If you’d known me growing up you would have seen a girl who could comfortably play the piano and organ in front of large groups of people, who could stand in front of groups and give presentations with little or no fear, and who thrived on memorizing lines and performing in plays and musicals. If…
I started reading Exodus this week. Wow, those people make me uncomfortable! I think it’s because I so often see myself in their less than cooperative words and behaviors. After I ask God to forgive me for being so much like them … I can settle in to learn from them. Here are just a…
I always believed God blessed good behavior and in many ways, He does, but the truth is you and I are not perfect … our behavior will never be good enough. So, most of us would probably admit — life is hard! Add to any personal problems you and I experience, our lives are also…
I thought about sharing all my favorites from the week first but decided I’m too excited … so, I’m just going to spill my exciting news right away! It’s been on my heart the last several months to try to find a way to help bloggers connect and make friends. I hear from so many…
It was the end of our workday when Rev and I sat down to decompress and catch up. I started the conversation pretty wound up over something that had been discussed on a news show I’d recently watched. Rev patiently listened and “wisely” agreed! He knows that’s a good place to start when I’m venting. But…
Happy 2018! I typically start praying and thinking about my blogging plans for the coming year in early September. This year was no exception. The difference this year is that my theme for the year seemed to choose me rather than the other way around. I loved digging deep into faith through The Faith Project…
Jesus – Hope of the World. For just a moment, join me as I focus on God’s amazing gift whom we celebrate. Then, as you finish errand running, wrapping, baking, cooking, traveling, etc… Turn on some music and praise God for His indescribable gift. 20 Quotes that Celebrate Jesus, the Gift of Hope Thanks be…
This post was not part of the plan! I wanted to write this warm fuzzy word of encouragement to walk you into your Christmas celebration. But every time I tried to put words to white space, God challenged me with the following question… What’s your religion? Honestly, I didn’t know what it meant or what…
I’ve had a few times in my life when I’ve felt God’s voice loud and clear. Like the time He challenged my grumbling or the time He gave me a word of love for a specific person as I was driving to a speaking engagement. There was also the time that completely changed my view…
I always find it amusing when I see the word “believe” everywhere at this time of the year. Just believe – all by itself. It begs for answers. Believe in what? Believe in whom? When you and I “believe in” someone or something – we have faith in it. And having faith means we have…
My email inbox overflows every day with advertisers trying to woo me with this years must have gift ideas. Kids of every age have made their list of wants and wishes they hope to find under the tree. I’ll admit I’m beginning to feel a sense of panic as I watch the days until Christmas…
Do you ever feel like the darkness is winning? Sexuality is confused, misused, and abused. Wars and rumors of wars lead our newscasts unless there’s a more titillating scandal to report. Respect for those in leadership seems to be the exception, not the norm. Addiction has filtered into every segment of society. Babies continue to…
It was 1973. Rev was out making calls with an elder of our church as part of his seminary assignments. They were driving between visits when this older friend and mentor turned to my dear man and asked, “Do you tithe?” Now, you have to know our income was very small even for the time….
Do you ever need to stop for a moment and remind yourself — it’s not about me? Yeah, me too! Today was one of those days. I have to admit as I prepared to write this all I could think was, “I got nothin’!” I can’t tell you how many words have been typed and…
Holiday travel has started. Families are climbing into cars and boarding planes to travel across the country to celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends. And yes, the cooking has begun too. The turkeys are defrosting in the frig as side-dishes and desserts are being prepared and popped into the freezer. If you’re like me, there…
Do you ever feel like you’re dragging around a weight? That’s how I started this week. My body ached and my thoughts were a swamp of past and present struggles. It was time to go to war! I don’t often pray out loud, but on this day I needed to hear the cries of my…
For many of us in America, Thanksgiving is rich in traditions. We enjoy must-have recipes as we gather for table time that ends way too quickly and maybe it’s all become so familiar that we’re missing out on making our celebrations and meaningful as they might be. What if a few small adjustments in your…
This is awesome! Did you know that being grateful is so good for you … you might want to consider making gratitude a priority purely for selfish reasons! Seriously, it’s that beneficial! 10 Reasons Why Being Grateful is Good for You 1. Being grateful will make you happier. You and I get to choose … thankful…
I can still remember the feeling like it happened yesterday. I desperately needed to pray but the cries of my heart were making it impossible for me to put my needs into words. I called Rev and sobbed, “I need you to come and pray with me.” And my partner in prayer as well as…
As I’ve talked with you and read through your comments the last few weeks one truth continues to stand out… THE BATTLE IS REAL! The enemy is working overtime to discourage and silence God’s children. He’s using taunts like: Your efforts are fruitless. Look how you failed in the past, how can God use you….
As I walked upstairs the other night, Rev was rewatching the Ohio State vs Penn State football game. We’d watched it live but he just couldn’t get enough, saying “I think it’s, even more, fun watching it again.” Now, if you’re a Penn State fan, I want you to know we think your team is…
