• Pray For Our Nation! By Lane Jordan Burday

    Bylbworley

    If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and see My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14). This is one of my very favorite verses in the Bible. It is an Old Testament covenant promise delivered by God to King Solomon, son of King David. It offers ancient Israel a way to stay in God’s favor: if the nation abandons its pride and repents, God will forgive them and restore their land. In the previous…

  • Instrumental to the Band by Onyx Conklin

    Bylbworley

    Sometimes I still get chills! I close my eyes, slide my headphones over my ears, and press play. Then at 3 minutes and 41 seconds into the song, the most marvelous sound washes over me like a tidal wave. If you grew up a child of the 80’s that epic moment belongs to the great Phil Collins as he masterfully beats the drums, and single-handedly makes the song “In The Air Tonight” one of the era’s greatest hits. For me it’s just that drum solo—the sound of it at just the right moment. I get that same feeling when I…

  • Soul Sisters by Lisa Burkhardt Worley, D.Min.

    Bylbworley

    One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). Do you have friends whom you can trust? Has the LORD provided godly friends who pray with you, who are honest, and whose counsel you seek? It’s important to have friends with whom we can be transparent. It is also my conclusion that there is wisdom in keeping an inner circle small. Otherwise, we cannot be a good friend if we are spread too thin. However, even with inner circle pals, we have to remember that they are…

  • Cease Striving by Lane Jordan Burday

    Bylbworley

    Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth (Psalm 46:10, NASB). I have had one of those weeks where everything frustrates me, and it doesn’t seem like I’m doing anything productive. You know what I mean, I’m sure: switching out the heavy blankets for summer-weight ones on my bed; lots of washing; workmen coming to the house, but then what they try to fix does not work, etc… Today, I read the verse above and wanted to share it with you. Most people know the NIV…

  • Should We Defend Ourselves? By Lisa Burkhardt Worley, D.Min.

    Bylbworley

    When we encounter false accusations, should we speak up for ourselves? It is my tendency to do that, but if the accuser is convinced that they are right, there is very little one can say or do to change the scenario. From experience, I believe there are several ways to handle false claims. Option #3 is always the best plan because favor originates with God (1 Chronicles 29:11-14), and He can work supernaturally behind the scenes to correct any inaccurate impressions. Psalm 121:1-8 assures us that the LORD is our help in these scenarios: I lift up my eyes to…

  • Fountain of Life by Lane Jordan Burday

    Bylbworley

    For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light (Psalm 36:9). A few years ago, my husband and I took a trip to St. Augustine, Florida. Did you know it’s the nation’s oldest successful European settlement in the United States? Colonial America began in St. Augustine, 55 years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock and 42 years before Jamestown was founded! The area was first explored by Juan Ponce de Leon in 1513 (and later settled by Pedro Menendez de Aviles in 1565). Legend claims he sailed to the New World partly to locate…

  • Change in a Split-Second by Lisa Burkhardt Worley, D.Min.

    Bylbworley

    How fast can change happen? Immediately. I spent the past few days on a rendezvous with God. It’s something I do at least once a year, and I lay all activities at His feet. The LORD took me to a passage in which I had missed a detail before. It’s found in John 6:16-21. The disciples had gotten into their boat without Jesus and set out across the Sea of Galilee. The water was rough, and they were about three to four miles away from the shoreline when they saw Jesus walking on the water. Of course, they were frightened,…

  • Who Do You Follow? By Lane Jordan Burday

    Bylbworley

    It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him (Deuteronomy 13:4) Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.” Matthew 16:24 Is there an Influencer you follow? I have heard that it is the current fad. You find someone on TikTok who is buying, showing, or doing something that you think is ‘really cool’ and you ‘follow them.’ I must be…

  • How to Finish Strong by Lisa Burkhardt Worley, D.Min.

    Bylbworley

    An Old Testament professor of mine once said, that the Old Testament boils down to one thought. “You do good, you get good. You do bad, you get bad.” And that seems to be the case with the Kings of Judah and Israel. If they honored God and tore down the altars to idols, they remained in the lead for many years. If they were bad kings, their reigns were cut short. For me, the most troubling is to see a king do good most of his life, then falter at the end. King Asa of Judah is an example….

  • Are You Supposed to Do It? By Lisa Burkhardt Worley, D.Min.

