Know Your God | Laurie Coombs

Archive for the ‘Know Your God’ Category

Do You Believe God?

Posted on: October 22nd, 2013 by Laurie Coombs

Peter, one of Jesus’ apostles, walked on water––though it was only for a little while. Peter had faith. Enough faith, in fact, to believe Jesus would enable him to do the impossible. Yet, Peter’s great faith wained quickly. “He saw the wind” we’re told, and fear trumped faith as he began to sink (Matthew 14:30). Peter cried out to Jesus, “Lord, save me” (14:30). And Jesus did, “saying to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’” (14:31). Why did you doubt? Peter is known for quick bursts of great faith that would often slowly dissipate into doubt. And I wonder, how many of us are just like Peter? Just as the apostles cried out to Jesus, “Increase our faith!” so too, we should cry (Luke 17:5). We need great faith––a resurgence of faith. Every one of us. We need, quite simply, to BELIEVE GOD. We need to believe that He is, in fact, who…

Beauty Can Be Found in Death or A Call to Come and Die

Posted on: October 8th, 2013 by Laurie Coombs 2 Comments

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Autumn is a favorite time of year for many. Breathtaking colors––vibrant reds, yellows, and oranges––saturate our once-green world for a short time before life gives way to death. It’s beautiful, really. But what’s even more beautiful are the truths exemplified through this process. Truth is, beauty can be found even in death. Scripture tells us we will be given beauty for our ashes. Even in death, Christ followers are promised life. This is why Jesus had to die––to bring us life. True life comes through death. [Tweet that] Jesus told us––as He willingly walked toward the cross, knowing the fate that awaited Him––that “unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (John 12:24-25, emphasis mine). Jesus was referring to His own death…

{Lessons Learned} Sometimes God Leads You Into the Fire

Posted on: September 26th, 2013 by Laurie Coombs 7 Comments

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Being a Christ follower is hard. And if you’re truly following Jesus (i.e. submitting your life fully to His leading, praying, asking for His continued guidance), He’s going to ask you to do things you don’t want to do. This was certainly the case when I was called to have correspondence with Anthony, the man who murdered my dad. You see sometimes, God leads you into the fire. Sometimes He asks you to trust Him enough to follow Him into your unknown, scary places. But His intent is not harm. Oh no, His intent is to use your time in the furnace for His purposes in your life. To bring you to a better place. A place rich in beauty and blessings. I, personally, don’t know anyone who has been strengthened through the calm, peaceful seasons in their life. Just as a tree cannot stand until it’s properly “hardened off” by…

{Lessons Learned} God is with Us

Posted on: September 24th, 2013 by Laurie Coombs 1 Comment

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Of all Jesus taught me throughout my correspondence with Anthony, the man who murdered my dad, the most important, life altering lesson was displayed by His mere presence. Throughout this very difficult season, Jesus showed up. He was there through it all. Never once did I doubt His presence, for it was almost palpable. There were times I heard His gentle whisper beckoning “follow me.” And I would follow. There were times, after receiving another difficult letter from Anthony, I sat in confusion day after day, unsure of how to respond, unsure of God’ leading. Yet all the while, He was still there––His presence very real––urging me to “be still, and know that [He is] God” (Psalm 46:10). “Trust Me. Wait on the Me,” He said. And I would wait. Show me the way, I prayed. Show me how. And He would lead. All throughout Scripture, we see the Lord going before…

Receive Your Crown

Posted on: September 19th, 2013 by Laurie Coombs 3 Comments

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For weeks, thick smoke drifted hundreds of miles from the fire in Yosemite to our home in Reno. Ash fell from the sky in a delicate dance much like that of a snowflake, yet in itself was the antithesis of snow. Dirty flakes, remnants of life now dead filled our air. Smoke blocked the Sierra Nevadas from view and, at times, was so thick one could not see to the end of the street clearly. It became oppressive. There was a heaviness to the air I have not experienced before, and everyone was feeling it. “Oh, this smoke,” people would say in exasperation as they mulled about their day. Windows remained shut, and we remained indoors to prevent breathing unnecessary amounts of dirty air. After a while, however, the smoke began to lift. Despite its continued presence, God brought us some of the most beautiful sunsets. “Beauty for ashes,” I whispered…

