As many of you may already know, my wife Leah and I have recently suffered some severe loss. On November 30, 2023, we lost our son, Andrew James, at 16 weeks gestation. Then again on July 2, 2024, we lost our daughter, Quincy Kay, at 20 weeks gestation. There were many thoughts that followed both…
One hundred and forty-three years ago, a fellow named Charles W. Fry wrote a hymn entitled “The Lily of The Valley.” The opening line is, “I have found a friend in Jesus; he’s everything to me.” That sentiment of friendship with Jesus turns up in quite a few Christian songs, singing of “friendship with Jesus,…
God’s word endorses mercy, as Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” (Matthew 5:7). The prophet Hosea wrote that God desires “mercy, and not sacrifice” (Hosea 6:6), which Jesus echoed (Matthew 12:7). The Lord wants mercy more than rituals performed by worshipers. James warns us that “judgment is without mercy to…