“We all deal with things in life that threaten to steal our joy — the daily grind, comparisons, focusing on the negative outcomes of the day, unmet needs or expectations, misbehaving children, illness, worry over things outside of our control — the list could go on and on. Joy doesn’t come naturally just because we are Christians. It comes by…
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Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. LET NOTHING MOVE YOU. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58 “I just don’t understand it.” My mom sat in front of me with tears streaming down her face. “The cancer is taking…
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Summer, 1983 Part I Sitting in my bunk that first day in Raleigh with my brown clothes on, I went back in my mind to the seed of sin that started my path down this treacherous hill. I had a felony conviction: sentenced to 20 years. Looking back, I know I was young and impressionable in those early years, with…
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Fall, 1987 Part II After seeing that fire in my neighbor Susan’s garage, I stood stunned at the scene I’d created. Gathering my wits about myself, I discovered there was no time like the present to run and get help. Somewhere in the back of my mind as I hurriedly asked Mama to call the fire department, I thought this…
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Spring, 1989 Part III Rodney and I lay face down under the bushes so quietly they would’ve never heard us. I remember holding my breath the majority of the time, hearing the cops swarm the area, their patent leather shoes smashing tiny rocks close to my head. I waited a solid 5 minutes before I felt like they were in…
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