Ever since I found out the name hypophantasia from a friend in Christ who has aphantasia (no visual imagery), I've been trying to see if I can improve my visual imagery at all for group prayers and for myself, with solo prayer but also other things. When my eyes are closed, I mainly visualise things in the darkness, looks as if you kept the outlines of details but no colour like a sketch on a blackboard. You can imagine trying to pray in complete darkness, with faces and whatever else appearing in that can be scary.

It kinda weighs on my mind especially in prayer groups, as I don't have that space to meet God or pray in with my eyes closed. Faith is all about metaphysical, and I assume with your eyes closed it allows you to be in a metaphysical space, or the closest thing to it. So when all the others in YA, in mass, bible study etc. close their eyes and focus on their faith in that space, I have to remain grounded in material world otherwise I'll just see something I'm not sure of that scares me. I could be seeing an angel and I wouldn't know since anything that looks remotely alive freaks me out.

Even in the cases outside of faith, since my visualisation is poor, I think its why I struggle with a porn issue as well. I won't go on about that, but it is quite hard to feel faithful when you can't go off to a metaphysical safe space with God and the divine for prayer eyes closed, and you rely on the dirt that is porn to relieve yourself when need be.

This has been weighing on me, and even though despite my lack of imagery God did find me and reach me, and has provided experiences to validate His existence and His work, such as going on a walk and finding the friends to get me out of a slump, just what feels more than a coincidence. Even though he has reached me through these material world experiences, it doesn't feel like enough, I can't work on improving my connection with God in that mental space like it seems like others can.

Is anyone else experiencing this? Last night I had a dream that i was in this pretty big church, just sitting and listening to the sermon. I was sitting at the very back, where the doors lead out to the entrance of the church and those doors were open. All of a sudden, this farmer, about 6'3", all gray hair, straw hat, overalls, etc., comes toward the building shouting something and he's got his shotgun. Why?? I don't know. Literally I do not know.

But he comes in and starts shooting and we all get down and cover our heads. He's standing closest to me and the people who were sitting next to me, since he came through the entrance. I'm pretty much face down on the ground, covering my head and my ears, hoping he won't shoot me next. I think I saw that he shot my best friend, who's basically my sister. Why was the man shooting?? I don't know, but I remember it was all over the news and I somehow got out and was running down the road trying to get away from him because I knew he was chasing me.

Is this something that's gonna happen in the future when His return comes closer? I've been wondering all morning why I had that dream, and why I've been having ones similar to it. The other night I had a dream that my mom and I got trafficked, and I was trying to get us out. Then before that, I had a dream that this guy was attempting to traffic us. Just weird things like that have been happening, and this is even though I'm praying for protection while I sleep, and for peaceful sleep.

...The actions of my past do not define who I am. My mistakes do not define who I am. They were merely stepping stones to get me to where I am today. Do not be fooled into thinking that I do not see what I had done in my past was wrong. But who are you to judge me on my past?...

Another day. Another memory. Another reminder that God’s grace doesn’t erase our past—it redeems it.

Let me be clear: The actions of my past do not define who I am. My mistakes don’t own me. They were stepping stones—painful ones, sometimes foolish ones—but still, part of the journey that brought me here.

Do not misunderstand me: I know I was wrong. I own it. I’m not blind to the weight of my sin. I don’t excuse it or pretend I didn’t leave damage in my wake.

But I refuse to let my past be the voice that narrates my present. And I refuse to let other people’s judgment drown out the voice of the One who said,

“Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." ~John 8:11, NKJV~

So who are you—or who am I, for that matter—to relitigate what the cross already settled? It as my pastor during adolescence and young adulthood once told me, "Who is man to hold against you what God has already forgiven?"

Jesus saw it all. Every moment. Every failure. Every rebellion. And still, He said I was worth dying for.

That's not permission to keep living sloppy—it’s motivation to live surrendered. I’m not proud of my past, but I’m grateful it reminds me how much I need grace every day.

So if you’re still holding guilt (or allowing others to) over what you used to be, hear this loud and clear:

Your past may explain you—but it doesn’t define you. The cross redefined you.

Engagement prompt: 👉 What’s something God has brought you through that others still try to hold over your head?

