Andreas Basson

We live in this odd tension of ever-changing rhythms, rediscovered purposes, and many emotions. The good news is God's view of us remains the same, and we are His beloved children. We must remind ourselves of this truth and treat God's creation (you) with the same love He has for you! Here are a few things to remember. Be kind to yourself. Find moments to do things you enjoy and things that fill your heart. Practice positive thinking. The content of our hearts begins with what we think or believe in our min[...]

I often check a person's hope meter, especially if they struggle emotionally because losing hope is like losing everything. Hope is the belief that my tomorrow will be better than my today. Psalm 42:1 "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God." It sounds as if everything is okay with David. But it's not. Psalm 42:3 "My tears have been my food day and night...". When your tears are your food day and night, that means you are really suffering from hopelessness. Yet, he says he[...]

“Watch your words and hold your tongue; you’ll save yourself a lot of grief.” Proverbs 21:23 (MSG). We have all been misunderstood. We get frustrated by wrong judgments and decisions based on wrong information. Yet often, these moments are some of our most defining, not because of what was said, but because of our response. I was told a few days ago I drive like a “moron” because I stuck to the speed limit. I was tempted to waste my time with a response, but I refrained. Jesus never wasted words o[...]

The book of 1 John is packed with so much truth and conviction. The writer John was one of the closest eyewitnesses to the life of Jesus and has lived the remainder of his life spreading the gospel. He writes his letters to the new Christians in the Roman empire, focusing on love. John displays two aspects of love essential for Christians — we need to love God, and we need to love others! The kind of love that Jesus has for us is the same love we are to show to one another. John seems to recall this in his[...]

The world is a very loud place. We are bombarded with social media and news, everyone sharing their personal opinions, and it all seems to bring us to "information overload." How are we supposed to hear what God has to say about life in this world we are living in? There's a passage in the Bible, 1 Kings 19, that talks about this very issue of not knowing where God is in the midst of the chaos and noise. Elijah was longing for God's voice. God asked him to stand at the mouth of the cave. There was a terribl[...]

Proverbs 21:23 Watch your words and hold your tongue; you’ll save yourself a lot of grief. We have all been misunderstood. We get frustrated by wrong judgments and decisions based on wrong information. Yet often, these moments are some of our most defining, not because of what was said but because of our response. I was told a few days ago I drive like a “moron” because I stuck to the speed limit. I was tempted to waste my time with a response, but I refrained. Jesus never wasted words on worthless ar[...]

Effective faith is based on a principle of submission to authority. "Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, 'Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.' And Jesus said to him, 'I will come and heal him.'  The centurion answered and said, 'Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority…' Jesus responded, "Assuredly, I say to you, I h[...]

If we decide to love as Christ loves us, it will look a lot like this: We would Submit to one another, Forgive one another, Encourage one another, Restore one another, Accept one another, Care for one another, Bear with one another, and Carry one another's burdens, as Christ did. This is the shortlist of all God, through Christ, has done for each one of us. Jesus’ new single command, designed to serve as the overarching ethic for His church, is: “Love one another, just as I have loved you” (John 15:12)[...]

I remember when my wife and I decided to get some occasional help with house cleaning. We cleaned the whole day before the house cleaner showed up. I was thinking to myself, why am I doing this….? About a month ago, I had to go to the dentist. I had a strange desire to receive the dentist's approval. So, before I went, I brushed, rinsed, and flossed my teeth, hoping I would get a good report. But last Friday I took my car to the shop. It had a strange squeak. I didn't pop the hood or wash the car, and the[...]

“If God can transfigure the greatest evil into the greatest gift, then He intends to turn whatever you are experiencing right now into a gift” Ann Voskamp. We have come to the end of yet another unprecedented month, year, and week... filled with many obstacles. I don’t know about you, but it’s been a long couple of years for me. But… thankfully, I have hope to hold onto an incredible hope, and I want to share it with you! Romans 8:28 tells us this: “And we know that God causes all things to wor[...]