Dear Friend, As family and friends begin to make plans for Thanksgiving, the observance is expected to be filled with food and laughter, celebrating the holiday that started with the pilgrim’s grateful hearts, way back in 1621. As this year’s celebration draws closer, plans to celebrate with a big and fabulous meal go into motion. Turkeys, fresh and frozen, fill grocery store refrigerators and freezers, and soon find their way into homes, as families await the big day. Consumers purchase loads of pumpkin pie filling and whipped cream. Thanksgiving decorations are hung on doors or arranged on shelves above the…

If we’re honest, we sometimes find ourselves merely contemplating our circumstances, but not truly submitting them to God. Instead, when we feel overwhelmed by life, we may be tempted to doubt God will really show up for us. Because of this mistrust, we attempt to control situations and manipulate people – this becomes our modus operandi. We expend a lot of energy thinking of a way to fix the “problem.” In our minds, we can justify taking matters into our own hands because we wrongly conclude God has forgotten about us or doesn’t care. But truly…brooding over our situations is…

The number of calls I receive from adult children of an LGBT parent continues to increase. These callers either grew up with a gay parent or are facing this circumstance as an adult. They speak of their heartache and the difficulties created by their parent’s decision to act on their homosexual or transgender feelings, but they also testify of God’s goodness to them through the years. I’ve also had the privilege to connect adult children of gay or transgender parents with others who are walking this path. Most recently I met with two daughters, Samantha and Anna. They are from…

As Christians, we need to remember that the deepest point of our identity is not in the fame or fortune we achieve in this life; our ultimate identity is tied to our loving, obedient responses to God’s call on our lives. If He calls you to be a brain surgeon, then be the best brain surgeon you can be—for Him. If He calls you to be a stay-at-home mom, then be the best stay-at-home mom you can be—for Him. But in whatever He calls you to do with your life here and now, never forget that He also calls you…

Sometimes it’s necessary to stand back and gain some perspective. I’m learning that my perspective must be long-long-term. In many instances, a trial passes and you move on—a better, stronger, and more joyous person for having passed through that difficulty. That’s living in a long-term perspective. But in some cases, the trial continues for a lifetime. History is full of martyrs who endured decades of suffering only to have that suffering end in death. That kind of suffering requires a long-long-term perspective—a perspective that recognizes relief might not come until the next life. If that thought makes you want to…

In your journey you must learn to trust the Lord with all your heart. When you take your eyes off Jesus, you start to trust your own actions. But only God can handle this. Do not be wise in your own eyes (Proverbs 3:7 NIV). Who are you? Yes, your loved one has a broken view of his or her sexual identity, but it is equally important to know who you are, and who God says you are in Him. In Acts 15, the apostle James said, “Simon has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people…

By Michael Martinez My name is Michael Martinez, a 38-year-old born-again Christian residing in Ontario, California. I grew up in a church where I felt a deep sense of security, love, and peace that only God could provide. I had a genuine, loving relationship with my heavenly Father despite some difficulties at home—an introduction to pornography at a young age, coupled with my father’s mental and verbal abuse of my mother. My grandfather, who did missionary work in Germany with my Oma (grandmother), was the only strong male spiritual figure in my life. Around age twelve, I rebelled against my…

Have you ever admitted to God, “I’m done. There’s nothing left of me”? What can we do? The Word of God directs us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Yet we often forget to pray consistently, passionately. In fact, we may pray only when we feel desperate or hopeless. How can we move toward more meaningful, intimate conversations with God? First, avoid “meaningless repetition” and “empty phrases” (Matthew 6:7). Anyone can fall into this trap. Instead of repeating words and phrases that sound spiritual, use honest, sincere words that reflect your actual feelings. God cares about your heart, your…

Because of my Dad’s porn struggle, my parents divorced when I young. Though the church tried to help him, he wasn’t willing to be accountable. He thought he’d be able to overcome the addiction on his own, but the enemy knew better. Our family was devastated by his porn addiction. My parents’ marriage was destroyed, and my siblings and I were heartbroken. Later we would face another chapter on this painful journey with my dad. He came out as gay, later in life, believing that it was time to be “true” to himself. While he’s being true to himself, my…

By Sherry Holt My sweet mother, God love her, developed a neurological problem in the latter part of her life, and as her breakdown started, her memory would come and go. She knew that I was divorced and living alone, but she didn’t remember why (which was a blessing to me). She said to a friend of mine, “The devil tried to take Sherry out, but he couldn’t do it.”        Even in her altered state, she was aware of the spiritual battle that had gone on for my soul. Despite her state of mental demise she would pray for…