Ami Loper
When our daughter was little, she had a thing about hearing instruction and finding the cutest way to circumvent it. We laughed, but soon realized it did her heart no good to do a good thing instead of the right thing. I'm sure, like me, you have found yourself doing good things instead of the right
Ami Loper
I received this question that I answered in my monthly, “Ponderings of the Heart” column: Dear Ami, Phil. 2:3 tells us to “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Is the latter part of this healthy? If you avoid looking at or consi
Ami Loper
I want to retain in my conscious mind that the Presence of God is always with me and tangible and not allow God to get relegated, even for a short time, to my subconscious. Come learn the deliciously simple way my Friend’s advice helps me and can help you too in your endeavor to pray without ceasing
Ami Loper
Having received the following question, I responded via my column in the His Favor Newsletter: Dear Ami, Do you have any insight on “knowing Jesus in His suffering”? Signed, Slightly Scared…. Well, the answer to this question could cause some waves! Are you ready for this one? Come read my response
Ami Loper
Frequently, I’ll go out for brief moments to stick my feet in or even get in up to my clothes. It irritates me with myself—my hesitancy to just jump in. I’m working on it…. It reminds me of the vision Ezekiel, found in Ezekiel 47:1-12…. Come to amiloper.com to read the rest of the blog post and pond
Ami Loper
Having received the following question, I responded via my column in the His Favor Newsletter: Dear Ami, I understand the importance of forgiveness, but is reconciliation the same thing? Must I reconcile with everyone, even unsafe people? Signed, Cautious…. Wow! What a sticky question! Come read my
Ami Loper
I have highs and lows like nearly every other person on earth. I know that no matter how pumped I am today, in a few days I may feel completely deflated. It’s called life. Because I know this about myself, I prepare. But all my efforts to keep my attitude good and keep going are hampered if I am not
Ami Loper
A difficult time to recall was our granddaughter’s stay in the NICU after birth. We are grateful that our little Princess shows no signs of her early difficulties with her lungs, but it is painful to see the videos of her hooked up to IVs, breathing tubes and oxygen tents. Read about this journey an
Ami Loper
We have all heard how the Lord can do wonderful miracles for people, can thrust them into their Promised Land and the giants simply let them in and hand over the deed to the land. It happens. But then there are other times, the majority of times, when blessings come at great cost or after great batt
Ami Loper
What does it mean to prevail? Sometimes we think it is a big win over a big challenge. What if there’s more to prevailing? What if you could win your battle even when you don’t feel that you have strength to hang on? Read this blog to discover what it means to PREVAIL! Christian Blog
Ami Loper
There are days when my lips want to utter the doom-riddled words, “I just can’t do it anymore….” And whether the “it” you feel you can't carry is an empty marriage, a struggling child, an ailing parent or a career that seems to be moving backward instead of forward, know that you are not alone. We a
Ami Loper
My Dad was working with me one evening when I was little to learn to ride a bike, holding onto the back of the seat as I tried to coordinate pedaling and steering. I noticed a small boulder beside my path. I kept my eyes on it as we approached. But the more I stared at the rock, the more I diverged
Ami Loper
I was a frilly little girl, and yet, I would stand for a whole match at my Grandpa’s elbow as he sat watching boxing on TV. The saddest thing to watch was a man up against the ropes, getting smacked relentlessly, his gloves at his face, bent, cringing from the blows. That image keeps coming to mind
Ami Loper
My Dad was otherwise the picture of health when, at the age of 59, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. When he told us, it hit with a shockwave, a numbness cultivated by denial and ignorance. I was barely in my 30’s and had no inkling of the devastating ramifications he was facing. Dad’s ways
Ami Loper
