The Crucible's Fire Blog

Our culture has much to say about being 'manly'. His Word has ideas of its own. It's not what you think and I dare you to read it. ...

AS we empty ourselves of self, our desire to be filled with the Spirit only grows....

It was Father’s Day. In fact, it was the last Father’s Day I would bring the sermon for the church I had pastored for 10 years. The church was dissolving to unify with a sister church across the road. For the past 10 years I had been blessed to serve a congregation that believed in something greater than themselves, so much so, the day they found out a church was coming in across the street, they ...

Some days, weeks, months, and even years are harder than rest. This week was one of those weeks. Two days ago we met with key members of Brynna's care team and made some hard decisions and plans regarding her end-of-life care. Our prayer is we never need it, that Jesus would come soon to rescue her, and us, from "the body of this death" we hear Paul talk about (Romans 7:24). But the reality is, sh...

Hope comes from remembering a paralyzed man who lay by the pool for 38 years, wishing for a miracle. It comes in Jesus telling Lazarus to come out from the tomb, in blind eyes being opened, in deaf ears hearing a baby's cry, and withered hands once again holding a loved one....

Strength and Honor are Her ClothingProverbs 31:25-26; 2925 Strength and honor are her clothing, and she can laugh at the time to come. 26 Her mouth speaks wisdom, and loving instruction is on her tongue. … 29 “Many women have done noble deeds, but you surpass them all!”Sixteen years ago we spent 6 weeks in the NICU with Brynna and faced wave after wave of inconceivably bad news and corresponding p...

Grief and loss are funny things. You never really know until it’s your turn exactly how it will impact your life or how you personally will deal with it. With Brynna, we’ve become accustomed to feeling the grief and loss of everyday things; constantly reminded things didn’t turn out the way we planned sixteen years ago....

To all of you out there struggling with the enemy’s lies, here’s a reminder today to take those thoughts captive, send him packing, and walk in the freedom of Christ....