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The Award Winning Blog



Good Grief!
It’s been said that grief is love attempting to cope with loss. There’s a correlation between the depth of grief we experience over loss and the loving connection that we have with the one who has passed. In my service to the Lord as a local church pastor and later as a U.S. Navy chaplain, God had me be a part of the coping process for many families grieving the loss of a loved one. It is called “Ministry of Presence,” in which clergy have the privilege of walking with famili

David Reid Brown
22 hours ago3 min read


Plans, so many plans!
“A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.” — Proverbs 16:9 NKJV I have a daily plan, a weekly plan, a yearly plan, plans for school, plans for church, and plans for work. Plans abound as we move through life. Yet for all our planning, when the boots hit the ground, events often fall apart or must be altered. It’s amazing how few plans work in real life. Still, we make plans. People like to organize. It gives us a feeling of control. We feel as though we

Kathy Keenum
Aug 282 min read


The Gift You Never Saw Coming
After enduring numerous trials, recognizing positive events becomes challenging. Or maybe you've prayed repeatedly for something, yet it feels like God isn't responding. This can lead to discouragement, making you feel unseen by God. You become weary and then decide, "I'm going to take action, regardless of whether it pleases God." You seek to escape the sensation of helplessness or stagnation.

Vonyee K. Carrington
Jul 314 min read


The Rain Has a Reason
“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:10–11 (NIV) There was a season in my life when I felt like I was walking through a spiritual drought. I still believed

Crystal Johnson
Jul 33 min read


Victory Doesn’t Always Look Like Winning
I’ve lived with depression for a long time. I used to feel ashamed of it. Like if I were a better Christian, maybe I wouldn’t struggle the way I do. Maybe I’d be stronger, happier, or lighter. But I’ve learned that struggling doesn’t cancel out faith. Struggling doesn’t make you less than. And God doesn’t wait until we’re perfect before he calls us his. This verse in 1 John doesn’t say that victory comes from our strength or our performance. It says that our faith is the vict

Shai Johnson
Apr 174 min read


Love Letters from God
But the heart has other feelings. Hearts break, hearts weep, and hearts cry out for help. Hearts cling to the warm, fuzzy feelings of love, but they also hold on to profound loss, sadness, fear, and doubt. If we’re expecting our lives to look like the perfect Hallmark movie, the odds of that happening aren’t always in our favor.

Colleen Howard
Feb 273 min read


The Power of Words to Crush—or Call
Suddenly, uncontrollable tears streamed down my face as pent-up emotions surfaced. I reached for a tissue while tears flowed, and relief flooded me. God uncovered the dreadful memory of a critique where someone’s harsh criticism plunged me into deep despair. After forgiving her, I thought everything was well, but it didn’t erase the words stuck in my head.

Evelyn Collins
Feb 64 min read


God’s Newness in Every Season
When I look back at the seasons of my life marked by pain and struggle, I can see God’s hand gently at work, making me new. I may not have experienced instant healing, but I’ve experienced transformation.

Shai Johnson
Dec 5, 20253 min read
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