Rethinking Christian Life, Rethinking God, Rethinking Hard Times, Rethinking Infertility
Finding Joy in God’s Plan
I claw and scream inwardly as I cling to unraveling plans–my plans for a good life, great kids, a perfect marriage. But lives don’t follow carefully laid plans and great kids have minds of their own. Perfect marriages don’t exist–there are no perfect wives or husbands. Still I tie myself in knots when my plans…
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Beauty in Barren Land
A flash of color catches my attention as I pull out of my driveway. There among some dead and dying bushes was one bright red flower. I never planted flowers there. In fact we have spent three falls in this house and have never seen anything like it before. In defiance of the very dry…
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Right Thinking Wrong Thinking: Why
My mind reels and churns as my heart thumps wildly. My neck and shoulder muscles tighten and my brain hurts. Every where I look seems a black pit swallowing me whole. Why? Why me, why now, what did I do? What must I learn? How can I get out? If I can only figure out…
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How to Fight a Battle
A battle rages. Daily, moment-by-moment. The chaos surrounds us. Often we stumble and fall. But the battle is not what it seems. Our struggle is not caused by disobedient children, angry bosses, broken bodies, or crazy drivers. No, it comes from our sinful flesh and the enemy of our souls. They engage the Spirit that…
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Shadows and Light
Today I have the privilege of guest posting at Hannah’s Prayer Ministry’s blog called Held. You can check it out here. Let me add that Hannah’s Prayer Ministry is a wonderful place for women struggling with infertility. Those women have walked the roads of infertility and found intimacy with God. They will not promise you…
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Rethinking Christian Life, Rethinking God in Our Lives, Rethinking Hard Times
Detours…Refined
Today I have the pleasure of being featured on Encouragement Cafe. They are doing a series on detours…My post is titled Refined. I hope you jump over there to read it. If you are visiting here from Encouragement Cafe. Welcome! Refined, purified, cleansed. It is the process God uses to make us more like Him.…
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Seed
“I don’t want to,” I stamped my foot for emphasis and stormed into my bathroom. But storming and stamping did not change His mind. “It is just too hard and painful. I can’t do it. I won’t do it and You can’t make me,” I nearly stick out my tongue as I obstinately crinkle my…
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When Words are not Enough
Some things happen and there are no words. Winds tear apart cities, homes, families. Cancer spreads. Office politics crack and things change, maybe for always. Birth moms have rights that do not make sense when the spirit of the law is to protect children. Children die. Families mourn the gaping hole. Marriages crumble and shake.…
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When the Winds Blow
Joplin, Alabama, Mississippi, Minnesota, tornadoes, floods…My heart breaks, my mind reels. Tornadoes touch down and damage and kill both in the West and East of my town. My mind wonders…Why not us God? Thankful it wasn’t us, but why did He allow the tornado to jump? Humbly I feel blessed and I hurt for those…
Read More Give-Away, Rethinking Challenges, Rethinking Faith, Rethinking Hard Times
How to Celebrate Good Friday and a Give AWAY!
The question hangs in the air. It asked by countless people across the world. “Why is Good Friday called good?” That question reverberates with me each year as Easter approaches. I wonder how I can celebrate a sham of a trial, an innocent man sentenced to die, a gruesome death, and all for me. But…
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Sovereignty: Three Ways to Trust God When Failure Looms
Last week I watched Clemson trounce Alabama in the NCAA’s Football National Championship game. Clemson was up 31-16 at halftime and never looked back. After a botched fake field goal at the beginning of the third quarter Alabama’s loss seemed imminent. Failure, at least in that game, was coming. Still Alabama did not walk off…
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When Words Are Not Enough: How to Support Those Walking Dark Roads
It doesn’t make sense. At least not this side of heaven. Cancer stealing years from folks who live and love well while rapists continue their lust for power and flesh. Infertility leaving wombs and arms empty while others abandon and abuse their children. Addiction powerfully pulling its prey away from work, family, friends. A momentary…
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How Do You Love a God Who is Able, But May Not?
It is a wonderful thing to know that God is omnipotent. It means that every seemingly impossible circumstance is not hopeless. Miracles can happen. Things can change. But God’s ways are mysterious. He isn’t simply a divine vending machine. “I go to church every Sunday, I tithe, and I even went on that mission trip…
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When Big Questions Loom: An Honest Response
Some questions linger unanswered – questions that weigh heavy on your heart, mind, soul, and strength. They threaten to suffocate the joy out of life and life can feel barren, hopeless, endless. Everyone else seems to have all the answers or they never had any questions. Their lives seem purposeful, full of meaning, with no…
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Courage…The Biblical Kind
For my current seminary course I had to write a short-ish post about courage and how it relates to the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love…I thought you all might find it interesting… According to Merriam-Webster.com courage is the “mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.” And courage…
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How to Love God who is Able, But Does Not. . .
They said it as they stood near a furnace hot enough to kill men who came near. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego told king Nebuchadnezzar, “. . .our God, whom we serve, is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire. And from your hand, O king, let him rescue us. And if not,…
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When the Pain Binds You Together
My scars and old wounds, I revealed them this weekend. Tore the bandage off the hidden ugliness behind the pain and wounds. In front of women I never met, but I knew a part of their struggle. I stood in a room full of women dealing with infertility or pregnancy loss and I spoke…
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Praying in the Wait
Hi friends. Today I have a post featured on The M.O.M. Initiative titled Let Dad be Dad. If you are a mom, check it out. Today I want to pray for you all as you wait. God often brings us into waiting times. Yet those who wait for the Lord Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like…
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How to Be Happy for Your Friend
Hello blog friends. Today I have the privilege of being featured at Encouragement Cafe. Check out my post The Word, Actions, and Words. Also check out The M.O.M. Initiative today to see about entering their big giveaway! Some days I wonder when my sinful self will get out of my way. I hear wonderful news…
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Return to Me
As I read through Amos 4 this week a phrase struck me. It was repeated five times in the short chapter. God said, “. . .yet you have not returned to me.” God mentions hunger, drought, thirst, famine, plagues, and war. He takes credit for all the terrible things and then He simply says, “.…
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