Jesus

I was Smart, Once

I used to know a lot more than I do now. I had the best opinions about everything. I knew how to solve complicated problems because I was right. I was going to be President. It would be easy, I already had all the answers. I didn’t have experience, but I didn’t need it. I…
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Taking Time for Zacchaeus

“‘cchaeus, mommy I wuv dat song,” he lisps as he stands unmoving in the middle of the hallway of his school. “You sing it mommy pwease,” his eyes dance as he smiles and nods at me. In my head I had a check-list of all the things we needed to do before picking up his…
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Offering…

Ding-Dong! DIIINNNNGGGG-DOOONNNNGGGG! Rap-rap-rap-rap. Inwardly I sigh. My mind begins to roll. Didn’t I just send them outside to play? Isn’t their dad outside with them? I am just trying to get dinner started! UGH!!! I am being interrupted. Reluctantly I turn the water off and slowly with mind still churning and frustration mounting I plod…
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Honoring God Honoring Others

Honor has become an important word in my house. In fact it is a word that has changed how I parent, how I think, and how I view my life before God. The idea started when I read a book, Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes in You and Your Kids by Turansky…
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My Hero…

Last week I got a call from my sister. She was preparing a devotional talk for the inmates at a woman’s prison. She and several other women go to the jail to play basketball with the inmates and share Christ with them. She had a great idea about what to share, but needed some direction.…
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Waiting and Strengthening

Her eyes sparkle with awe, wonder, joy. Suddenly her eyes moisten slightly as sadness darkens her countenance. Her eyes betray her inner struggle, but only briefly. The joy returns as she bends to talk to my little man. I recognize the emotion in her eyes. I have seen it before – in the mirror. It…
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Amazed by God

Don’t ask me why, but I am still amazed at God. I guess that is good, but it seems I should expect Him to do something unexpected. Yet I am forever amazed. What has so amazed me this time? That He would use me. Don’t get me wrong. I think I am pretty smart, I…
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Same Flood Different Foundation

Did you know that I am writing a book? I have a few friends reading over the manuscript currently. One of them e-mailed me and said that the difference between Christians and Non-Christians is their foundation. The wise builder and the foolish builder went through the same flood, but the one with the firm foundation…
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The Smelly Truth About Sin

“EWWWWWWWW…MOOOOOOMMMMMYYYYY, J pooped,” her voice shakes the paintings on the walls as she flees her brother’s presence. “J we don’t want to play with you when you stink,” his other sister chimes in with the painful truth. I wince to hear her shun her brother. Oh, but I understand why. In fact there is a…
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1,000 Gifts Continued

The crowds scream. They can taste the upset. My team is choking hard. It is ugly. I turn away to write this post. I love college basketball and I love watching the Jayhawks, but my identity is not wrapped up in whether they win or lose. I’ll be honest, I get really into these games.…
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Weakness and Strength: How to Let God Redeem Our Weaknesses

For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10 ESV I hate looking weak and being a 5’3″ woman doesn’t help that perception. Maybe that is why I like martial arts so much. I feel strong,…
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How to Keep Our Eyes on Jesus When We Fail, Again

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9 Failure. It is a label I carry around in my heart and mind. One I plaster…
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Enough Faith: Trusting God When Things Don’t Go Our Way

And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” Mark 9:23-24 ESV “If only you had enough faith, you would be healed…” I’ve heard folks utter those words too many times. Is God really a great vending machine…
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Love U 3 Do I Love All of God?

My fingers are not the most nimble and at times texting can be dangerous. The dreaded auto-correct makes an innocent text sound like a proposition. And when I meant to text my husband “Love U 2,” my finger slid or something it I sent “Love U 3.” I smiled and quickly sent another text “2.…
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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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Could it be Pride?

Josiah became king of Israel at the tender age of eight. When he was 16 he began to seek the Lord. Four years later at the age of twenty he began to tear down the places of idol worship. Six years later he began to rebuild the temple of God. When the book of the…
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Dependance

It starts innocently. I want to honor God with the gifts He has given me. So I step out and speak and blog and write. Soon others are blessed by what I do. I hear: “God has gifted you.” “I love your blog.” “You are a great teacher.” Those words encourage and build me up.…
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Living with Passion

Would you consider liking my Facebook fan page? Click on the Facebook icon under my picture in the right hand column. When you get to my Facebook page click the like button. My goal is 250 likes prior to July 15. I am getting close! Thanks for all your help!
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Do You Really Trust God?

Yesterday was our third day of Vacation Bible School (VBS) at our church. That day is the day we present the whole gospel clearly. This year we talked about Nicodemus and his discussion with Jesus. My fourth graders had some great questions. Questions that sometimes I failed to realize…   Did you know that Jesus…
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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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