"Dear Ami, Does the Bible explicitly prohibit sex before marriage? I believe that Biblical sexual purity means abstinence before marriage, but my cousin brought up this issue as a challenge, and he uses it to justify premarital sex. Signed, Perplexed"… Come see how I answered this intrigui
Ami Loper
Everything in the process of developing and refining seems to take much more time and effort than I had bargained for. But my Abba Father, the Potter, knows what He is doing..... Come read the full blog at amiloper.com and learn about the essential journey of process and how we can trust the Potter
Ami Loper
After 30 years of marriage, the Hubs and I both have had wonderful days and some exceeding trying days. The other night, we were reminiscing a bit, reminding each other of the beauty of our love story. He mentioned regretting one particular shortcoming of his. I mirrored his statement with a regretf
Ami Loper
Maybe you’re a flexible person. I’m not. I have gotten much better at rolling with it. But it has been a process. Relinquishing control is hard for some of us. Trusting is hard for some of us. I began learning of the destructiveness of control in my teen years. After all, if you want something done
Ami Loper
Dear Ami: Recently I have been reading through Jeremiah. Chapter after chapter talk about the judgment coming to Israel. Then, it turns, and chapter after chapter predict the destruction of the nations around Israel. Why does it matter to hear about that when they aren’t God’s people. Signed, C
Ami Loper
What started as a common illness with the doctor’s admonition to rest for a few weeks has become a two-year battle against a fatigue that has tethered me to my home and drained me of energy. Yet in God's great redemptive power, He’s let my heart grow and learn, even while my physical body has been b
Ami Loper
What is this Christmas going to look like? Will my people be able to get together? If you are a Believer in Jesus Christ, you know your joy is found only in Jesus. That beautiful truth doesn’t exactly stop the aching loneliness of being alone and bereft of your beloved traditions. We need more than
Ami Loper
This year has kicked me in the teeth. It has ripped my heart out and stolen my breath away. It’s been hard to see the light of day. But, like a Divine appointment, a book with wisdom for the broken came into my life this year and has given me a tool that has helped to keep my head above water. Chris
Ami Loper
What is unique about the towns of Santa Barbara, California and Solvang, California? Both are beautiful towns, singular in their style, but neither one started out that way. These two gems in central California were transformed into what they are today by surprising circumstances. Come read what tra
Ami Loper
I was snuggled in, watching “Persuasion,” a Jane Austen novel set to film. I was struck by a line that a woman says to a man. It goes like this, “I’d rather be tossed in a ditch by the man I love than to go steadily along without him.” (Caveat: “tossed in a ditch” was not referring to abuse, but rat
Ami Loper
Each of us has a nearly gravitational pull, urging us toward what can make us whole. And yet, we seek out less fulfilling sources that tantalize us with empty pledges of wholeness. But why would a loving Father create us with a hole in our hearts that causes such longings that we seek to fill it wit
Ami Loper
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I genuinely feel like I’m failing, like I’d be better off if I just bowed out. The tears flow for me some days. I question if the Lord has changed His mind about His promises or if I heard Him amiss. But as I watched one season of "The Great British Baking
Ami Loper
As a recent situation in my life drove me to my knees – in pain and in prayer – I poured myself into prayer beyond the norm. I decreed and declared and renounced and repented. All of those things were good. However, I began to realize that a tweak, a reprogramming, of my brain desperately needed to
Ami Loper
Here I am, once again, mulling over a current pain until I’ve injured my heart. I may lay it at the Lord’s feet momentarily, but within the blink of an eye, there it is, its full weight in my hands as I preen the beast with a fine-toothed comb. What makes it continually come back to mind and heart?
