Enemies of the Cross of Christ

Written by Rhonda Frye on March 13, 2025. Posted in Inspiration.

I can’t stop thinking about what the Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 3:18-19. “For MANY live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things.” I can’t help but scratch my head and ask, “What year did he write that?” Interestingly, Paul did not say that MANY are living as enemies of Christ but of the Cross of Christ. Why is that? Could it be that people just love Jesus because they...

Hope

Written by Rhonda Frye on November 28, 2023. Posted in Inspiration.

I don’t like disappointment. You don’t either. Nobody does. And let’s be honest, waiting gets old— real old, real fast. In a co-writing session yesterday we talked about how hard it is to sit around the table at a small group study listening to others share about their answers to prayer. Of course, you’re legitimately happy for them, but inside you’re secretly praying, “When is it my turn?” “When is my day going to come?” You’re hoping for it, but the hard reality is that it may never come—at least in the way you imagined and in the time frame you so desperately want. We’ve all been there—if...

Access

Written by Rhonda Frye on February 10, 2023. Posted in Inspiration.

Oh, the extremes we go to block access to our hearts from Jesus, the Caretaker of our souls! Sometimes we offer our treasures and valuables, but those tragic traumas… No way! We take those and sink to the bottom of our hearts, where it’s the deepest and darkest, and then start a building project. Yes. A building project. We build walls and surround those with an electric fence with barb-wire. You know, like a high-security prison. All the while, the One who loves us most watches it all. He watches us work feverishly to lock Him out of the dirty dungeon He already sees. How much pain could...

A Gift For and To Us

Written by Rhonda Frye on December 21, 2022. Posted in Inspiration.

I probably shouldn’t be writing a blog this morning. God knows I have a million things to do. And who will read it anyway, because everyone else has a million things to do too. I’m writing because I can’t stop thinking, and it will make me crazy until I spill a few thoughts on paper. For me, this Christmas season has been busier than usual. First, I led worship at a ladies’ retreat in November, and then the following weekend, I met up with my songwriting family in the mountains to write for a few days. The following weekend was Thanksgiving, and then the next, I directed a Kids’...

Passing The Baton

Written by Rhonda Frye on October 11, 2022. Posted in Inspiration.

I recently wrote an article for a Wesleyan commentary website on a passage that captures what some scholars say is Paul’s last will. One gold nugget I found from the passage was the importance of mentoring. I noticed how Paul wasn’t afraid to leave behind the ministry because he was leaving it in good hands. The Scripture is 2 Timothy chapter 4. In verse 5, Paul says, “As for you…” and then he proceeds to give Timothy final instructions. In verse 6 Paul writes, “As for me…” and goes on to say the end of his life is quickly approaching. As I read “As for you…As for me…” I imagined Paul as a...

God: A Redeemer of Shame

Written by Rhonda Frye on October 5, 2022. Posted in Inspiration.

Guilt and Shame. Ugh! Don’t those two words make you want to close your eyes and mumble, “please, no!” I feel my cheeks grow warm at the thought of those two words. Guilt is heavy. Guilt makes our heads droop. But Shame? UGH! Shame has a way of shutting us down and shutting our mouths. I’ve been thinking about shame- and how it works in our lives. Shame is a pillow that snuffs the voice. It’s the hand over the mouth. I read an article recently that asked what shame tastes like, sounds like, and smells like. This is what I wrote in my journal: Shame tastes like lukewarm water—or maybe a bland...