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God Cares About the Details! by Lane Jordan Burday

The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Psalm 37:23-24 This past weekend, my husband, Scott, and I traveled to Cleveland, Ohio, for a family wedding—in January! We got off the plane amidst snow falling, and though it was a beautiful sight for this Southern girl, it was very cold and icy. After Scott got the rental car, he returned to the terminal to pick me up. As I walked out to the car, I saw a pickup truck. “What is this?” I asked with a laugh. “It was all they had,…

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The Compassion Test by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Colossians 3:12, NIV). I enjoy almost every type of shopping except for grocery shopping. I am thankful that we have enough money to purchase food, but it is the environment of the grocery store that can be irritating. People park their carts in the middle of the aisle blocking progress. I always manage to get the cart that squeaks, or the wheel doesn’t turn. And now there is an egg shortage! However, no matter how much we dislike a situation, we still need to…

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Harps Everywhere! By Lisa Burkhardt Worley

I like to worship God using YouTube videos in the morning, and lately, harps have been popping up everywhere. One harpist caught my attention because he was playing the Shema on the harp as King David might have played it. The Shema is located in Deuteronomy 6:4-7 and it says:  “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along…

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God is Closer Than You Think by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8, NKJV). Growing up fatherless, it took me a long time to understanding the loving nature of God. He was distant, corrective, and not relational. However, the more I studied, the more I realized our God desires to be close to us. He longs to be our Heavenly Father, but there is an action step required. We have to take the first step and seek Him. Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Do you want to find…

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God is the One Who Places Kings on the Throne by Lane Jordan Burday

He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. Daniel 2:21 I watched the inauguration of the 47th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, and for all those who were against this man, it appears God wanted him to be president! Whether you voted for or against him, the verse above shows that God removes kings and replaces them with others. We can never understand this, but we are grateful for having a God who knows what action is needed next for our nation and for ourselves. Romans 13:1-3 states that all authority comes from…

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Excellent But Not Perfect by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

There is a difference between excellence and perfection. I strive for excellence in everything I do, but have learned I am far from perfect. Last week, I passed my doctoral defense but when preparing for it and re-reading my paper that I had already turned in, I found many typos and cringed. I tried to be excellent, but the paper was not perfect. I am thankful for the editor who is cleaning it up for publication. This week on POP Talk we interviewed Kyle Winkler who wrote the book Permission to Be Imperfect. He says that “if perfection or even…

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Where is God? By Lane Jordan Burday

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; thou its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. Psalm 46:1-3, NKJV In the middle of January, when I was 12 years old, my house burned down. I can’t explain the acute feeling of watching fiery flames pouring out my bedroom window. We are now in the middle of January 2025, and the fires in California are spreading, and the…

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One Word for 2025 by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

I cry out to God Most High. To God who fulfills his purpose for me” (Psalm 57:2) I like to pray every year for a word from God to act as a theme for the year and He is always faithful to provide. This year, through repeat messages, my word is “purpose.” And I believe God is saying “I created you for a purpose. Now walk in that purpose.” This week, I became Dr. Burkhardt Worley. It still seems surreal, but the title came after four long years of hard work and study at The King’s University. I was called…

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Setting Priorities for 2025 by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. (Jeremiah 33:3, NIV) What is your favorite food—one that you would hate to give up? Mine is bread. I judge a restaurant by the bread it serves. Is it freshly baked? What kind of butter are they serving with it? Is the butter mixed with honey? Or is the accompaniment olive oil sprinkled with herbs? I love it all and often fill up on bread and can’t finish my meal. However, starting this Monday I will be giving up bread until the end…

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What Will This Year Bring? By Lane Jordan Burday

I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5). I’m sitting in my daughter’s just-moved-in house. Boxes are everywhere. Lists of chores a mile long. And a six-month-old baby to take care of! When 2024 began, we were expecting a new grandbaby in June. Then, in September, our son-in-law was offered an excellent job. But if he accepted it, his drive each day would be over an hour one way. The couple began looking for a house….

