A Holy Week Invitation: Three Ways to Make it More Meaningful
While there have been many solar eclipses, the sun has never again hidden its face for three hours (Matthew 27:45).…
meaning
Necessary or Unnecessary Suffering
Some Christians seem to believe God brings us suffering on purpose, to build our character. Others believe that following Jesus…
Friend or Foe: Embracing the Divine Design in Your Body’s Messages
Talk to a Christian about our physical body and you’re likely to get confused. You might hear, “You must take…
Getting God from your Head to your Heart
Some of us (me included) naturally approach life first from the head. We studied hard in school, and when a…
Caring for Your Body, Mind, and Soul During the Holiday Season
It’s almost Christmas! For some, this is a good season, full of love, joy, anticipation, and connecting with family and…
What Were You Even Created For?
If you woke up this morning feeling that everything in your world is better-than-good and you’re fully satisfied, this article…
How to Celebrate Christmas When Life is Hard – Anyway
You have problems, and it might seem impossible to truly celebrate Christmas when things are this hard. But I’m quite…
How to Experience God’s Presence in Your Past Trauma
We’ve all experienced “stuff.” No one comes through life unscathed. What’s in your bucket of stuff is different from what’s…
The Biggest Thing Missing From the Abortion Debate
Roe v. Wade and the abortion debate has been a volatile topic for decades. And the US Supreme Court’s decision…
Are These 8 Myths About Marriage Harming Your Relationship?
You imagine “I do” should lead to “happily ever after.” That may happen in fairy tales, romance novels, and cheesy…
10 Scriptures for Overcoming Fear and Anxiety
You know the Bible says “Don’t be afraid.” But sometimes anxious thoughts and feelings seem to overtake your heart and…
Are You Using Your Influence to Help Others?
You have influence. You may not consider yourself an “influencer.” You may not have millions of “followers.” But there are…
Three Things You Need to Recover from Church Hurt
“Raise your hand if you have not been hurt in church.” Just this week I heard a friend of mine…
Pastor’s Marriage and Ministry Restored
John is a pastor. He loves being a pastor. He loves being the husband to his wife and the father…
God’s Purpose for Your Life is Unique to YOU
Just because it hasn’t been done before doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. The fact that there is no specific…
Uprooting Why You Feel Unhappy in Your Marriage
Every marriage has challenges. It wouldn’t make sense to expect the union of two different human beings to proceed without…
Your Biggest Calling May Not Be in Church
There’s little that is more fulfilling than to serve God. Humans thrive when they are part of something significant that’s…
Ten Christmas Gifts Your Spouse Will Love
Christmas is a time for giving. If you have a clear idea of what your spouse would love, and it’s…
How to Stay Resilient During a Blue Holiday Season
Holidays are supposed to be “happy and bright,” right? But every year I hear from people for whom the holiday…
My Grateful List
Today is Thanksgiving in the United States. Scientific research, countless personal stories, and good old common sense demonstrate that being…
Holidays and Relationships: It’s Complicated
This week in the United States many families will gather together to celebrate Thanksgiving. And Christmas is just a few…
Who Are You Becoming?
If you are the same person tomorrow as you are today, your life will pretty much be the same as…
3 Steps to Fulfilling what God Created You to Do
Why are you here? What is the reason God placed you on this earth? Many people struggle with that question.…
How I Push Through the Holiday Blues
Holidays are supposed to be “happy and bright,” right? But every year I hear from people for whom the holiday…
5 Things To Do When You Feel Like God Doesn’t Care
Do you ever feel like God doesn’t care? Someone says, “God is good.” And you respond, “All the time!” And yet…
How Your Troubles Lead to Transformation
Think back to the times you’ve made some significant step forward – overcoming a bad habit, developing a new skill,…
How Changing Your Past Can Change Your Future
A wise mentor once told me, “You can never step into the same river twice.” Life happens. You can’t recreate…
What Can Christmas Do for You?
Few of us, if any, come to Christmas unscathed. The busyness of family and church events, family drama, or wishing…
Holiday Blues: Coping with Depression and Loneliness This Season
Perhaps you’re too young to remember Elvis’s Blue Christmas, but you may find yourself fighting a serious case of the…
What to Do When You Don’t Feel Thankful on Thanksgiving
Today in the United States we celebrate Thanksgiving Day. Family and friends gather to enjoy each other and remember our…
The End of the Story
The Bible as a true story, an epic play, a blockbuster movie, should come with a warning; Spoiler Alert! We’re…
Feeling God’s Love when Others Don’t Love You
You believe what the Bible says; “God is love.” But that can seem so intellectual, so “spiritual.” Your heart aches…
Why You Should Throw Away Your Christian Checklist
It’s well past time for you to throw away your Christian checklist. But first, quickly, what are the things you…
How to Receive Healing from God
We all need to receive healing from God. (And if you believe you’re the exception, you need an extra special…
4 Steps to Finding Your Purpose as a Believer
Finding your purpose is a big deal. We call it many different things: gift, talent, anointing, mission, purpose. Those words…
A Widow’s First Year Alone
In some sense “widow’s first year alone” is deeply false. I’m not really alone. I never have been, and I…
HOPE for the In-Between Times
The in-between times can often be one of the most challenging. The Christmas celebrations are over. The New Year is…
A Woman’s Beauty and Strength: Dangerous or Delightful?
Can we talk? Just you and me, girlfriend? A woman’s beauty is one source of her strength. But everything depends…
More Than Gratitude: Trusting God for ENOUGH
There’s something powerful about relishing the enough-ness of where you are and what you have right now. It’s more than…
What to do if you Feel Unloved
Unwanted. Rejected. Second class. Fifth wheel. Unimportant. Not good enough. Lonely. You feel unloved, and it hurts. You want to…
Raging Against Death: The End of the Story
You can handle a lot – for a while. You can handle separation from your sweetheart if you know you’ll…
Facing Grief at Easter
Today is Good Friday. Sunday is Easter. Is there a more important weekend in all of Christianity? The death, burial,…
What to Do With the Question, “Why God?”
At some point you will face difficulties that will cause your faith to be challenged. You may or may not…
Declaring the Death of Death
This weekend we laid my wonderful husband Al Tanksley to rest. Although my heart is broken, my spirit is determined…
Christmas Greeting 2015
I and all of us at Dr Carol Ministries want to wish you a very Merry Christmas! If you’re gathering…
Where is that Peace on Earth?
I heard the bells on Christmas Day Their old familiar carols play And wild and sweet the words repeat Of…
The Meaning of Sex in the Heart of a Woman
Sex is messy. And the messiness of sex is not primarily physical (although it is that). The meaning of sex,…
A Big THANK YOU!
Those of us in the United States have just celebrated Thanksgiving. For many, it was a day for food, family,…
How to Find Comfort When You Need It
I need to be comforted this week. I “lost” a patient. Actually, two patients. Both mother and baby died, and…
Feeling Abandoned by God When You’re Sick
Physical illness, especially when it’s long-term, can unsettle your world. It saps your energy and possibly your finances. It throws…
