Misc

What if I Looked for God’s Glory in the Mundane?

Every moment is pregnant with possibility, but most moments slip away the possibility missed. It happens when I focus on what isn’t right, when an interruption annoys. The moment slips away I miss the opportunity to enjoy God, to thank Him for breath and life, for words lisped from little mouths that grow so fast.…

A Prayer for Wisdom

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5 Father God I need wisdom. I am a messy broken child who thinks too well of her intellect. Forgive me for relying on myself. Help me not…

It’s Memory Monday on Tuesday. . . Psalm 40:8

My plans to get ahead with blogging so I could enjoy my parents as they visited didn’t really happen. So yesterday although I attempted to get a post out, I just didn’t get it done. UGH! But I did enjoy getting to spend great time with my kiddos and parents. God has richly blessed me…

Praying for the USA

Father God thank You for the USA. Thank You for Your grace and mercy on our country. We are not perfect, we have made many mistakes and continue to make mistakes. Oh God I lift our government up to You. There is corruption and we are far from our founding principles. I cannot see a…

Waiting. . . For God to Move

I’ve been quiet lately. Not writing much, fighting a cold, and praying for direction. The kind of direction that could mean difficult decisions. What would God have me do? Right now He says wait, but waiting is difficult for me. Waiting means I can’t plan. I like to see life stretching out before me, but…

An After Christmas Prayer

Today I pray for you, our nation, and our world. And I have I post at the MOM initiative today…It’s titled Cold Coffee…Click here to check it out. Father God be with each person reading this blog right now. Help them to know You are near. Fill them with your peace. Comfort them if they…

God In Us

I ruined Christmas and it was only breakfast. I flung careless words that scraped and bruised. Defeat shone in my husband’s eyes. I stained and marked a day that was supposed to be fun and joyous with anger and frustration. I asked my husband to forgive my careless words. He forgave, but the hurt lingered.…

Tuesday Again. . .

My head pounded and all I wanted to do was lay down in a dark room for a few hours. Still it was 8:30 AM and I had to take my van for an oil change and repair a sensor. So I found the darkest place to sit in the car dealership {the kind with…

Don’t Jump! : How to Stay Out of the Pit

A swirling black vortex of emotions spun around me. Tears stung my eyes as my mind rehearsed old hurts, and searched through newer ones. Life is good, I reminded myself. Why am I so down? In the grand scheme of things I am fine. So why this? A yawning pit of despair beckoned me to…

Symphony and Memory Monday

“Happy twelfth anniversary,” I smiled that goofy love-struck smile at my husband and kissed him. “Happy anniversary to you,” he smiled back. Our day had just begun and our plans were simple. Hang out with my brother and parents until we left to drive six-hours home. Not particularly romantic, but we planned a date later…

Misc

EnJOYing Election Season: Cultivating Joy in the Chaos

“Evangelicals for Harris” are all CHINOS — Christians In Name Only. God is not fooled. Neither should we be fooled. My Social Media feeds are full of vitriol…from both sides of the political divide. “How can any Christian vote for a convicted criminal, rapist, insurrectionist, etc.” And it grieves me. The Bible says that all…

Art and Beauty: How to Embrace Beauty to Change Culture

“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way… things I had no words for.” ― Georgia O’Keeffe Sometimes we forget that God created beauty. At least we evangelicals who value utilitarianism above beauty and art do. We forget that God is the original artist. He paints on canvases…

A Reason to Go to Church: God’s Presence and Joy

“Silence is the perfectest herald of joy. I were but little happy if I could say how much.” Claudio, Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare God does something special when His people come together as a congregation. When we sing, take communion, baptize people, listen to the preaching of God’s Word, His presence comes to us in a special…

Joy and Presence

Just a note…I have missed sharing this space with you all. So through prayer and planning, my goal is to post here twice a month. I hope you are blessed. Where Joy is Found You [the LORD] reveal the path of life to me;in your presence is abundant joy;at your right hand are eternal pleasures. Psalm…

Intimacy, Holiness, and Power

“Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain?” Psalm 15:1 My heart echoes the cry of the psalmist. How do I get close to God? How do I develop a deep and abiding relationship? Can I move-in with God? What must I do so I can dwell with…

Discipline and Missions

The word God gave me this year is discipline… I am flat out bad at it. I feel constrained by schedules and when I don’t accomplish tasks on the days I plan I chastise myself. But then I don’t plan my time and so I have a stack of things that need mended or a…

God Did It – A Conference, A Call, and You

In case you didn’t know, last week I spoke at The M.O.M. Initiative’s Better Together Conference. Here are some pictures of the conference. I flew on a plane to Jacksonville, Florida and met with 22 authors and speakers who shared break-out sessions and keynotes to several hundred women. It was a sweet time of…

Things You Shouldn’t Say because Infertility Hurts

A salesperson bounced toward me as I lifted my two-year-old into a navy-blue shopping cart. “She is so cute. Can I have her?” she teased as the blood drained from my face. I turned toward my precious girl, throat tightening, “No.” I shook my head. “Why not? You can just have more,” her words pierced…

Ash Wednesday Fail

Yesterday was the first day of the Lenten season. I did not grow up observing Lent, but as I began to read about this season the more I felt drawn to it. 46 days including Sundays and Maudy Thursday, Good Friday, and the day before Easter. Yes 46 days to focus on Christ…to begin in…

How to Choose Joy

Nehemiah 8:10 says, “…Do not grieve for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” And grief it is natural to this sinful world. It oozes into the beautiful moments of life… When someone near us should be there, but isn’t. When what is reminds us of a should have been. And the ache threatens…

Misc

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