Worry Archives | Council Fire

April 27, 2026

April 27, 2026

Biblical Advice for Grief

“God blesses those that mourn, for they will be comforted.” Matthew 5:4 (NLT) God knows you will experience grief in this life, but you’re not meant to go through it alone. Relying on God and others can relieve your sorrow. Ecclesiastes 3:1a-4 says: “To everything there is a time . . . a time to weep . . . a time to mourn, . . .” (KJV) John 11:35 says, “Jesus wept.” (KJV) Jesus felt deeply the pain of Lazarus’ death. I was raised in a culture where open grief was not normal. I recall standing by a family that […]

April 25, 2026

April 25, 2026

This Side of Heaven

“We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 (NASB) On this side of heaven, we may never understand how all things can work together for good for God’s children. If we trust God, He will turn all these into opportunities for spiritual growth. My daughter and I both had dreams of a very dark storm coming our way. I believe God was preparing me for what was coming. My husband had been sick for a few weeks and had lost […]

April 22, 2026

April 22, 2026

Praying in Jesus’ Name

“You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4 (NASB) Years ago, back in northern Manitoba, we met a young teen girl who was desperately asking for help. There were three of us in the home at the time, and she had been lying down in one of the rooms when she asked for help. So, I went in there, and prayed for her. As I knelt down beside the bed and began to pray, the other person in the home […]

April 21, 2026

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April 21, 2026

Getting Past Anxiety and Worry

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV) Growing up in my little community, I lived with a lot of anxiety. It seemed that I was worried about everything. I’d fret over things at school, things at home, and almost every aspect of life. One of the ways that I dealt with my anxiety was trying to control situations I faced. That approach didn’t work […]

April 20, 2026

April 20, 2026

Hiding God’s Word

“Your word I have hidden my heart, that I might not sin against You.” Psalm 119:11 (NKJV) I remember memorizing Psalm 23 in Sunday school. That earned me my first Bible! I like that the teacher said memorizing Scripture is like hiding God’s Word in our hearts. As I grew older, I realized what a treasure God’s memorized Word is. Keeping God’s Word with us this way serves in several ways. It is a reminder to not sin against Him and to draw on His many promises. It also helps us to be encouraged in moments we may experience fear […]

April 7, 2026

April 7, 2026

Is Any Sick Among You?

“Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” James 5:14-15 (KJV) I was about 12 when I got stricken with a very bad skin disease. I missed a few of months of school and was eventually bedridden as the disease progressed. In my little village in northern Ontario, medical facilities were […]

April 3, 2026

April 3, 2026

Gifts from Above

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17 (NIV) Often when we experience big tests, trusting God is not our first reaction. Then God speaks to our spirit and directs us to His Word. When more cancer was found in my system and I needed a second surgery, I was angry. Angry with the surgeon for not getting all the cancer the first time, angry that I was going back into surgery in two days and, yes, I think I was angry […]

March 30, 2026

March 30, 2026

Casting It All

“Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 (KJV) I always liked this verse, but I never really understood it until I watched some fishermen casting their nets into the water. The men waited patiently for the right waves to come rolling in, then they would take their circular nets that had weights around the edge and, with all their strength, they would cast their nets out into the water. The word “cast” had a new meaning. They threw their nets into the waves, and they cast them away as far as they could. […]

March 29, 2026

Feisty

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” Matthew 6:26 (NIV) Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Luke 12:25 (NIV) I often remember Feisty, a little squirrel with a notch missing on his ear, who visited our yard in northern Alberta. Our cabin was located along a migration path and, in spite of the frigid temperatures, many birds wintered there. Hundreds of pine grosbeaks, evening grosbeaks, redpolls, gray […]