Ami Loper
Birth is so natural to us, clearly our expectation. But death? Death is different. Death is unnatural. We stand in the face of death with mouths agape, wondering what and why and how. No matter how expected, no matter how sweet the home-going, death’s finality and foreignness shakes us. Why? We can
Ami Loper
Trying to hear our Heavenly Father often comes with real effort and practice to press in to feel that whisper stirring in our hearts. At other times, life seems to be collapsing at our feet or an immediate decision is required, but it seems we’ve suddenly lost our connection to the still small voice
Ami Loper
What Was So Wrong About the Israelites' Complaints? We know that the common explanation is that He had done so many miracles for them along the way, they should have been more grateful and trusting. There is some merit in this theory, but I believe it only tells part of the story. Christian Blog
Ami Loper
A couple years ago the Hubs bought me a telescope. Calibrating the “finderscope” that came with it, we had to make sure that what was a close distance away was perfectly in focus. Only then could we look into the depths of space. Very interesting and profound. Read the blog to hear how the Lord show
Ami Loper
As is true for all of us, there was a war being waged over my childhood heart and mind: Whose words would I allow to shape and mold me in my formative years and even in my adulthood? I believed the words of others. I accepted the labels others plastered onto my identity. In the process, I betrayed m
Ami Loper
Last year was an intense year of brain fog for me. It’s better this year, as the Lord begins to heal and restore all that last year stole. But the lost feeling reminds me of another time I feel a fog roll in: on the battlefield. I’m not speaking of a tangible battlefield, but the battlefield of my h
Ami Loper
Admittedly, there are dry areas in the Bible. But I’ve always figured, if God wrote a book with limited space, everything in it must be for my benefit. Having recently read through one of “those” sections, the Lord graciously showed me part of His purpose in these more challenging passages. Studying
Ami Loper
All of us go through them; none of us enjoy them. Trials. We’re told to count them a joy (James 1:2). But we are also told that God, though He does not send them, will use them. He will turn them for our good (Romans 8:28). During my most recent trial, as I prayed and journaled with the Lord one mor
Ami Loper
Yes, Jesus laid His life down to save us. What a mind blowing Truth! Yet, are we aware that He is still giving of Himself? A good husband doesn’t just lay his life down for his wife in the ultimate, take-a-bullet-for-you way, he also lays his life down in smaller ways daily. In the same way, Jesus i
Ami Loper
Someone leveled some pretty gut-wrenching accusations at me. I had humbled myself and apologized for any conceivable culpability, but when I shared them later with the Hubs, he had told me the accusations were unfounded. How are we supposed to humble ourselves, but not let a false accusation dominat
Ami Loper
It is the shortest verse in the Bible, yet, in my view, one of the most powerful and I love how it stands alone – that two-word verse – almost forcing the reader to pause over it in a “Selah” moment. Come read the full blog at amiloper.com and take the journey with me as I discover new depths to thi
Ami Loper
God calls us to be holy and perfect. How in the world are we supposed to do that?? If we know God doesn’t ask us to do the impossible, what exactly is He asking of us and how do we participate?
Ami Loper
Jacob wrestled with God and God declared that Jacob prevailed. But wait! How did Jacob prevail? Isn’t he the one who walked away with a permanent limp? Wasn’t the wrestling match called on account of daylight? What made Jacob one who prevailed?
Ami Loper
Embarrassingly, there have been times in my past when I thought that I was the chosen instrument of change in someone’s life. Read the blog to see how the Lord revealed His heart and showed me just how different His ways are from mine. Maintain boundaries.
Ami Loper
God doesn't need us to pray polished prayers. When we are hurting, even angry with God, will He accept our honest prayers? Will He turn a cold shoulder, recoil from our honesty or give us the silent treatment?
Ami Loper
Honestly, I can think of no better gift to give you than the gift of freeing yourself and those around you from the baggage of disappointment, regret and relational pain. I’m tackling the biggest gap to get over: the gap between what I wanted for or from myself and what my reality is.
Ami Loper
Suppressing our legitimate needs causes inner turmoil because we are telling ourselves a lie: that our needs aren't there. So what do we do with all these unmet needs?
Ami Loper
There is a GAP. A distance between reality and what we have hoped for. And until we learn to forgive the gap, we cannot embrace the reality we have been given. Will you forgive the gap or live in a perpetual state of grief, disappointment and hurt?
Ami Loper
On this week’s blog, I’d like to invite you to read a guest blog I wrote on the Modern Day Marys site! When heartbreak and pain comes, we often can get by for a time by using an arsenal of coping methods to silence our pain. But what if God wants something more for us? What if He doesn’t want us to
Ami Loper
When truth is maligned, my desire for peace takes a backseat and my desire to not see lies propagated and people oppressed comes to the fore. I have outlined what is actually being said in the Greek about women and why it was being said. Several passages of Scripture that shed light on God’s heart a
Ami Loper
Life often threatens to pounce. I am often, way too gullible and unaware that “the game is afoot” and, in my ignorance, get tagged into running and chasing and left huffing and puffing. Learn what tools the Lord offers to keep us from the wearying, out-of-breath life!
