Lara Love's Blog, page 388

The Lifeguard Who Had to be Rescued

Don't leave the beach yet. I heard the words clearly. Had God spoken the words into my heart? I was more than ready to leave the beach. Paralyzed dogs Mr. Simeon and Miss Mercy in their wheelchairs were hot and panting. Soon we would need to leave the beach anyway because dogs aren't allowed on the beach after 10 am. We had finished our weekly beach ministry adventure wherein I walk the dogs up and down the beach to see if God might use the dogs to introduce me to people in need of hearing th...

Vengeance Anyone?

Do you know what stands out to me the most about David's story in the Bible? It's not that he was a man after God's heart, which most assuredly inspires me. It's not that he ultimately repented and was forgiven for his sin of staying home from war to have an illicit affair and arrange for the killing of his lover's husband, though I most certainly am inspired by his repentance and God's mercy on him. What stands out above all else in David's story is something entirely else.

David was persecut...

My Trip to the Walmart Men's Bathroom

I can attest to the fact that thinking on the wrong things can get us into entirely the wrong places. Such was the case when I allowed my mind to do its decades-long wandering routine and landed myself in the men's bathroom at Walmart. When I encountered a Spanish-speaking man who could not tell me in English I was in the wrong place, I asked him a question he couldn't understand about my whereabouts and couldn't understand why a grown man was in the women's room. A little boy? Well, that som...

SO WHAT If You Are Praying....!!!

I hear it ALL the time. And I mean ALL the time. People tell me they have a good relationship with the Lord because they pray. Then they wonder why their lives are a mess. They wonder why nothing seems to be working. They wonder why God's not answering. And they wonder why, to top it all off, America is in dire straits. But they keep praying. And praying some more. Did you know that one missing ingredient in a recipe can throw the whole recipe off? Did you know that two missing ingredients ca...

Do You LOVE the Old Testament Like I Do?

I love the Old Testament. I don't just love the Old Testament. I LOVE the Old Testament. I mean I really, really LOVE the Old Testament. Yes, I used to be intimidated by it. Yes, I used to be bored by it. Yes, I used to want to turn my back on it. Yes, I wanted to think God would never have done the things that He did. But the Bible teaches that the human mind cannot understand the things of God. And it teaches that the Holy Spirit will teach God's Word to believers in Jesus Christ. And the B...

MONTHLY SPONSORSHIP

I would be truly blessed if you might consider becoming a MONTHLY SPONSOR to help me to fulfill Walk by Faith Ministry's mission to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ while ministering the Lord's love to a world in need.


I do a combination of preaching the Gospel, teaching God's Word, writing and publishing Christian books and tracts and inspirational writing online, streets ministry, one-on-one discipleship, and providing sanctuary-style care for 16 mostly special needs and senior rescued dogs. ...

Which Way Are You Falling? Backwards or Forward?

The pastor pushed hard on my forehead as he prayed for me. He pushed as he prayed, and he prayed as he pushed. And I pushed my forehead with all my might right back against him. He wanted me to fall over backwards like the people that lay strewn around the altar of the church. He wanted me to fall under "the power of God". I wish I could say all these years later that my stubborn refusal to fall backwards was because I knew that falling backwards under "the power of God" is one of the devil's...

Is Your Life UNDER CONSTRUCTION?

Have you ever felt like your life is UNDER CONSTRUCTION? Better yet, do you ever feel like your life is always UNDER CONSTRUCTION? Do you ever wish you just had it all together and could simply get past this feeling of constantly being UNDER CONSTRUCTION? Do you feel this desperate desire to remove the blatantly bold print UNDER CONSTRUCTION sign that seems permanently super glued to your t-shirt? Well, I've got news for you. If you're a follower of Jesus Christ, your life SHOULD be constantl...

Is It Time to Move? To Make a Change?

If God has called you to make a move hundreds of miles away or just down the street, to a new church or into a new relationship, to a new job or a next phase in your life, let me give you a word of warning about the challenges you may face both as you prepare for the move and once you arrive at your new destination. How you look at the challenges you face and your attitude about them may well determine whether your new venture is a total success or flat out failure.

photo courtesy of nemo via...

Homeless Man Searching for God

One of my homeless friends is such an inspiration to me. He doesn't inspire me because He is a follower of Jesus Christ. He inspires me because of what he is doing because he is not one. He is searching and learning. If you have ever heard a preacher make claims on how many people at a given service made "decisions for Christ," you might want to consider what so inspires me about my homeless friend. Instead of impulsively, emotionally, jumping into something he does not understand or yet beli...