Job 15 Do we get tired of ourselves, the sound of our own voices, the mix-tape on a loop in our brain, accusing, maybe excusing ourselves? Does our inner criticism wear us down? Do the words and opinions of others, even those dear to us, crush us, maybe break us? We have read the accusations … Continue reading Steadfast
Bible
Face to Face
Job 13 "Behold, my eye has seen all this, my ear has heard and understood it. What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you. But I would speak with the Almighty, and I desire to argue my case with God. As for you, you whitewash with lies; worthless physicians are you … Continue reading Face to Face
Ask the Beasts, the Birds, the Trees…
Job 12 My desk sits near a window in our old farmhouse. It allows a good view of the side hill and woods and, if I lean back enough, the old apple orchard where the deer meet each morning. There's a Christmas tree graveyard in these woods, where my boys have dumped our old trees … Continue reading Ask the Beasts, the Birds, the Trees…
A Broken Record
Job 11 Does it seem as though Job's friends are stuck in a loop? As if they keep telling the same story and the listener is expected to nod and smile as if it was new information? My mom calls this being "a broken record." I heard that phrase a good bit growing up when … Continue reading A Broken Record
A Little Cheer Before I Go
Job 10 Ah, a cup of strong coffee in the morning. Or, a cup of peppermint tea to warm the heart after dinner in the evening. A glass of wine with friends, where the laughter and conversation is more heady than the wine. A good book on a quiet afternoon. Just a little cheer before … Continue reading A Little Cheer Before I Go
The Testimony of Orion
Job 9 He is my favorite constellation. In Winter, Orion stands in the southern sky. Which means, when I pull into the farmhouse driveway on a clear night and shut off the car lights, I have a pretty good view of the Hunter over the closest corn field. Some nights, the sky takes my breath … Continue reading The Testimony of Orion
When Words Burn
Job 8 Let's talk about words. Let's use words to discuss the power of words, the power of the tongue. A tiny part of the human body with a megaphone attached. Let's string some words together in a fine pearl necklace to explain how words can heal or wound. Not a long strand of pearls, … Continue reading When Words Burn
Targeted – Job’s Reply
Job 6 **I couldn't fall asleep the night I wrote the following in my journal. I was awake, worried about my son, who was recently diagnosed with a very difficult and rare auto-immune disease. He can live with this disease, but it will be a daily challenge, no let-ups, no breaks from it. I was … Continue reading Targeted – Job’s Reply
What Friends Say – Part 2
Job 4 & 5 **When Job's friends speak, I have a hard time sifting out the truth from their limited understanding. I keep reminding myself that they didn't know the whole story, that they were not aware of God's purpose in all of Job's suffering. I try to imagine myself in their shoes. The following … Continue reading What Friends Say – Part 2
What Friends Say – Part 1
Job 4 & 5 Oh, Eliphaz...so pious! You speak from your place of health and comfort into the misery and sorrow of your dear friend. Could you not sit silently just a few more days? "If one ventures a word with you, will you be impatient? Yet who can keep from speaking?"Job 4:2 Eliphaz summarizes … Continue reading What Friends Say – Part 1
Christina Grubb 