and Transformation

“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” – Hebrews 12:11 It’s interesting that we often talk about God as our loving Father, but we fail to mention that He’s also our counselor and coach. In other words, as much as He delights in having a relationship with us right where we are, He also refines us through difficulties and struggles so that we become stronger. When I was growing up, my Dad would encourage me to keep going when the going got tough. He taught me to swim and surf when I was afraid of the water, and he didn’t let me give up on baseball even though I hated it for three years. He also made sure I kept up with piano lessons and martial arts classes in