{Lessons Learned} “Strike That from the Record”

Posted on: September 12th, 2013 by Laurie Coombs 2 Comments

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Last week, I began writing my book again. It’s been a little while since I last looked at my manuscript, and to be honest, it needed a lot of work. I’ve known this for quite sometime, and at the request of my agent, I began working with a professional editor to reorganize and make the necessary adjustments needed to bring the manuscript up to publishing standards. Once this is done, it will be pitched to Christian publishing houses, so over the next few months I can certainly use some prayers for my book to find its home so that my story can reach the masses. I bring all this up to tell you where my head has been lately. I’ve been immersed in the story God entrusted me to tell once again, and what’s emerged is a new sense of one of my story’s main themes which is that God’s…

Light Enters the Darkness

Posted on: September 5th, 2013 by Laurie Coombs

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Just a little heads up. Today’s post is a bit more like a Bible study, which I don’t really do too much here, but stick with me! … The other day, I began reading the Bible from the beginning once again. Though I intended to read a solid chunk that first day, I failed to move past the second paragraph as I was astounded by new insights I hadn’t recognized before. I read, In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was…

It’s Been Thirteen Years

Posted on: August 6th, 2013 by Laurie Coombs 6 Comments

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My dad died thirteen years ago yesterday. It’s hard to believe thirteen years have passed. It’s all still a bit surreal. My life seems to be somewhat of a paradox. Tragedy weaves throughout the storyline of my life, yet God has given me a good life––full of many joys, many blessings, and yes, much heartache. Honestly, I miss my dad. I think I always will. But my dad’s absence is always a bit more real on the anniversary of his death. Three years ago, on August 5th, I found myself writing my fourth letter to Anthony. All doors had closed. I wasn’t going to be able to visit him in prison as I was hoping to. Yet, I was committed to pursuing forgiveness and peace through our correspondence. In my letter, I wrote: Ironically, I’m writing you on the tenth anniversary of my dad’s death. While in a way, it does…

Will God Fail You?

Posted on: July 19th, 2013 by Laurie Coombs 8 Comments

Will God fail me? I think if we’re honest with ourselves, we’ve all asked this question––either consciously or unconsciously––at one time or another. In fact, it may be this very question that underlies our inability to give ourselves fully to God and His purposes in our lives. We think, perhaps God doesn’t love me. Perhaps God is too busy or too majestic to care about one individual such as myself. Or even if He does love me, even if He cares, He certainly doesn’t care about each intricate detail of my life. Will God pull through? Doubts come. Questions arise. All of which are a part of the normal process of faith. But I think the real question behind all our doubts is: Does God really love me? This is the real doubt behind our unwillingness to surrender. It all comes back to love. We were created to be loved and to love others….

{Lessons Learned} God is Calling You to an Adventure

Posted on: July 16th, 2013 by Laurie Coombs 6 Comments

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I’ve been a follower of Christ for only four years now, but I can honestly say that the last four years have been an adventure without parallel. I sat in on a church service last weekend. The pastor asked his congregation, “Who here thinks of your walk with God as an adventure?” No hands went up. It seems to me that most Christians fail to recognize the adventure God calls them to. As Christ followers, we are not called to bunker down and simply hang on until the rapture. But instead, we’re called to join the mission of God in this world. And what a mission it is. Brokenness: The Need We needn’t look too far to see brokenness throughout the world. Sin. Darkness. Pain. Enslavement. Fear. They’re all there for us to see. If we take a closer look, we see children orphaned and dying on the streets each day, without anyone to love…