Ami Loper
If God is speaking by using imagery that we don’t fully understand, it behooves us to LEARN IT! That’s where understanding COVENANT comes in. It is the imagery God has used from the beginning of time, imagery with which we have become unfamiliar. Let’s learn a few things about it and why it is impor
Ami Loper
It’s way too easy for us to imagine that we will know what to do and how to react in the moments we are called to follow onto the waves. It all seems so straightforward from the sidelines. But it is in the stepping out that we find out what is really lurking inside our hearts and minds.
Ami Loper
Are you in need of some practical ways to get and KEEP joy in your life? I learned so much about this as I taught one of my own daughters how to choose joy over moodiness.
Ami Loper
God knows, understands and has compassion for all you’ve been through. He will deal appropriately with the areas of your life where you’re weak and sensitive. At the same time, He desires healing and growth for you. How did the Lord show this to me at a coffee shop? Growing Process Christian Blog Go
Ami Loper
As a young teen, I would worship God when the songs in church moved me, but when it came to finding love, controlling my tongue or being honest, I was moved by my feelings and my fears more than by God. How much of my life is still this way? Christian Blog Faith Blog
Ami Loper
I thought I could, through ample complaints and tears, pull God to my way of thinking. It wasn’t working. Instead, in the relative silence around me I heard, in my spirit, a Voice that did not speak words of comfort and reassurance, though I found comfort and reassurance in them. It did not speak an
Ami Loper
The boy was talking a mile a minute, spewing out every excuse in the book, all while wearing a mischievous smirk. The frustrating thing is that he would have enjoyed the lesson had he not been so intent on playing this role he slipped into on a daily basis. Education requires great teachers, but it
Ami Loper
We can spend our whole lives on a pew, listening, paying attention, studying the Word faithfully. But unless we are actually doing the things we are told we should be doing, we can’t really call ourselves disciples. Bible Study Christian Blog Love One Another
Ami Loper
Fear is sneaky. It’s an emotion that, if not dealt with correctly, can bring about some of the worst consequences in our lives. Come give this blog a quick read to learn how fear can disarm you before you know what’s hit you. And then learn how to stand your ground! Fear Faith Faith Over Fear Sword
Ami Loper
I used to be crippled by fear. Having been a fearful child, and then having been abused, threatened and stalked as a young adult, my filter saw everything through a lens of fear. But then a series of events began to expose the true nature of fear! Fear VS Faith Faith Have Faith Christian Blog
Ami Loper
How effective do you desire to be in your daily work? Whatever field we are in, our work has eternal value. How can we make sure we are having the impact the Lord intends us to have? Christian Blog Your Best Life Live Your Passion
Ami Loper
With all my deep feelings, I relate well to Jeremiah, the Old Testament prophet who is often saddled with the moniker, “The Weeping Prophet.” Here’s what I’ve learned by studying his six pain-filled and personal complaints. Prayer Feeling Hopeless Encouragement
Ami Loper
How do I go from knowing the truth beforehand, to actually being able to tap into those truths in the moment of rejection when my emotions cloud over the truth? #Rejection Fight Back Christian Blog Printable
Ami Loper
We all experience rejection. But sometimes the shame that tries to piggyback on rejection causes us to not talk about it. Many of us just try to sweep it into a corner so we can try to ignore it and get on with life. Eventually, that can catch up with us. Let’s DEAL with rejection! Rejection Christi
Ami Loper
This last year, as I struggled to learn to trust the Lord in a specific and often tested area, I began to feel the whisper of the enemy tempting me back into worry. This lie has the potential to keep us from trusting the Lord. It’s the topic of my latest blog. Come take a quick 3 minute read and see
Ami Loper
Is God as generous as you think? And in spite of what you think about God’s generosity, what do your actions communicate that you believe about the heart of your Abba? God Is Good Generosity Christian Blogger
Ami Loper
Speeding is one of those things that we’ve all done at one time or another. And we don’t generally see much harm when everyone else is going much faster than we are. But the Lord showed me how we often fall into this trap in our spiritual lives too: Thinking that if we aren’t the worst offenders, th
Ami Loper
Are you setting goals this New Year? If you are, I’m sure you have the best of intentions. Many of us make goals, but few stick with them. How can you craft goals that are keep-able and that you actually WANT to keep? I’d like to help! I’ve had New Years goals for nearly every year of my life and I
Ami Loper
“Peace on Earth.” It’s a beautiful concept, but is it a bit idealistic? Have you looked around lately? There isn’t much peace in this world. And yet, this is the proclamation made by the angels to the shepherds that very first Christmas night. What can they be talking about and is it available now?
