Have you thought recently about your purpose in life?
We live in an age of consumerism, constantly being bombarded with ways to make our lives “better”: more comfortable, more enjoyable, more exciting. At the same time, there is an underlying pressure to succeed, to prove our worth, whether through the superficial measures of income and occupation, the social status in number of Facebook friends or followers, or even the moral/spiritual evidence that we are “making a difference” for Christ. But when we try to achieve, even in the name of serving God, we take the focus away from Him.
God didn’t make us to glorify ourselves. He made us to bring glory to His Name.
I am slowly learning more about what it means to live for God’s glory, and along the way encountering the gracious love of God in many ways. In the midst of my own failures I discover how His power is made perfect in our weakness (2nd Cor. 12). How exciting it is to discover His ability to use us when we surrender our lives and our wills back into His hands!! Will you join me in this journey?
Discover more about the Tree of Life program!
The Tree of Life model is about thriving, not just surviving, and helping others do the same. It addresses brokenness and trauma as part of one’s history, a place to find healing.
El Camino de Santiago:
A Devotional
Many have heard of El Camino de Santiago, or the Way of St. James. Some have had the opportunity to experience it, to walk one of the numerous routes to Santiago de Compostela. Far more have read the book of St. James, perhaps multiple times.
In this month-long devotional we will follow both of them. I’ll be sharing what I learned along the way, walking from Porto to Santiago de Compostela, while reading through the book of James. Each day a new devotional post will be available.
My Blog
Trusting God When Plans Change
Traveling to Chile I was excited about going to Chile, the country where I was born and lived the first eight years of my life. My last visit was after the massive earthquake in 2010. My focus then was providing psychological first aid in a town that had literally...
El Camino Reflections: Corruption or Caring
Devotional Day 26 Come now, you rich people, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. Your gold and your silver have corroded, and their corrosion will serve as a testimony against you...
El Camino Reflections: Trusting God’s Will
Devotional Day 25 Come now, you who say, “Today we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. For you are just a vapor that appears for a little while and...
El Camino: Vilanova to Padron
Devotional Day 17 But are you willing to acknowledge, you foolish person, that faith without works is useless? Was our father Abraham not justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result...
El Camino: “The Route of Stone and Water” to Vilanova de Arousa
Devotional Day 16 What use is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and...
El Camino: Rubiães to Quinta Estrada Romana (Valença)
Devotional Day 11 But prove yourselves doers of the word, not just hearers who deceive themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror, for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has...
El Camino: Matosinhos to Vila Chã
Devotional Day 4 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by...
Finding Unity in Love
*This blog is based on a recent sermon I gave in Burundi, centered on John 17. I encourage you to read the chapter slowly before reading this blog. John 17 is a unique chapter. It is the only time we get to listen in on an intimate conversation between Jesus and God...
Sickness, Grace, and Healing: 20 Years of Experience
I recently came across some old films from two decades ago. These are not pictures of my family making memories or reminders of my youth. They are images of my brain, MRI films from an era when hard copies were mounted on a lit background for evaluation. 2002 was the...
Emily Hervey, PsyD
May God’s grace abound in your heart today!