Do you know anyone who needs a ladder to start getting out of a place of pain? I often think of God’s Words as a ladder to come up higher. Over and over again, I can climb up. If we take the time to read em when they are in front of us, listen to them when they are spoken, and grab hold of His Words when they are given- we will rise once again. Our God wants the churches to get it right. He doesn’t want to condemn them. Through His smart words, He is telling them and us how to do better. So often, it’s not the denomination…

Misdiagnosed and undiagnosed problems and hurts can delay the healing process. Lying or being lied to can cause uneasy soul palpitations, hope decay, and unnecessary chaos. Being ignored or ignoring real feelings can make the heart grow sick and tired. I don’t care if anyone wants to challenge this next statement but it stands to reason…It is pure wisdom to pursue God. To quit pursuing God is to quit wanting the best relationships, the boldest dreams, and the biggest blessings one could ever have. It is a healthy pursuit. As a Pastor’s wife, I’ve had to learn this lesson…never close the door to God when relationships go wrong. Keep your…

Have you been hurt in church? Me too – Have you been blessed by church? Me too! Sitting in the congregation of our Assembly of God church at eighteen years old was both a relief and a challenge. It was a relief because I knew I was pursuing the right thing. I truly wanted to know more about God. I wanted to do something about the “disconnect” that I had been experiencing in my life due to drifting a bit. And I wanted to… grow UP. I re-dedicated my life to Christ. It was a challenge because I knew this meant change. And I was not familiar with the target…

There’s a multitude of layers to being hurt. Hurts in church can range from surface situations to deep, deep wounds. The wreckage is unbelievably too complicated at times to know what to begin to say, do, or how to handle it. Sometimes it is best left alone but then there are times we are prompted to try and resolve the issue. We owe it to ourselves, other believers, and God’s house. Think about an actual wreck. Some of the scariest times in our lives are when we see vehicles collide or we witness the debris of emotions long after things seem to appear cleaned up. For whatever reason, an accident…

Though there are some really bad stories out there about church, there are just as many good stories. I cannot even begin to tell you how often people have told me about a time when the church or someone associated with a church, helped them in their time of need. If you’ve been gone and are staying away due to being busy, don’t entertain the thought that you should be too ashamed to return. That is the voice of the enemy- the liar. Your return (In attitude, language, action, reception, and hopefully in body also) should show a supernatural force in your life to others. Your return speaks statements of…

Relationships don’t grow without honesty. If something is done wrongly, you and I have the responsibility to handle that in a manner that will cause growth. “The church” is still in the maturing process. Sometimes it backfires. When it does, when things get difficult, we are to live it out even as uncomfortable as that could be. We cut the process short- we bail out. We are to see how God can turn things for good but too many times, people don’t stick around to allow this to happen. I commend those who pushed through and did not leave until they could do it in a decent attitude. For those…

There. I said it. Coming from someone who probably hurt some people, coming from someone who most definitely has been hurt, I’m here to tell you that you too will be hurt in church. Your very next question is: “Then why go?” In going (or going back), you will enter a process that was begun by a mighty God who formed everything into being. He set the world in motion and He created the organism we call church. Jesus’ bride. Do I believe you have to be there for every event? No. Do I believe you’re suppose to be mistreated. Nope. Do I believe you’ve got to participate in every…