Morning Mercies

Got Loneliness?  Get To The Right Connection Quick! by Jan McGrier Even before the pandemic made social distancing and isolation the “new normal”; loneliness was considered a mental health epidemic in the United States. Research indicates that almost one-half of us have feelings of being left out, left behind, or not really being known (Forbes.com June 2021). The truth of the matter is that we can feel lonely when physically apart from others or in the presence of others. God also had many servant leaders like Joshua, David, Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Paul who suffered loneliness. God’s Word is true and contains true accounts of ordinary people who battled loneliness in everyday life and ministry assignments. Take a look at Leah, she understandably felt alone and rejected as she lived with a husband (Jacob) whose heart had always been for her sister. That particular loneliness bucket never did get satisfied even after she bore him seven children. Maybe you are facing loneliness in a hea...

  Overwhelming Victory Takes a Village By Jan McGrier Should you go swimming by yourself?   How about climbing up that ladder to paint a 2 nd story shutter or clean leaves from the gutters?   Should you accept that first date invitation to meet in a quaint, non-public location?   The obvious and collective response for each of these should be NO!   Ever hear the expression, “Just because you can doesn’t mean you should”?   You certainly can engage in a lot of activities “solo” but when the element of risk increases or there’s potential for harm, then you probably shouldn’t.   Even the African proverb, “It takes a village”, while often applied to raising children, its primary root meaning is tethered to the benefits and power of living in community versus going at it alone. Even from the very beginning of time, the universe was not created in isolation.   God always existed in community as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. As He created the heavens and...