Spiritual Growth Archives » Sondra Kraak https://sondrakraak.com/category/spiritual-growth/ Trails of Love and Grace Mon, 14 Mar 2016 14:13:36 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.2 From Fig Leaves to a Robe of Righteousness https://sondrakraak.com/from-fig-leaves-to-a-robe-of-righteousness/ Mon, 14 Mar 2016 14:13:36 +0000 https://sondrakraak.com/?p=1717 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, […]

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]]> When the New Year is More Stale than New https://sondrakraak.com/when-the-new-year-is-more-stale-than-new/ Fri, 08 Jan 2016 14:26:49 +0000 https://sondrakraak.com/?p=1691 Stale popcorn–something nobody wants to eat (except me, much to my husband’s chagrin, but forget about that since it doesn’t fit with the analogy). Stale popcorn is the epitome of food that has lost its pizzazz. It’s almost chewy (yum), and feels a bit dead in your mouth. Like all foods past their prime, stale popcorn deserves the […]

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]]> 5 Scripture Verses for Those Who Strive https://sondrakraak.com/5-scripture-verses-for-those-who-strive/ Thu, 22 Oct 2015 21:07:28 +0000 https://sondrakraak.wordpress.com/?p=1619 Is it just me, or have we made striving a virtue? We admire those who overachieve, who rise above expectations because of sweat and diligence. It seems like the harder a person pushes toward perfectionism, the more she’s admired. We call it a good work ethic. Wrong. We’ve taken a good thing–hard work–and warped it into over-work. […]

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]]> Questioning Through Mark: 8:22-26 https://sondrakraak.com/questioning-through-mark-822-26/ Thu, 10 Sep 2015 17:20:33 +0000 https://sondrakraak.wordpress.com/?p=1557 They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” He looked up and […]

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]]> The Gentle Shove of the Shepherd: Psalm 23 https://sondrakraak.com/the-gentle-shove-of-the-shepherd-psalm-23/ https://sondrakraak.com/the-gentle-shove-of-the-shepherd-psalm-23/#comments Thu, 27 Aug 2015 22:36:54 +0000 https://sondrakraak.wordpress.com/?p=1548 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Psalm 23:1-3 The beginning of this pastoral Psalm conjures up a picturesque setting. Lush meadows […]

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]]> https://sondrakraak.com/the-gentle-shove-of-the-shepherd-psalm-23/feed/ 1 When Something Seems REALLY Scary: What’s Your Perspective? https://sondrakraak.com/when-something-seems-really-scary-whats-your-perspective/ Fri, 24 Jul 2015 10:00:19 +0000 https://sondrakraak.wordpress.com/?p=1521 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. Matthew 8:26 The youngest came to me with furrowed brows, wearing more concern than clothes. It took me a minute to see what he saw. He […]

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]]> A True Utopia: God’s Hope for You https://sondrakraak.com/a-true-utopia-gods-hope-for-you/ https://sondrakraak.com/a-true-utopia-gods-hope-for-you/#comments Fri, 17 Jul 2015 16:38:23 +0000 https://sondrakraak.wordpress.com/?p=1515 Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice. Each will be like a hiding place from the wind, a shelter from the storm, like streams of water in a dry place, like the shade of a great rock in a weary land. Isaiah 32:1-2 A ruler who brings shelter, streams […]

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]]> https://sondrakraak.com/a-true-utopia-gods-hope-for-you/feed/ 1 The Work of Jesus: Making Oaks of Righteousness https://sondrakraak.com/the-work-of-jesus-making-oaks-of-righteousness/ https://sondrakraak.com/the-work-of-jesus-making-oaks-of-righteousness/#comments Tue, 16 Jun 2015 17:03:06 +0000 https://sondrakraak.wordpress.com/?p=1448 “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of […]

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]]> https://sondrakraak.com/the-work-of-jesus-making-oaks-of-righteousness/feed/ 2 Questioning Through Mark: Mark 7:24-36 https://sondrakraak.com/questioning-through-mark-mark-724-36/ Wed, 10 Jun 2015 18:29:34 +0000 https://sondrakraak.wordpress.com/?p=1445 And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. But immediately a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at […]

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]]> Questioning Through Mark: 6:6b-13 https://sondrakraak.com/questioning-through-mark-66b-13/ Tue, 21 Apr 2015 12:39:20 +0000 https://sondrakraak.wordpress.com/?p=1414 Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village.  7 Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits.  8 These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff– no bread, no bag, no money in your belts.  9 Wear sandals but […]

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