Three hundred and fifty posts? That's right. But currently, I'm in West Virginia, and it's been a bit of a whirlwind. Between the big 350 and this current trip, I have some writing to do, I suppose. In the meantime, instead of writing out a full blog for today, I decided to share a couple of my old posts. I couldn't pick between these two; I just know they both struck me as posts I should re-share. So here we are. First, this post is about how God is our help and our hope. Ps

This past Sunday, we sang a song I was not familiar with, but I found it to be a very moving song. I don't usually share music on this blog, but I felt this one fit in with some of the topics explored here. Challenging times and emotions come upon us all, even Christians. The Psalmists give us a window into how they dealt with those times: They brought them before the Lord. Based on Psalm 42 (I believe), this song, written by Matt Papa and Matt Boswell, captures that well. So

Have you ever woken up and wondered how in the world you were going to face the day? If you haven't, don't worry; your time is coming. Several years ago, I was hiking with a friend. It was a much longer and steeper hike than I expected. Daylight was waning. As we trudged uphill, I reached a breaking point. Unless I got rid of my backpack, there was no way I would be able to keep going . Thankfully, my friend was able and willing to take it. My weakness presented itself ever s

Depression is an unpleasant companion. If you've ever experienced it in any form, then you know what I mean. It likes to stand on your shoulder, shouting in your ear. It often tells you the truth, though many times it is half-truth, truth without context. As many times as I've gone through that valley, I wish I could say I've learned a lot of things, things that would be positive. But it's always an arduous season. It's always hard. It gives rise to questions, even the same q

Sometimes these shares can be very convicting. This is one such time. I hate to admit it, but I certainly can relate to all the forms of pride this article mentions. But conviction over my own failings doesn't mean I shouldn't share this excellent article from the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors. "St. Augustine probes, 'Why art thou proud, O man? God, for thee, became low. Thou wouldst perhaps be ashamed to imitate a lowly man; at any rate, imitate the lowly God.

Today's share from Ligonier touches on, as is the theme for the week, the topic of depression and anxiety. In the midst of those times, it is incredibly difficult for us to remember that even those times of sadness are times to learn more of God's grace and care. And yet, it is also helpful for us to remember these things. While it is not a long article by any means, and the author seems to be referring to a book, it's still a helpful reminder that even these difficult times

Continuing the theme for the week, today I want to share this podcast from Fortis Institute on rejection/fear of man. I'm not going to admit that I deal with this personally, I wouldn't want you to think less of me. Facetiousness aside, it was a pretty good listen. Fear of man is a snare, as the Proverbs say (29:25), and is something I think a lot of us deal with. And, tying in to this weeks theme, can be a definite source of anxiety for many of us. If my memory serves me, a

In keeping with the topic of mental health and depression, here's another share from ACBC. This one is a conversation dealing with how we can approach loved ones who are depressed; how we, ordinary people, can help. It's a tough subject to be sure. But what we shouldn't do is continue wrongful stigmas about the problems of the soul. So, I hope this is a helpful read for you, especially if you know of someone who is going through a rough patch. Maybe God desires to work throug

June is, unbeknownst to me 'til now, Men's Mental Health Awareness month. While I'm not one to govern the calendar around more modern, man-made events, the underlying mental health problems people face (specifically men in this case) are a serious one, and the church should take note, in my opinion. More to the point for today's share from ACBC is suicide, and how the church ought to approach this difficult topic. A glance at the statistics shows that men are four times more

I certainly try to cover a lot of different topics on here, granted. But hopefully the theme becomes clear: our hope is in God. Depression is a debilitating situation, yet it can also be misunderstood greatly. Phrases like "get over it" or "have more faith" are responses that the weary pilgrim might hear along their way through the valley of deep depression. This can not only crush their spirit further, but also cause them to feel more isolated. Both of which are hurtful to t

Today's share comes from Got Questions; it's an article dealing with an interesting topic: the fear of man. It's a sin or struggle that, maybe, we have a harder time admitting we have a problem with. But, it's a problem for many of us just the same. Instead of spending time trying to explain it myself, instead I'll defer to the post, and hope that you find it a help and encouragement.