I read of her in my college literature class, Lady Elaine of Astolat. A figure in Arthurian legend, she died from the weight of unrequited love. Sir Lancelot just didn’t feel it the same way she did. Of course, dying because of or for… Continue Reading “Choosing Strange Love”
Category: Daily ChoicesTags: Death, Doubts, Faith, Feelings, Good Feelings, Happiness, Ignatius of Antioch, Jesus, Jesus' Sacrifice, Joy, Lady Elaine, love, Love Hurts, Love like Jesus, Love that Gives, Martyrs, Meaning, Perpetua and Felicity, Polycarp, Purpose, Sacrificial Death, sacrificial love, Self-centered, Sentiments, Strange Love, Suffering, Till Death do us part, True Happiness, Unrequited Love
What is it about children and their selective hearing? They conveniently fail to perceive instructions or warnings they don’t like. But if a parent for some reason does not follow through with something he said he might do, there is a predictable mantra shouted:… Continue Reading “Choosing to Follow His Promises”
Category: Daily ChoicesTags: Assurance, Belief, Believe, Believe God, Believe Jesus, Blood oath, Commitment, Don't Give Up, Doubt, Doubtful, Enduring Faith, Enduring Hope, Faith, forgiveness, Future Resurrection, Give my word, Give your word, God's Promises, Guarantee, Hope, I give up, I promise, Jesus is coming, Long wait, love, Pact, Persevere, Pledge, Promise, Promises, Redemption, Return of Christ, Salvation, Tired, Trust, Trusting God, Trusting Jesus, Vow, Wait, Waiting, Weary, Worthy of Trust, You promised
It hit the airwaves just before I graduated from high school. And though I never absorbed any of the lyrics except the first line, I found myself humming and singing those few words over and over. There was also a movie and TV series… Continue Reading “Choosing a Long-Term View of My Life”
Category: Daily ChoicesTags: Anti-materialism, Assets, Eternal Life, Eternity, Faith, Fame, Famous, Forever, Heaven, Heavenly reality, Hope, Hopeful, immortal, immortality, Incorruptible life, Invest, Investments, Live forever, Long life, Long Suffering, Long-Term, love, Materialism, Never die, Never give up, Patience, Perseverance, Persevere, Physical, Physical reality, short life, short-term, Short-term Thinking, Skepticism, Wait, Waiting
As far back as I can remember, I have largely interpreted life, my value, and my impressions of those around me through the words I hear. What I have taken in through my ears has lodged deep into my soul. Countless words have cut… Continue Reading “Choosing to Speak Life”
Category: Daily ChoicesTags: advocate, Affirm, applaud, approve, backbiting, backstabbing, bad-mouth, Belittle, boost, cheer, Comfort, console, Crude Jokes, Crude Talk, Curse, Curses, damage, defamation, defame, depreciate, dirty laundry, dirty linen, dishonor, Dishonoring, disparage, Encourage, Encouragement, Energize, enliven, Faith, False, Falsehood, gladden, Gossip, Healing, Healing Words, Heart Motive, Honoring, Hope, Hurt, Hurtful, Hurtful Words, injure, inspire, Jokes, libel, Lies, Life-giving, Life-Giving Words, Lips, love, Lying, Lying Lips, malign, Mouth, muckrake, mud-slinging, Negative Words, Painful Words, Power of the Tongue, Praise, promote, Refresh, revile, Sarcasm, Sarcastic Words, slam, Slander, Slandering Words, slime, slur, smear, smile, Speech, Spoken Word, Support, Talk, Talking, tear down, The Mouth, The Tongue, Truth, Truth in Love, Words
How many plans have been started with grand vision and then abandoned because of how insignificant and underwhelming the idea later felt? My visionary follow-through often struggles. Emotions of discouragement settle in when the glorious things I imagine don’t swiftly materialize. Not seeing an… Continue Reading “Choosing to Begin Small”
Category: Daily ChoicesTags: Afraid, Begin, Begin Small, Beginnings, Don't despise small beginnings, Embarrassing, Eyes of Faith, Eyes to See, Faith, fear, Fresh Start, Greatness, Hope, Inadequate, Insignificant, Insignificant beginnings, Loaves and Fishes, love, Mustard Seed, Patience, Simple, Simple Obedience, Simple Offering, Simple Prayers, Small Beginnings, So small, Start Small, Surrender, Think Big, Trust, Trusting Heart
