Words In Due Season

“A man has joy in giving an appropriate answer, And how good and delightful is a word spoken at the right moment – how good it is!” Proverbs 15:23 (AMP)Recently, I experienced a first-hand reminder of the reality found within this passage.While attending a service at my church, my pastor was teaching about the spiritual Gift of Encouragement (Romans 12). After the message, there was a time of “activation,” which encouraged parishioners to begin stirring up this gift within the congregation. As people began encouraging those around them, I felt The Lord “highlight” a few individuals for me to encourage.…
Continue Reading

Manchester: UNITED!

Yesterday, a senseless act of terrorism in Manchester, England stunned the world. A suicide bomb was detonated at Manchester Arena as over twenty-thousand people were heading back to their hotels, hostels, and homes after watching musician Ariana Grande perform. Daesh (the Arabic word for “cowards,” known to many as ISIS) is claiming responsibility for this attack. This act of terrorism is the deadliest in England since July, 2005; when suicide bombings in central London claimed fifty-two lives. As I write this; twenty-two people are confirmed dead and fifty-nine more were injured. Many of them were children and youth. Normally, my…
Continue Reading

The Stolen Years

INTRO:The Story Behind The Poem: This poem was born out of the last three years of my journey. In 2016, I  had passed the point of no return, reaching a point where my faith had stopped; completely unable to bridge the gap or find a way across the chasm of hopelessness, struggle, and frustration. Yet, in my desperation I was never alone. Not for a second. The Lord met me in the midst of the darkest chasm, and regenerated me from the inside out! I pray that these words encourage you that even in our most desperate and vulnerable moments,…
Continue Reading

From Beholding to BECOMING

          2016 was definitely a year for the history books. From Brexit, to The Chicago Cubs winning the World Series, to President Donald Trump, and much more. Across the globe, people found themselves in a collective state of shock, surprise, and for some a time of great testing and transition.           For me, it was one of the most difficult years that I have ever faced. I lost family members and mentors who had deeply impacted my life. I encountered new levels of depression, and walked through intense valleys of loneliness, exile, alienation,…
Continue Reading

The Benefit of Darkness – Part 3 of 3 – The Solution

In my previous posts, “The Struggle” and “The Sorrow,” I began detailing my journey through the valley, and my eventual discovery of a “benefit” to the darkness that began to surround me. Here is what I found… When I was in the middle of my struggle, drowning in my sorrow, I never thought that anything good was going to come from it. But even in the midst of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, I found it! The Benefit of Darkness. However, it took me a little bit longer to realize just what I had found. It didn’t “click” for me until a…
Continue Reading

The Benefit of Darkness – Part 2 of 3 – The Sorrow

In my previous post, “The Struggle,” I began detailing my journey through the valley, and my eventual discovery of a “benefit” to the darkness that began to surround me. The story continues… During this time, I felt like everything and everyone had passed me by. I even felt like God Himself had passed me by. Most of my friends were moving onward and upward, some of them into influential ministry positions, with many becoming missionaries in Africa, Europe, Asia, and The Middle East.  How could I face them? Their lives were filled with adventure, excitement, and intrigue. Mine felt like…
Continue Reading