"For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ." -Romans 5:17 I am always on the lookout for God-signs in my life. It's one of the ways God speaks to me. Two things He uses in my life to confirm my direction are rainbows, and the number 17. The rainbow is symbolic of grace and God

"And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever." -1 Chronicles 28:9 A mentor of mine was in town, and he was talking about the importance of seeking God's presence. "So many people seek God for what He can do for them, but that's not wha

"And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever." -1 Chronicles 28:9 A mentor of mine was in town, and he was talking about the importance of seeking God's presence. "So many people seek God for what He can do for them, but that's not wha

"For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10 Have you ever felt tension in your life? There are negative tensions, like anxiety or worry, and positive tensions, like weight-training. According to Webster's online dictionary, the type of tension we're talking about means "either of two balancing forces causing or tending to cause extension". In every life, there is a tension that exis

"The land of Egypt will become a desolate wasteland, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord. "Because you said, 'The Nile River is mine; I made it.'" -Ezekiel 29:9 "I did that." "I built that." "Because I deserve it." In our Western way of thinking, we often think that the reason for our success is because of us, even if we believe in God. The mindset that, "It happened because of me," pervades our society. But, is this really true? The Bible says, "Every good and per

"And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations." Ezekiel 36:24-28 When we begin to think about the New Year, there is a lot of talk about New Year's Resolutions. In 2007, Richard Wisemen from the University of Bristol did a survey of 3,000 people to see how many actua

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." -Romans 6:23 Have you ever seen the movie It's a Wonderful Life? It has to be one of the greatest American movies of all time, released in 1946. The film stars George Bailey, a man whose dire circumstances result in a depression so bad he makes up his mind to take his own life on Christmas Eve. Just as he is about to jump off a bridge, George's guardian angel, Clarence Odbo

"Then Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he became acquainted with a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with his wife, Priscilla. They had left Italy when Claudius Caesar deported all Jews from Rome. Paul lived and worked with them, for they were tentmakers just as he was." -Acts 18:1-3 Often we might think that the first disciples lived as missionaries like missionaries do in the modern day. We might think that all of the disciples

"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed - not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence - continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." -Philippians 2:12 & 13 Have you ever done something nice for someone who didn't really appreciate it? Have you ever performed a gesture of kindness only to realize that the person on the receiving end didn't care,

"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." -Romans 12:2 I am a big fan of preventative health. Anything we can do to help avoid the devastating effects of disease through exercise and nutrition is very important to me! Most people who have a knowledge of preventative health know that everyday, we