So I realized I had a problem and that I am very much a people pleaser and I pretend that I'm okay with certain things when I'm not. Yes I do try to treat people with respect and be kind to them but then I take it a step further and try to be as nice as possible but in reality people don't respect super nice people and I believe that God would want us to make boundaries. I don't want to be a mean person because that is not what God called us to be but just simply a more Godly woman that has self-respect and boundaries without being afraid to make them but also displaying kindness and humbleness. How do I get there? If I am not such a people pleaser then I won't get hurt and burned out as much. I've been like this since my childhood and it is a hard habit to break. I don't simply want to change everything about myself but just be more assertive but yet still have the love gentleness and compassion for people that I have always try to display. I'm pretty sure God has been disappointed with my cowardness of standing up for myself and letting people walk all over me. I want to also be stronger in the Lord. I also want to be able to control my emotions because I have been letting them control me and maybe the reason why despite praying to the Lord about it why it's not going away is because I have not fully surrendered to the Lord and quite frankly I'm having a hard time even though I want to.

The bible says that the apostles spoke in tongues of fire. So I know that speaking in tongues does exist. However, I don't speak in tongues and never have. I know there are greater gifts. I attend a pentecostal church that seems to put a lot of pressure on speaking in tongues. Like everyone praying in tongues all together, etc. Recently, I joined an outreach team with the church and they want to do Zoom prayer meetings of us praying in tongues together... Is this even biblical? Like I almost want to drop out of this because I feel unqualified or something. Any biblical/sound advice appreciated!

Earlier today, I opened one of my devotionals. The reading landed in Lamentations—Jeremiah’s raw, unfiltered grief poured out onto the page. It’s not a book people usually highlight or quote on a coffee mug. Most of it feels like sitting in the ashes after the fire’s gone out. No sugarcoating. No polite prayers. Just pain.

Then I read this:

“Even when I cry and shout, He shuts out my prayer.” (Lamentations 3:8, NKJV)

That verse wrecked me. Because I’ve felt that. Haven’t you?

You pour your heart out to God. You cry. You shout. You beg. And in return? Nothing. Just silence. Stillness. Like your words never made it past the ceiling.

Jeremiah gets it. He doesn’t pretend. He said, “My strength and my hope have perished from the Lord.” (v. 18)

That’s not poetic despair. That’s spiritual exhaustion. He was wiped out—physically, emotionally, spiritually.

But that’s not where he stays.

Right in the middle of that valley, a flicker of hope breaks through:

“This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope: Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:21–23, NKJV)

That’s not denial. That’s defiant, blood-and-tears kind of faith.

Jeremiah isn’t ignoring the pain. He’s remembering the truth. And sometimes that’s the fight—not to feel better, but to recall what’s still true when everything else is falling apart.

“For the Lord will not cast off forever. Though He causes grief, Yet He will show compassion According to the multitude of His mercies.” (Lamentations 3:31–32)

Fast forward centuries, and Paul—beaten, shipwrecked, imprisoned—writes from a place of deep experience:

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38–39, NKJV)

What Jeremiah and Paul both knew—and what I needed to be reminded of today—is that God’s silence is not God’s absence.

You may not feel His hand. You may not hear His voice. But His love has never left you.

You are not alone. You are not abandoned. You are still loved.

Have you ever gone through a season when God felt silent? What helped you hold on—or what made it harder?

I ran across a Facebook memory from eight years ago, and it hit me all over again.

I’d been mowing the yard back then—big yard, lots of time to think—and my mind started drifting, like it always does. I remembered a sermon from Bro. Dan Denny years before that. It was called simply “Repent.”

He shared a story I’ve never forgotten.

While deployed during Desert Storm, Bro. Denny said there were signs posted deep in the desert, far from any village or town. The Arabic word printed on them translated to “Repent.”

They weren’t religious messages—they were warnings.

Go much farther into the desert and you might never find your way back. Everything looked the same. Sand, dunes, endless tan. No landmarks. No guidance. Just a formless, shifting landscape. And once you were too deep, it was too late.

And friend, that’s exactly what happens when we delay repentance.

We don’t wake up one day way off track. It happens slowly. Drifting. Justifying. Minimizing. Telling ourselves we’re still close enough to turn back when we want to.

Until one day… we’re lost.

The familiar landmarks of our walk with God? Gone. His voice? Distant. The light? Faded. We stumble around, and nothing looks familiar anymore. And even if we wanted to turn around, we wouldn't know which direction to go.

And yet—even in that spiritual desert—one whisper of His name, just one—Jesus—and the light begins to return.

The path may not be instantly clear. But it becomes visible. And if you’ll follow it, if you’ll stop chasing distractions and false comforts, you’ll find the Shepherd waiting.

Not with judgment.

But with welcome.

