Sadness
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From Grief to Joy
Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. – John 16:20 As Jesus spoke these words, the shadow of the cross loomed large. He knew the pain His disciples would soon endure – heart-wrenching sorrow as they watched their… Continue reading
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I’m Sorry, But Not Really…
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. – 2 Corinthians 7:10 Sometimes we feel sorry for our mistakes, but there’s a big difference between the kind of sorrow that leads us closer to God and the kind that pulls us away. In his second letter… Continue reading
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The Lord’s Regret
Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel: “I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” 1Samuel 15:10 One of the worst decisions I’ve made in my life was about 20 years ago when, in a moment of utter weakness… Continue reading
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Enormous Grief to Enormous Compassion
“As soon as he heard the news….” – Matt. 13:14 NLT I was sober for a number of years and had been through a lot of ups and downs during that time. But nothing would prepare me for what I would be forced to do on the afternoon of June 28th of last year. As… Continue reading
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Letting Go of Things That are Hard to Let Go Of
Every kid I grew up with in the 70’s had two things that he valued more than anything else: an old basketball, and a hoop nailed to a nearby telephone pole. Basketball truly was a religion in Kentucky. Years later, Gene Hackman would play the head coach of a high school team in Indiana, the… Continue reading
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When Grief Becomes a Friend
Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. – Psalm 30:5 I couldn’t appreciate the light without the presence of darkness. I couldn’t seek comfort without going through the suffering. Without the bitter I wouldn’t appreciate the sweet. And without the suffering, I would never experience true joy. My mind has been… Continue reading
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Body and Soul
“When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of the summer.” – Psalm 32:3-4 Those who work in the fields of psychology, psychiatry, and social services are often confronted with… Continue reading
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Just Breathe.
Life’s not the breath you take, the breathing in and outThat gets you through the day, ain’t what it’s all aboutYou just might miss the point, trying to win the raceLife’s not the breath you take,But the moments that take your breath away.– George Strait Growing up, I lived in a rural coal mining community… Continue reading
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The Day After: Reflections on Greatest Yorkie That Ever Lived
“How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”– Winnie the Pooh It is truly incredible to possess such a profound connection with someone or something that the mere thought of bidding farewell becomes an arduous task. The emotions that arise, a mixture of gratitude, appreciation, and reluctance, are a testament… Continue reading
About Me
Welcome! I’m Scott (aka Former Blackout Artist), and I’m so happy you decided to drop in! I hope you find the content here spiritually enlightening and uplifting. Most of all, I hope that my love of Christ is revealed through my writing and that it encourages you in some way today. Thanks for stopping by!