Ami Loper
So you want to be used by God? Who doesn’t!? Here’s a simple way that you can cooperate with what God is doing — and anyone can do it! Someone may be praying for a loved one right now — and You May Be the Answer! Helping Others Christian Blog
Ami Loper
Have you ever been all set up emotionally for God to come through, for that breakthrough you can see in your mind's eye to materialize, only to have what looked like the perfect opportunity evaporate before your eyes? Me too. And this is what I felt the Lord told me about those times. expectation VS
Ami Loper
It’s been three years since my Dad passed away. It’s still hard. But seen from the right perspective, death is little more than a narrow passageway to life. I have things in my life that appear dead, that feel dead. Or perhaps, they are just waiting on a resurrection. Self Improvement Christian Blog
Ami Loper
What goes on between a human heart and the heart of God that causes some people to devote their lives to God while others remain on the fringes? And what’s the difference between serving God out of duty and serving Him freely? True Love Christian Blog
Ami Loper
Like treasures of precious gems, there are beautiful truths in the Word of God that, given a little effort, could be mined by any of us. God has treasures awaiting you! Isn’t it time we devoted ourselves to letting God show us the beautiful things in His Word? Bible Study Christian Blog
Ami Loper
I am passionate about living my life from the perspective of eternity. Usually that lights a fire under me, but on this occasion, the Lord gave me the conviction that I needed to not make such a big deal out of some things in my life! Priorities Christian Blog
Ami Loper
Have you ever felt that you’ve missed it? - that one chance; that perfect timing; that singular opportunity for seeing the fulfillment of your dearest dreams? Well, not only are you not alone, there’s only two things you really need to do about it. I learned this during a recent conversation I had w
Ami Loper
Have you ever felt stuck? - just absolutely wedged between the impossibilities of life? Look out! Something beautiful happens when everything feels impossible! #impossible feeling Stuck Christian Blog
Ami Loper
Ever feel like you can’t see where you’re going? I know I have. What’s next? Where am I supposed to go from here? I may know where I want to go, but I just can’t seem to get there. What we do in those moments is critically important and communicates our beliefs more than we may realize or even like.
Ami Loper
How can what I heard in a self-defense class give us insights into spiritual battles? Strange but true! These 3 essentials will help you in the heat of battle to come out victorious! #selfdefense #Christianblog
Ami Loper
In any given day, there’s much more to do than there are hours in that day. And yet we are called to be so much more than task-accomplishing machines. The Hubs and I learned this as parents, but it applies to much more important areas of life as well. #IntimacyWithGod #ChristianBlog
Ami Loper
Calling. It’s a beautiful thing! It puts motivation in our steps and fire in our bones. But if we aren’t careful, we can get consumed with our calling. How do we keep things in the right perspective? How can we be sure to step out with backing from God? #calling #ChristianBlog
Ami Loper
Are you trying to find just the right key to open the door to what’s next in your life? Maybe you don’t need a key, maybe you need an ax! #persistence #ChristianBlog
Ami Loper
At one point in my life, I was faced with so much denominational strife that I cried out to God saying I would rather remain voiceless than enter the fray. At that moment He gave me a Scripture that has become the plumb-line for my heart in this matter. #BrotherlyLove #ChristianBlog
Ami Loper
I want to be loved and appreciated. No surprise there! We all want that, right? But sometimes we begin to wonder if those near us really love us for what we do more than who we are. We can even begin to wonder if God loves us with ulterior motives. How can we know? #GodLovesYou #ChristianBlog
Ami Loper
Feeling out of sorts? The Lord knows better than you do what the core issue is and what will cure it. We may run to good things to try to find relief, but unless it is the RIGHT thing, we may be taking the wrong "medicine." #ChristianBlog
Ami Loper