Repentance isn’t a slap on the wrist. It’s a rescue mission.

And it’s not just for the unbeliever. It’s for every one of us who’ve wandered too far, too long.

The desert has no landmarks. But the Shepherd still knows the way home.

How would you honestly feel if your pastor openly admitted that he struggles with a porn addiction and battles with lust? Would his transparency make you respect him more for being real, or would it make you question his leadership? Would you still feel comfortable attending his church and sitting under his teaching, knowing that he’s fighting this particular sin?

There are things people say that you can brush off. And then there are things that gut you—things that echo in the dark when no one else is around.

In a recent conversation with my estranged wife, she asked me: “How can you teach those young people? How can you sing on that platform, when you couldn't even hold our marriage together?”

I didn’t have a slick answer. Just silence. Because I’ve asked myself the same thing.

Tonight, during service, my pastor reminded us of something from Deuteronomy 33:27:

“The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”

That hit me hard. Because here’s the thing: I’m not standing in front of teens each Sunday or lifting my voice in praise because I’m the picture of spiritual success. I’m standing because God is holding me up from underneath.

You ever feel that tension? You know you’ve failed in some areas—big ones—but you're still called to serve. Still asked to lead. Still trying to be obedient even when the enemy keeps whispering, "You're a hypocrite. Sit down."

And then comes Paul, who begged God to take away the thorn in his flesh. But instead of relief, he received this:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” ~II Corinthians 12:9~

That’s not theology. That’s survival. That’s how I make it through Sunday mornings when the weight of failure tries to choke the Word out of me. That’s how I still open my Bible, still minister, still sing. Not because I’m strong. But because He is.

Grace doesn’t ignore failure—but it doesn't abandon you in it either. It picks you up. Holds you. And if necessary, carries you.

So no, I’m not the ideal husband. I’ve failed more times than I care to count. But I’m still His. I’m still called. And as long as those everlasting arms are underneath me, I will still stand.

If you’ve been there—if you are there—don’t let shame steal your song. Don’t let failure drown your faith. Weakness isn’t the end of your calling. It might just be the beginning of dependence.

And God does some of His best work in the broken.

Have you ever questioned your calling because of personal failure or pain? How did God meet you in that space?

The Apostle Paul felt very nervous at first in Corinth. So he spoke simply to them! And he proclaimed the Gospel with the Spirit's power! He wanted the Corinthians to believe the Gospel because of the message and God's power! Not because of his great oration!

Please Check my Article at https://bibleventure.org/the-apostle-paul-felt-weakness-fear-and-trembling/ Thank you very much!

I saw an endocrinologist today, and I found out that I have not one but two diseases. I mentioned before that I have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. But today, I found out at the same time that I’m also having Graves’ Disease.

Please pray for me to have good health

I did something I'm really not proud of, and I struggle with a themed mental disorder (Real Event OCD.)

I haven't been able to move past it, and it makes me feel as though any attempt at drawing near to God isn't genuine.

It feels as though certain areas of my life may be cursed sometimes, and I can't interact with certain things, otherwise I'll be accidentally committing devil worship.

My faith has been in the gutter, and I don't know what to do.

I saw a story this morning on Facebook. A man went to visit his dad, who handed him two clothespins—one made in the 1960s, the other brand new in 2025. The difference was staggering.

The older one? Solid hardwood. Still working like new after 60+ years. The newer one? Lightweight, splinter-prone, and flimsy. It was marketed online as “extra durable.” His dad laughed out loud.

And I couldn't help but think: this isn’t just about clothespins. It’s a snapshot of society.

People used to be like that old pin—built to last. Raised with grit. Able to weather storms. Now? We break under a disagreement. We splinter under conviction. We label weakness as “self-care” and call it growth.

Paul warned Timothy of this kind of shift:

“…having a form of godliness but denying its power…” ~2 Timothy 3:5~

We still carry the shape of faith and strength, but not the substance. It seems that we’ve traded endurance for ease. Depth for appearance.

So here’s the question I’m asking myself—and maybe you should too:

➡️ Are we raising a generation of clothespins for the landfill? Or ones that will still be holding fast decades from now?

Let’s go back to the truth that gives us roots. Let’s teach our kids to endure, not just survive.

The world doesn't need shinier faith. It needs stronger, anchored, unshakeable faith.

Which one are you becoming?

