“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. " (Matthew 5:43-45) I don't know about you but loving my enemies can be a tall order sometimes. People can be hurtful. Even downright mean. It's easy to want to defend ourselves or our loved ones, to right the wrong, or inflict the same kind of hurt we have suffered. After all, the world tells us to destroy our enemies. We must…

“Lord, you want me to forgive them? But did you see what happened? Really?” If you’ve lived longer than, oh, say a week on planet Earth, forgiveness is likely something you’ve struggled with. Mean, manipulative people are everywhere. In all honesty, it’s not much of a struggle for me when nonbelievers tear me or my family apart with hastily flung barbs. Lost people are supposed to act lost. My greatest struggle in forgiving the lacerations of a too-sharp tongue or well-placed arrow have come from friendly-fire…those who claim to be followers of Christ. Those who say they are my brother…

The pounding on the door startled me. We hadn’t been home very long. Returning from my father-in-law’s funeral and all that entailed had been exhausting. My husband peeked through the glass. “Do you know this guy?” The man standing on the front porch gave off the vibe of a tightly coiled rattler. I shook my head. “Never seen him.” Todd frowned but opened the door to the stranger with a welcoming smile. “Hello! Can I help you?” The stranger was stocky. His neck was mottled red, his fists curled at his side. “Yeah, you can do something for me. Is…

One of my favorite movies is It's a Wonderful Life. George Bailey is continually baffled by the beauty his wife sees in their old, drafty, worn- down home. He only sees the creaking steps and sagging trim. But Mary Bailey's eyes light up with hope and promise as she drinks in the sight of the big, rambling house. She sees the hidden beauty just waiting to be exposed. And I believe that is exactly how God sees us. Welcome back to When Your Heart is Stamped "Condemned". In Part 1, we looked at two types of condemned houses: the keep-away…

"Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat." ~Mother Teresa Close your eyes. You stand staring at a condemned house. Weeds and ivy have taken over the land. Broken glass litters the ground. A window in front is boarded shut with splintered wood. The windows upstairs are broken and dark. The roof is caving in and the entire structure is in shambles. Everything about the house resembles death, darkness, danger and broken dreams. And across the front door, a sign…

I watched the teenage girl in the pew, her arms hugging her torso, cheeks flushed red as she stared at the floor. The rest of the congregation was singing some worship song about peace being found in God’s presence but not her. She looked trapped, blue-eyed gaze darting from side to side. My heart ached as I studied her. She had told me of the crippling anxiety that marked her days. Facing each morning with grit was a victory. Just when she had begun to find a measure of security in the solace of church, a member with an acid…