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A Vision of Faith: Walking on Air
I don’t often share my personal revelations that occur in my prayer times, much less the occasional vision that comes. But this one seems like it has a broader message than just my own little life. The pastor at my church is speaking on faith this month and so my focus lately in devotions is on Hebrews. The first revelation that God downloaded to me this month is that faith is not merely believing that He will do what He has promised to do. Faith isn’t just the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. I say ‘just’ with a grain of salt. After all, the…
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How to Love Your Enemies: No Faking Allowed
One of the biggest surprises that adult life has brought me is the fact that I have enemies. I’m not talking about the devil or even people who find me annoying. I am talking about bona fide enemies who actively wish me harm or who for reasons of their own, hate me. Another surprise that adult life brought my way is how easy it is to hate them back. Hatred is a bleak desert of an emotion. And it pretty much always leads to despair. After all, no life springs forth from the kind of hatred one feels towards someone similarly inclined towards oneself. And because we know that we…
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What I Learned from My First Bad Boss
My first experience with a bad boss puzzled me for years. Nearly eighteen years ago, I taught at a small Christian university in Kentucky. A single mom with four girls, I was incredibly grateful for my job. I kept my head down and taught my classes. Towards the end of the school year, the chair of my department called me in. I remember the moment quite clearly. I liked my boss. He was about thirty years older than me. I had met his lovely wife and, from my naïve standpoint, thought they must have a lovely marriage. He asked me if I had heard the rumors. I had not. Up…