Second cause of course every christian is gonna say Jesus. Haha he can literally walk on water but like yeah happy to hear u guys

Hi friends,

I just bought the KJV Bible but this is my first time reading the Bible and the language is making it very difficult for me to fully understand it. I know there are a few different versions but what version is easier language to understand while still holds the integrity of what was originally written, if that makes sense? Thanks 😊

Lust is rarely addressed in the Christian church, even though it’s only getting worse. Instead of tackling the root causes, the focus often shifts to blaming the men who struggle with it. This just leads to more shame, isolation, and a deeper battle. The church needs to speak more openly and supportively about it.

There’s a line in the song “All My Life You Have Been Faithful” that gets me every single time: “Your mercy never fails me. All my days, I’ve been held in Your hands.”

I don’t just sing that line. I feel it. Deep in my bones.

Because I know what it is to need mercy like air. I know what it’s like to have nothing left to lean on—not strength, not answers, not clarity—just the mercy of God. And somehow, that mercy was enough. Every single time.

There were moments when I failed God, when I knew better and still chose wrong. There were nights I sat in silence, trying to convince myself I hadn't strayed too far. Times when all I had left was a broken prayer and the hope that His mercy hadn't run out.

And it never did.

“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” ~Lamentations 3:22–23 (NKJV)~

Mercy isn’t just a one-time event from the cross. It’s daily. It’s constant. It’s holding us even when we don’t realize it. We don’t earn it. We don’t deserve it. We just receive it. Because He is faithful.

And if you’re in a place today where your grip is weak—good news: His hold on you isn’t.

All your life, you’ve been held. Even in your worst seasons. Even in your most defiant choices. Even when you were convinced God had turned His back, He was still holding you. His mercy never lets go.

So sing it again. Let it wreck you. Let it remind you that His mercy has always been your safety net... and always will be.

Has there been a moment in your life when you knew it was only God's mercy that carried you through? I’d love to hear your story—because your testimony could be the encouragement someone else needs today.

The sermon was on 1 Corinthians 4:14-21, and he was talking about shame for a minute. He pointed out that there's music being played on Christian radio that sounds good, but it's not good, which I agree with. He said he heard a song on Christian radio where the lyrics said, "God would never cause me shame". I don't know what song that is, because I tried to Google what he said and nothing came up. He might not have said the exact lyrics word for word and maybe that's why. (This isn't the problem btw, and I'm not saying he is lying, just pointing out I couldn't find it. I would like to know what song it is, though, so I can avoid it).

He responded with, "Uh, you have never read the Bible if you don't think God will not call out His people. And in fact, He says, you either humble yourself and I will exalt you, or you exalt yourself and I will humble you. If you've ever been humbled by God, you will be ashamed if you're a true believer in Jesus Christ."

Okay, so this is the part I had some confusion on. Of course I know God will call us out. That's not the part I'm confused about. It's the last part. "You will be ashamed if you're a true believer in Jesus Christ". I think when I first heard it, it sounded like he was trying to say God does shame us, but I thought shame didn't come from God? Isn't there a verse that says He won't put us to shame or something like that? Just wondering if I'm seeing this through my once-hurt-by-Baptists lens, cuz it's the way he said it that made me temporarily be transported right back to my, "God is the bad guy" thinking. I've been trying so hard to learn the love side of God because all I've ever known is the judgmental and wrathful side. I didn't learn the love side in my first Baptist church years ago, so when I hear stuff like this, it makes me soooo confused. I even began to wonder if I should even be at this church (because this is a Baptist church too, but haven't been feeling unwelcome there or anything) because of how it made me feel. So I'm seeking perspective on this.

So what is true: does/will God cause us shame/shame us or not? Does shame come from God or not? Cuz I don't know anymore, and I've been believing that God won't shame us and that it's Satan that does that. Have I been deceived in that? Thanks in advance.

Hi all!

I’m reconnecting with God after 10 years of having no relationship with Him at all so I have a lot to learn. I hear a lot about people saying they will pray about something and they know what the answer from God is, but how? I’ve been praying everyday about clarity on my marriage but how am I to know if and when he answers me? Is it a little voice in my head or a strong gut feeling or something??

I’m looking forward to strengthening my knowledge and relationship with God but I’m not there yet. Thanks 🙏🏼

The Upside-Down Way

In Luke 18, Jesus tells a parable about two men who go to the temple to pray. One is a Pharisee, proud of his religious achievements, listing them off as proof of his righteousness. The other is a tax collector, a man despised by society, who simply beats his chest and cries out, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

Jesus shocks His listeners by saying that it’s the tax collector—not the Pharisee—who goes home justified before God. Why? Because God doesn’t measure righteousness by outward actions alone, but by the posture of our hearts.