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Crossing the Finish Line with Success by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV) I’ve only run one competitive cross-country race, but I remember how fulfilling it was to cross the finish line. However, I have discovered that life is full of metaphorical races and the finish line is once again within reach. In twelve days, I will defend my doctoral paper at my school, The King’s University (TKU). I have heard that defending one’s project is difficult, but I am trusting that the one…

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Holiness by Lane Jordan Burday

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your mind; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24 The Christmas season is a time to reflect on the true purpose of Christ’s birth and all that His Presence gives us. It’s also a time to reflect on our purpose in this life and how we should live if we choose to walk with God….

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Jesus Was Born To Do This by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) According to Isaiah 9:6, when Jesus entered the world, he was God incarnate and provided supernatural counsel and peace. How many of you have experienced godly counsel and inexplicable calmness? Jesus made that possible. However, for many of us who began life without a father, the fact that God’s Son was willing to step into an Everlasting Father role for those of us…

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The Miracle of Birth by Lane Jordan Burday

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:41). A young girl, around the age of 14 or 15, realized she was pregnant. She was alarmed, afraid, and unsure of what to do next. Most people would tell her to go to an abortion clinic. How would she be able to bring up a child as young as she is? Her whole life is ahead of her, and it would be ‘wasted’ if she kept the child. But in this particular case, it was Mary, the mother of…

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It’s Okay to Have Fun at Christmas by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

Last night I attended my friend Tracey’s annual Christmas party. It is always a big bash and every year she brings in something interesting to make the party more festive—like live reindeer! A one-of-a-kind party that I try to make every year. It’s okay to have fun at Christmas! When Jesus was born, he brought joy into the world. We should be giddy with gratefulness that his birth, death, and resurrection paved a way to an intimate relationship with God that will last for eternity. When we start to slump into Christmas blues remember the ultimate gift that Jesus brought….

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Christmas Music Memories by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Psalm 100:1-2 I love Christmas music! However, I have my favorites because they remind me of Christmases past, or because they draw me closer to Jesus. For example, I’ll Be Home For Christmas brings back memories of the Christmases I missed in my early years as a rookie television sportscaster, or because I made a wrong choice to not travel home. There were several times where I was only home for Christmas in my dreams, and so the song can make me melancholy. I have to…

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Waiting on God

Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. Isaiah 64:4 I’m sure you remember as a child the unbearable waiting for Christmas morning and seeing all that ‘Santa’ and others brought you! In my family, my parents spent so much time and energy giving us a beautiful Christmas morning and I still have so many fond memories of that special day. But it sure was hard to wait. In this hectic world, no one wants to wait. And why…

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Who Can We Trust? By Lisa Burkhardt Worley

With several church leaders falling and now with an international Christian television network having internal issues, we may want to choose a side or have an opinion about the scenarios. Although these situations are disappointing, we must remind ourselves that it is not up to us to judge. We are on the outside looking in and do not know what is in the hearts of those involved. In Matthew 7, Jesus gives us sobering counsel about condemning people: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with…

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The Accountability of Thanksgiving by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

It’s two days before Thanksgiving and the stiffness is setting in. Yesterday I cleaned out a refrigerator in the garage that died, and I am embarrassed to say how long it has been sitting there with perished food in it. I have grocery shopped for a crew of 9, cleaned out the pantry, and will work on decluttering the bedroom today. I could complain about the work, but I am grateful for the motivation and accountability that Thanksgiving brings. The house needed deep cleaning, and unfortunately, it took Thanksgiving to put everything else aside and work on my home. When…

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The Discipline of Thankfulness by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

It only takes one downturn, one delay, or one dig to move from thankful to thankless. It is during the difficult times when being thankful is the most important, because it is the cure to disappointment and sadness. It becomes a discipline to be thankful because it is not always a natural tendency. Here is how the discipline looks. If a friend or spouse lets us down, instead of dipping into a vat of self-pity, it’s time to remember the positives about our loved one. Instead of What have they done for us lately? we need to think about the…