacher, Mrs. May Ruth Ishee, assigned me to read Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan and give a report to the class. At first, I saw it simply as…
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Loving God with all we are
In December of 1964, at just fourteen years old, I preached my very first sermon at Lee’s Chapel Free Will Baptist Church near Laurel, Mississippi. The text I chose was Mark 12:30-31: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your…
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Growing Strong in the Heat of Life
“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 Growing up on a farm in rural Greene County, Mississippi, I didn’t much like hoeing or picking cotton under the hot, blazing sun. One day, as sweat…
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Empathy Is Not a Sin: A Biblical Response
In recent years, a curious argument has emerged in certain Christian circles: that empathy itself may be a kind of sin. Voices like Allie Beth Stuckey, Joe Rigney, Pete Hegseth, and J. D. Vance warn that empathy can cloud our judgment, compromise our convictions, and even lead us into affirming sin. They argue that empathy…
The Curious Pilgrim 