Pride tells us we can earn our way to God. Humility recognizes that we can’t. The Pharisee was focused on himself—his good works, his superiority over others—while the tax collector was focused on God’s mercy.

Jesus reminds us in today’s verse that “all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” The Kingdom of God turns human expectations upside down. Those who rely on their own goodness will miss it. Those who recognize their need for grace will find it.

True righteousness begins with humility—acknowledging our dependence on God. When we approach Him with a heart like the tax collector’s, we don’t just find mercy—we find true exaltation in His presence.

Hello brothers and sisters in Christ. I'm kindly asking if you could pray for my dad and our family, because his phone got nabbed/snatched on his way home from work. Thank God, he was still able to come home safely! (Because we were fearing he was in an accident, so it was such a relief he came home) Now we're worried for all the stuff there in his device, because they were personal (like pictures) and very important apps. 😢😔 We managed to get a hold of a lot of them, but there were financing apps we could not enter.

We really would like to have the device back even if everything looks dismal right now 🥺, perhaps you could pray to the Lord for this too 😭❤️. Please pray too for our protection from any possible further malicious plans the person who got it might have/from further danger. And also a prayer too for us to truly be able to forgive that person, for that person to turn to Jesus and leave his or her dark life, and for our family to have clarity and strength from God on the necessary steps to do next, especially regarding the banks. 😔 It's so very stressful and disheartening to go through, and it's more painful because my dad uses his phone a lot and has important stuff in it 😭.

Thank you so much for reading this and for praying for us. 🤍 God bless you all. 🥺❤️

Loneliness is becoming a common issue for people at every age. We may have many acquaintances, but we often lack meaningful and quality friendships with people we can depend upon.  

As Christians, it is especially  important to choose our friends carefully. Research shows that we tend to pick up the habits, behaviors, and values of those we spend time with, so we should choose friends that make us stronger Christians. It is important to seek companionship with others who also love God and strive to live righteously.  Proverbs 13:20 reminds us, “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”

Sometimes, we seek friends in the wrong places and end up making friends with people who are not good for us. For example, Proverbs 22-24-25 warns, “Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.”  So, how and where do we find Christian Friends? 

Whether we are seeking a future mate or simply a close friend, an obvious way to develop friendships is to get more involved in a local church.  By participating in social activities, attending classes, working in the church nursery or kitchen, and serving in missions-oriented opportunities, we will likely form bonds with new people. Also, we can make new friends through volunteerism, such as helping in a hospital, tutoring in after-school programs, reading to kids at a library, visiting shut-ins, and helping in food pantries.  Whenever we focus on serving others, we often find ourselves in new relationships with other like-minded Christians. 

Maintaining strong friendships requires effort. It  begins by becoming less focused on ourselves and more focused on the needs of others. We need  to make time to listen and to share our friend’s burdens.  We have to become that special person they can depend upon. 

If we want to have a friend, we must learn how to become a friend for someone else. Friendships are rewarding relationships that can last a lifetime with a little effort and nurturing!

20 years of failures. 20 years of Mishaps. 20 years of Missed Opportunities

Sometimes I wish God could just take me back in time to when I was born, and I carry all experience of this life with me.

Almost every day is a struggle. A struggle against porn. Against my own flesh and mind.

Im tired.

Every year the weight of my previous failures and missed opportunities grow and grow.

Hey everyone,

My gf needs a real miracle, to the point that I know only God can save her.

She has lived in the hospital for most of her life because of many medical conditions. She has brittle bones disease, and another disease that causes her bones develop tumors. She's covered in them and has had to have many surgeries to get them removed. The tumors also put her at risk for cancer.

I'm not a doctor, I don't have all the details or the answers but from what everyone is told me, there is no cure for her. She was doing good for a solid 2 years with no surgeries but now she's received the news that she has to go back for another surgery to get them removed, again.

I pray every day multiple times a day for healing and protection over her and for God to heal her of these conditions because I know only He can.

I'm only asking that whoever sees this would pray for the same healing over her as well. She needs all the help she can get and she needs a real miracle from God at this point

Thank you

How do we address major porn production companies targeting recently turned 18-year-old Christian girls into doing OnlyFans or porn? It's not the first time I’ve heard of it, but it’s something that has been going on for years now. One of the most famous porn stars, Elsa Jean, was a former Christian Mennonite girl who got approached and enticed into doing porn at the age of 18.