Brenda Rodgers

Author: Brenda Rodgers

  • Weekend Prayers and Links

    Okay, so how long have you gone without power in your home? This past weekend we were without power from Friday till Sunday because of a snow/ice storm! Now, I don’t even like snow. My motto is “the hotter, the better”. So when ice takes my heater, I’m not happy.

    I tried to keep reminding myself that no electricity is a first-world problem. I remember when I went on a mission trip to Africa a few years ago they shared that power and water outages for days are common during the wet season. The full-time missionaries living there would have to get up in the middle of the night to wash their clothes and do other housework. Clearly one weekend without power is nothing to complain about. Right?

    Weekend Prayers and Links for Single Women (more…)

  • A Few Ways to Respond to False Teachers

    This past week I read two posts about two different pastors, famous pastors if it’s even right to put those two words together.  I don’t know if these articles are true are not. When I read stuff like this I try to take it lightly. There are always two sides to a story and in media there’s usually an ulterior motive. But at the same time I usually suspect that some of it has to be true or else someone literally just sat at their desk and made up lies.

    Anyway, the point is that when I read these posts tension moved throughout my body like it does fairly often now that I’m a part of the online world. It’s when I read something “Christian”, but the words just don’t set right with me. The word untruth and sometimes even false teacher prance across my mind.

    A Few Ways to Respond to False Teachers
    Image courtesy of digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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  • What if Jesus Was All that Mattered?

    I have always been very blessed with really good health. I am so grateful. But two weekends ago I had a cold. I’m not talking just an average cold; I’m talking an epic cold where my nose flowed like a river all night long. Before this epic cold I’ve never had to get up to blow my nose in the middle of the night. And don’t get me started on sleep. There was none.

    Maybe it’s because I don’t get sick often and I’m just a baby (actually I’m sure that’s what it is), but I felt like I was going to die. And while I laid there thinking about how miserable I felt and how I might possibly be the first person to die from the common cold, I realized how nothing else in the world – and I mean nothing – mattered except for getting better.

    What if Jesus Was All that Mattered file000657374159.jpg

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  • Weekend Prayers and Links

    As I write this I hear freezing rain beating the window panes. This is, I think, is the fourth time we’ve gotten some form of frozen precipitation, and this southern girl is beyond over it! It could turn spring the day after Christmas, and I’d be perfectly happy. I’m ready to bring my flip-flops out of hibernation.

    I hope you are warm wherever you are and preferably by the sunshine! I think we are actually going to get some of that this weekend. The high Saturday is 62! So that will be a little reprieve as I continue to dream of the warm days to come.

    You all, sweet readers, have been on my mind all week. You know how people say that, or they say, “I’ll pray for you”, but you don’t really know if they mean it? Well, I mean it! You’ve been in my thoughts and prayers all week.

    Weekend Prayers and Links for Single Women (more…)

  • Thoughts from a Newbie Lent Observer

    I didn’t have this post planned for today, and so I’m writing it in the middle of the afternoon planning to hit “publish” as soon as I’m finished. I typically try to be a little more prepared with my writing, but this one just came to me this morning as I sat down and realized: Today starts Lent.

    I grew up in a Baptist church and have attended nondenominational churches ever since, so “Lent” was not really ever recognized in my world – nor was Advent. It’s only been in the past several years that I have come to appreciate these special times of the year as we prepare for Jesus’s coming and for His death and resurrection. Which is why I write this post.

    Photo Credit: Creative Commons: Tim Green aka atoach
    Photo Credit: Creative Commons: Tim Green aka atoach

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  • Why the Desire for Marriage is Good, but the Pursuit of Marriage is Not

    Mixed messages abound in the Christian-singles-world about the desire for marriage.

    You’re expected to desire marriage and pursue it above all else when you’re young. Marriage is the ultimate goal, and there’s no greater calling on a person’s life. That is until you start squeaking up against 30. Then the rules change.

    As you get older, and marriage is still unforeseeable, you’re told you should just quit pining over it and move on, that the desire dilutes your love for God and reveals a heart of idolatry, and Jesus should just be enough.

    I’m here to tell you, both of these messages are wrong. Why? Because they’re rooted in shame. Shame on you for not getting married right out of college and then shame on you for even wanting to get married. Jesus is the antithesis of shame.

    Why the Desire for Marriage is Good (more…)