Blogs

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Do we really believe our words are powerful and that they affect the environment around us? Have you ever been in the presence of someone who walked in, vented, and left you feeling as if they had vomited on you? What comes out of our mouths? Are the words we speak doing good in the world around us, or tearing it down? Scripture tells us that God created the world with His words and that we were created in His image. JAMES 3:10 Out of the sam

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Often, we repeat the same issues we grew up with, but we don’t have to. My mom had a verbally abusive mouth. I spent years in counseling to overcome the damage her destructive words caused. That experience motivated me to use my mouth to encourage people. It Is Written PSALM 1 41:3 Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. Life or Death Scripture tells us our mouths can speak life or death, blessing or curse

By Paula Williamson, guest writer One thing we can all agree on is that we are human and fallible. Even on our best day, we remain human. We have made more than our share of mistakes. Those who think they haven’t are simply blinded by pride. The good news is that we have someone smarter than we are, in whom we can place our confidence. It Is Written PSALM 119:98 -100 Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever mine. 99 I have more insight than all m

By Paula Williamson, guest writer One of life’s biggest challenges is not knowing what to do. Daily challenges open the door to countless uncertainties. Believing that God is the author and creator of the Universe, the one who knows everything from beginning to end and has inspired an instruction book for us to live by, gives me confidence. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Choosing friends is not a mystery, but choosing one wisely requires knowing what a friend really is. Facebook has done us a disservice with its term "friends." One is not a friend simply by acquaintance or association at sporting events. Friendship is earned. Not everyone who crosses our path is friend-worthy. It Is Written PROVERBS 13:20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. Choose Frien

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Relationship Messes My heart aches for everyone around me who has endured relationship struggles. Important lessons, such as healthy conflict resolution, managing big emotions, personal responsibility, and setting boundaries, including who is friend-worthy and who is not, are not taught in school or in most homes. Sadly, most of us learn them only after our relationships have been wrecked. Wouldn’t it be great if we knew these lessons and m

By Paula Williamson, guest writer It’s interesting that we feed ourselves three meals a day, yet many of us think feeding ourselves spiritually once a week is enough. This helps explain why many who call themselves Christians do not look or live much differently from the world. If we are followers of Christ, our lives should look very different. It Is Written JAMES 1:22 -25 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer

By Paula Williamson, guest writer We are not powerless victims. We were created for a purpose. The truth is that every thought we think, every choice we make, and every word we speak brings consequences, either blessings or curses. Our choices allow us to be a thermostat or a thermometer. We are either changing the environment, or it is changing us. It Is Written JAMES 3:10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. DEUTERO

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Mark 9:4 tells the story of a man who brought his son, who had seizures, to Jesus for healing. He said, “Lord, if You can do anything, take pity on us.” Jesus told him that all things are possible for him who believes. Where does one find this belief? It Is Written ROMANS 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of God. The Bible Surveys indicate that only 30% of church attendees read their Bible daily. That’s l

By Paula Williamson, guest writer We have the freedom to think or believe whatever we wish. We can believe there is no God or that there is. We can believe the Bible is true or not, that we are loved or not, that we are valuable or not. But what and how we think determine our days, moods, and actions. It Is Written PROVERBS 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. JOHN 8:31 -32 So Jesus said to the

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Some people thrive on change. Unfortunately, I am not one of them. I love routines, family, friends, home, predictability, and a sure thing. In a rapidly changing world, it’s comforting to find something that remains constant. I find that in Scripture. It Is Written MATTHEW 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. Unchangeable The Bible is over 3,500 years old, and many people have tried to prove it fals

By Paula Williamson, guest writer It’s hard to know what the truth is nowadays. The right, the left, conspiracy theories, LGBTQ, BLM, ANTIFA, you name it. Everyone has an opinion about what they believe is the truth. What is interesting is that they are all different. Also interesting is that their truths keep changing. PROVERBS 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. So how do we know the truth? It Is Written JOHN 8:32 And ye sh

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Unfathomable Truth There are some things beyond my comprehension. Space, numbers, grace, mercy, forgiveness, unconditional love, and more. I clearly hear the explanations and definitions, but they are so much more than my limited understanding. It Is Written JOHN 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Mind Blowing We get tripped up by what we cannot explain or understand. This scripture i

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Armor We do not think much about armor in our world today. As kids, we may have watched the movie or heard stories about The Sword in the Stone or King Arthur. Some of us may have played with swords and shields, though not too often. These stories stir something deep within us. We want to be the victors. Scripture places great importance on the invisible armor God provides for His followers to be victorious. It Is Written EPHESIANS 6:10

By Paula Williamson, guest writer One evening, I was walking home from my mom’s house. It was overcast, and there was no moonlight. I was stunned to realize I literally could not see my hand in front of my face. It’s a pretty frightening feeling when you have no sense of direction. In the distance, I could see my porch light, so I knew that if I kept heading that way, I would find my way home. Scripture promises something similar to this experience. It Is Written PSALMS 1

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Someone told me they do not find answers to their questions in the Bible. We turn to ChatGPT and Google for answers to every question nowadays. These sources can quickly provide information in seconds, catering to our microwave society. We were created with free will and have the freedom to do what is right in our own eyes, but there is a source that promises so much more. It Is Written 2 TIMOTHY 3:16 -17 All Scripture is God breathed and

By Paula Williamson, guest writer I started reading the Bible daily when I was 18 years old. There were times when it seemed I got nothing from it. It is a complex book, but more often than not, when I ask God to speak to me through His word, He does. Often, I am too hurried to listen, or my mind is preoccupied with other things. When my heart is postured to listen, He speaks a rhema word, a just-now word, a current word, right into my heart. It Is Written HEBREWS 4:12 Fo

By Paula Williamson, guest writer My dad taught me that keeping my word was one of the most important things in life. His life was like a clock, steady, dependable, and on time. I have done my very best to keep my word, but not so in the world around me. More often than not, people make promises they do not keep. This is not true of God and His word. It Is Written ISAIAH 55:11 So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me empty without accomplish

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Perspective is an interesting concept. One day, when so many overwhelming things were happening in my life, I thought that if I wrote them all down, it would be like cleaning out a closet, and I’d feel better. Wrong. After 5 pages, I was in tears, sitting with my bestie, “self-pity.” I decided to shift my perspective to the things I was grateful for. I admit it was hard and started slowly, but after eight pages, my eyes were filled with tears

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Oblivionectomy Is that a word? Maybe it is not recognized by Merriam-Webster, but I made it up. At one point in my life, the disappointments, trauma, and setbacks were so great that I felt my knees would buckle. I didn’t know how I could face the day. I am a word person, and the Lord often drops a word into my Spirit, which I ponder and look up. On that day, the word was oblivion. Our friend Merriam defines it as the state of being complete