Holy Spirit | New Covenant Life

What Spirit Will You Choose?

March 21, 2026October 23, 2021 by Tonia Woolever

All mankind on earth possess a spirit — the invisible part of them which reflects their soul, and animates the heart and mind. The spirit in all humans, once created, is eternal. Meaning that when the body dies, the spirit lives on. Every eternal spirit must spend its eternity somewhere, and that somewhere is pre-chosen by the person before their body dies.

God alone, the sovereign creator and ruler of all things, has the right to decide where you will spend your eternal life. In a brilliant affirmation of His commitment to freedom, He gave you the choice. That’s the good news. The bad news, it is a binary choice. The good news is that you can choose to spend eternity with God in His magnificent kingdom, or you can choose NOT to be with Him.

Loving God: The Surprise Gift

March 29, 2026November 6, 2019 by Tonia Woolever

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.
Matthew 22:37-38

I had been a Christian about three years when I became terribly convicted about one particular thing: I did not love God.

I was grateful to Him, so very thankful for my salvation and the positive changes in my life because of Jesus Christ. But I kept stumbling over what Jesus said to the teacher who asked Him to name the greatest commandment of all.

I later learned that many Christians struggle with loving God, much less keeping the Ten Commandments and being “a good Christian.”

The Spirit Meets You In His Word

March 21, 2026October 25, 2019 by Tonia Woolever

When I came to the Lord as a raw recruit, I knew nothing of Him, and zilch of the Bible. As soon as I began to read it, I realized I had to choose how to respond to it. Was it all really true? Or mostly true, with some not true thrown in by fallible …

When Life Isn’t Abundant

March 22, 2026July 8, 2019 by Tonia Woolever

Those who read my books or hear me speak about God and His ways often hear about the abundant life Jesus offers to those who follow Him: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. John 10:10, NASB This is one of …

New Beginnings

March 18, 2026January 18, 2018 by Tonia Woolever

“This year is a new year with no mistakes in it!” Those are the charming, hopeful words of my kindred spirit, Anne of Green Gables. I chose her words to express my joy in new beginnings when I began writing this on the 2nd day of the year, full of the hope. Well, that was …

This Is Real

March 18, 2026January 15, 2018 by Tonia Woolever

Lord, more real than all I see around me, is this: your Spirit, and my spirit, connected together. We are one. You are in me, and I am in You. By your awesome grace. By the sacrifice of Jesus, who gladly gave His life for this reality. I could never earn this. You gave me …

Those Darn Cravings

March 18, 2026July 21, 2017 by Tonia Woolever

Cravings are a daily challenge in my life, like the craving for dark chocolate. I have to manage that one, and a few others, so I can keep re-losing the same five pounds that are my old “frenemies.” After the Lord helped me quit smoking in 1987, I thought I’d never meet the likes of …

Psalm 84:2 – Longing for God

March 18, 2026June 12, 2014 by Tonia Woolever

Okay, on to Verse 2 of Psalm 84! My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord; My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. Psalms 84:2 NASB At first glance a simple little verse, but ponder it a little, and it opens up a feast of truth …

Rocks In the River

March 21, 2026January 23, 2012 by Tonia Woolever

Obstacles to abundant life offered by Jesus come to us all. How we respond to them is determined largely by our perspective.

One of my favorite things is retreating to a quiet setting with a small group of women who love the Lord and want to know Him better. It is good to step away from the world as usual to gain perspective and renewed focus on our most important relationship.

In the weeks leading up to the retreat, as I prayed and prepared, the Spirit chose the subject of His living waters. We would explore focus points from John Chapters 4 and 7, where Jesus speaks of the streams of living waters that would flow into, and go forth from, those who drink of Him.

Surrender: A Verb Needing Its Object

March 21, 2026August 18, 2011 by Tonia Woolever

One year, preparing to lead a women’s retreat in Michigan, the Holy Spirit taught me something new about surrender. Our concept of surrender to God is giving everything up and yielding entirely to Him, which is accurate. The voices in our Bible — inspired by Holy Spirit — encourage us to yield our ways, plans …