Posted on May 20, 2024
by Jeff Herringshaw
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I was a child when I remember first hearing the concept of having a “friendship with God.” It provided a welcome relief from the burden of legalism my young perception of religion had pressed on me. But looking back, I now see that this… Continue Reading “Choosing a Different Kind of Friendship”
Category: Daily ChoicesTags: Abraham, Closer than a Brother, Companionship, Faith, Friendship with God, God my Friend, God's Way, Good Friends, Hope, Intimacy with God, Jacob, Jesus my Friend, Life, Life-giving, love, Loving God, Obedience, Obedience to God, Relationships, Struggling Friends, Struggling with God, True Friendship, Trust, Wrestling, Wrestling with God
I traveled quite a bit when my children were young. I led outreach teams to foreign countries and could be gone for several weeks at a time. We didn’t have a lot of money, and so when it came to bringing gifts home to… Continue Reading “Choosing Treasure Not Easily Seen”
Category: Daily ChoicesTags: Appetities, Blind, Can't See, Christ, Dividends, Eternal, Eternal Dividends, Eternally Wealthy, Eternity, Faith, Future, God, Happiness, Happy, Heavenly Father, Hidden Treasure, Hidden Value, Hidden Values, Holy Spirit, Hope, I can't see, Immediate Gratification, Invest, Investments, Jesus, love, Open Eyes, Physical Appetites, Redeem, Redemption, Salvation, See, Seeing Eyes, Self Indulgment, short-term, Short-Term Happiness, Short-term mindset, Temporal Pleasure, Treasure, True Wealth, Values, Wealth
Posted on February 19, 2024
by Jeff Herringshaw
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As a child, I remember when my Sunday school knowledge about God and the Bible became dull and simple. I was a jaded 12-year-old, having grown up saturated with what felt like dry, moralistic lessons drawn from the pages of scripture. The words faith,… Continue Reading “Choosing to “Know” Less”
Category: Daily ChoicesTags: Beginnings, Believe, boredom, Childlike, Childlikeness, Children, Discipleship, Enjoy, Faith, Faith Fundamentals, Faith Hope Love, forgive, Godliness, Growing with God, Hope, Humility, Intimacy with Jesus, Kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven, Knowledge, Learn, Like a Child, love, Maturity, Respond to love, Simple, Sunday school, The Basics, Trust, Wisdom
Posted on December 4, 2023
by Jeff Herringshaw
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Many years ago I read a slim little book by a Chinese pastor known as Watchman Nee. It was a study of of the Biblical book of Ephesians. It is called Sit, Walk, Stand, and I have referred to it many times since. SIT He… Continue Reading “Choosing to Hold My Ground”
Category: Daily ChoicesTags: Alert, Defiance, Don't give up, Don't back down, Faith, Hold fast, No, Not giving up, Obedience, Obedience to God, Obedience to Jesus, Perseverance, Push back, Resist, resisting, Resisting Satan, Resisting the devil, Say no, Spiritual Warfare, Stand up, Strong faith, Take your stand, Taking my stand, Unwavering, Watchman Nee
Posted on October 30, 2023
by Jeff Herringshaw
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The well-known British philosopher and atheist, Bertrand Russell (1872-1970), was supposedly asked later in his life how he would explain his beliefs if he was confronted with God after he died. It is said that he quickly replied, “Not enough evidence, God! Not enough… Continue Reading “Choosing to Value Faith”
Category: Daily ChoicesTags: Atheism, Belief, Belief in God, Child-like Faith, Choose Faith, Faith, Faith as a Child, Faith in God, God is Alive, God is Dead, I am an Atheist, I Believe, In God We Trust, Let Go and Let God, No God, Presuppositions, Radical Faith, Reasons to Believe, Rely on God, Ridiculous Faith, Self Reliance, There is no God, Trust, Trust in God, What is Faith?
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