As believers in Jesus Christ, we are called to new life. What a blessed privilege! And although the pathway to this new life is counter-intuitive, it makes sense to us spiritually. Are we able to get past the hurdles that keep us stagnant in our old life and receive the offer of new life that Christ
Ami Loper
Barabbas. He's kind of a vague person in history. All we really know is that he was released from prison, chosen to be freed by the people while Jesus was crucified. But there is a Barabbas in me, in all of us... #EasterSunday #Resurrection #ChristianBlog
Ami Loper
Is God our Cosmic Buddy or a Distant Tyrant? Or is He something else entirely? As humans we tend to gravitate toward one end of the spectrum or the other. But there is danger in the extremes and safety in the truth. What are those dangers and how can we reject our extremes and find the truth? #relat
Ami Loper
I had a revelation a few Sundays ago as I worshiped standing next to the Hubs. Something has changed over the years, most unexpectedly. There is beauty to be heard in harmony that there isn’t in sameness. But most of us can’t find the harmony because we lack the essential element necessary. #confide
Ami Loper
Sleeplessness. I’m sure it visits all of us at some point. Having had an unwelcome amount of experience with sleeplessness, I’m reflecting today on the conclusions people jump to, the things that hinder and some spiritual tools that help. #insomnia #ChristianBlog
Ami Loper
As the New Year was rolling around, I was feeling more and more dread of starting up my blog once again. As I began to seek the Lord He showed me that, at least for the time being, He wanted the blog to be simpler and more about my personal daily journey. #OneWord #NewYear #ChristianBlog
Ami Loper
To resolve or not to resolve! That’s so often the question as the New Year rolls in. But why should we set goals and what should my goals be framed around? Should I have grace for myself when I blow it with my goals (and I WILL blow it!)? On the blog I’ve pulled together advice for goal setting and
Ami Loper
The Virgin Birth is a beautiful story that many either disregard because it sounds impossible or gloss over in confusion. But, as crazy as it sounds, the Virgin Birth is an essential element of our faith? Why? What’s so important about it? #Christmas #ChristianBlog
Ami Loper
I would love to just catch a moment, a moment to sit and meditate on the message of Christmas, to sip from a hot mug and enjoy a crackling fire. BUT.... life often has a way of sabotaging my plans. And when it does, I’m reminded that “moments” are great, but there’s something far greater that my Abb
Ami Loper
This season of Thanksgiving can be a challenge for some of us who are going through a difficult time. How do you begin when you can’t seem to find gratitude in your heart? #Thanksgiving #Gratitude #ChristianBlog
Ami Loper
Want to reduce your stress and all the things that scream at you to do them RIGHT NOW? Want to drive in the most advantageous lane toward your destiny? Hustle is great, but sometime hustle is a treadmill to nowhere! Come read my blog for help evaluating if your hustle is heathy and helpful! #hustle
Ami Loper
Why can't things happen NOW? Why all this seemingly endless wait? I'm ready to spread my wings, so what am I waiting for? #Preparation #ChristianBlog
Ami Loper
I have an unfortunate tendency to take things personally when people go out of their way to hurt me. But as I've been given "opportunities" to learn how to deal with "jerks," I've learned 3 very important things. #DifficultRelationships #ChristianBlog
Ami Loper
Times of strain and struggle, of waiting and wondering are difficult in and of themselves. But often we add to the burden of these times by listening to guilt-laden voices that tell us that because we are having a difficult time, we must be doing something wrong or failing in our faith. The Lord sho
Ami Loper
Do you struggle with feeling that you aren't doing what you are supposed to be doing unless you are running full tilt? Me too! But I recently learned a few things about myself and the Lord during a time when He told me to stop running for a minute and let Him work. #Fatigue #ChristianBlog
Ami Loper
Most people go through a season of loneliness. When we are in the midst of it, we can feel we are the only ones to ever feel the sting of isolation and the rejection we think it implies. Yet we are not alone and there is a purpose to the season. Exploring and learning from this season not only usher