    Bylbworley

    We can occasionally take on projects for the wrong reasons. Maybe it’s a prestigious opportunity, or it’s an outreach that can help a lot of people. But did God tell you to do it? While reading about the end of King David’s life, David summoned all the officials of Israel to share some final words and admitted that he wanted to build a house for God where the ark of the covenant would rest, but God said “no” because David was a man of war and had shed blood. Instead, David’s son, Solomon, would become king and would build the…

  • The Media—Can We Believe it? By Lane Jordan Burday

    Bylbworley

    The simple believes every word, but the prudent considers well his steps (Proverbs 14:15). I went to college for a Journalism/Broadcasting/Public Relations degree. I was taught to write the truth, and the truth must be documented with more than one person’s verification. I wrote and edited for newspapers, and I would never have thought to publish a biased or untrue article. However, in today’s world, I believe the media is biased and, at times, very untruthful, to the point where I cannot believe every word I read or hear in the news. Which is so sad because we need to…

  • Who Do You Believe? By Lisa Burkhardt Worley, D.Min.

    Bylbworley

    Even though we are Christians, we will always face problems and will have to ask ourselves: “Who do we believe?” Do we believe the promises in God’s word, or do we fall into a state of fear because of the problems? 2 Kings 18 tells the story of King Hezekiah, one of the good kings of Judah. He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, and he “removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles.” He also broke the bronze snake Moses had made into pieces because the Israelites had been…

  • How to Live to Be 103 by Lane Jordan Burday

    Bylbworley

    Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul (3 John 1:2, ESV). I just read an article about Dr. Howard Tucker, a neurologist from Cleveland, Ohio, who was named the “Oldest Doctor Ever” by Guinness World Records at age 103. Needless to say, this article caught my eye! I am getting older and would like to stay healthy and useful until the Lord takes me home. So, what was his secret? He said that he didn’t believe there was one magic answer. Good…

  • Mothers are Precious by Lane Jordan Burday

    Bylbworley

    Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!” (Proverbs 31: 28-29, NLT) Mother’s Day is probably one of the most loved celebrations because a mother is so important to her family’s foundation. When we see famous people or athletes interviewed, they almost always say, “Hi Mom!” to the camera. Moms are so important to most of us. Because it’s the mother who stays when the father leaves. It’s the mother who makes sure her children are fed, clothed, clean, and taught. It’s the…

  • He Knows by Lisa Burkhardt Worley, D.Min.

    Bylbworley

    God knows what we need before we ask for it. As I read in 1 Kings 19 about Elijah’s encounter with God, I had to laugh at the prophet, because I’ve been guilty of reminding the LORD about what I am going through. Elijah was on the run after he killed all the prophets of Baal. Queen Jezebel had sent a message that she wanted to kill him after what he did. So, when the LORD asked the prophet, “What are you doing here Elijah?” He responded, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have…

  • Evil Chases Us by Lane Jordan Burday

    Bylbworley

    Evil pursues sinners, but to the righteous, good shall be repaid (Proverbs 13:21). This is a hard concept to grasp, but as long as we are in this world, evil will be at our heels like Pharaoh’s army chased the heels of the children of Israel as they chased them at the Red Sea. That Pharaoh wanted to kill and destroy his former slaves. The ‘Pharaoh’ of this world also wants to kill, steal, and destroy, and he will not easily let go of his slaves—for if you live in sin, you are a slave to the enemy. This verse…

  • Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Lisa Burkhardt, D.Min.

    Bylbworley

    One of my favorite all-time movies growing up was The Wizard of Oz. I related to the main character, Dorothy, who believed that somewhere over the rainbow, her dreams would really come true. Like Dorothy, I have always been a dreamer. Dreaming of new ways to serve God, interesting books to write, and ways to encourage others. My creative head is often in the clouds. But sometimes the journey over the rainbow is bumpy. On Saturday, out of obedience, we staged a Level-Up Women’s Conference in Austin, Texas. It was our 20th event, but holding a conference in another city…

  • Live Above Criticism by Lisa Burkhardt Worley, D.Min.

    Bylbworley

    Whenever you are in a leadership role, whether in ministry or in secular settings, you will experience criticism. It is a byproduct of being a leader. You can’t avoid it. The question is: How do you handle criticism? The Apostle Paul, who wrote the bulk of the New Testament, said that through the power of Christ, he could still stand strong under outside pressure. He said, “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Paul was saying that through Christ, he…

  • When Opposition Increases by Lisa Burkhardt, D.Min.

    Bylbworley

    Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you (1 Peter 4:12). One week from today, we will hold our 20th conference as a ministry. I thought I was done after 19, but the LORD spoke Austin into my heart on a prayer walk last year. We had planned to hold a Level-Up Women’s Conference in Austin in 2020, but the global pandemic squelched the plan. Every event is always the same. As much as I try to push back stress, there are…

  • Why Do We Write? by Lane Jordan Burday

    Bylbworley

    Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving (Colossians 3:23-24). If I’m being honest, there are times when I don’t feel like doing what’s on my schedule. It’s not laziness, exactly. It’s more the question of… Why? Why does this need to be done? Recently, I was sharing with my husband how difficult it can be to write a weekly blog. It doesn’t necessarily increase book…