I’m writing over at Proverbs 31 Ministries today and I wanted to share it with you too. Here’s a question: have you ever pressed “send” and then wanted to climb back in the computer and get it back? (I see you shaking your head “yes.”) Grab a cup of coffee and let’s talk about it…the beauty of that delete button! Read more…
Neutralizing Toxic Talk
There is so much toxic talk these days. Political ads, tweets, FB posts, and heated arguments among family and friends. It makes me tired. Does it you? It reminds me of an oil spill.
Remember when that 1,200 miles of Alaskan shoreline was covered with black slimy crude oil by the Exxon Valdez oil spill? Eleven million gallons of crude oil spilled into the Prince William Sound and disrupted the ecological balance of nature. Read more…
T.H.I.N.K.
What does it really mean to take every thought captive? Put on your cowgirl boots and imagine this scenario with me…
I was at my first rodeo…yes, this WAS my first rodeo. The little calf bursts from the stall, and then the cowboy and his steed follow in close pursuit. With his lasso in hand, the cowboy swings the rope in the air and attempts to catch the little heifer before she escapes out the corral door at the opposite side of the arena. Read more…
Kicking Verbal Knee-Jerk Reactions to the Curb
If you’re like me, you’ve tried to get control of your words, and then a knee-jerk reaction makes words pop out of your mouth to make you look like a big-jerk reactor. The following story gives an example of the power of verbal reflexes and how to tame them.
One day I was driving home from the beach in July Fourth holiday traffic. Read more…
Standing in the Gap
Have you ever felt like you weren’t capable of doing what God called you to do? I’m thinking you answered yes. So come listen in on a surprise conversation I had with my Girlfriend in God, Mary.
I was in the restroom touching up my makeup before teaching a Bible study to a group of women. I was having one of those moments when I looked in the mirror and thoughts began swirling in my head. Read more…
Words That Breathe Life
Have you ever had times when you felt like you just couldn’t breathe? Stress weighs you down and the “to-do list” becomes the “too-much to-do list.” Sometimes we just need a friend to come and breathe life into us. And one of the ways they do that is with words.
When I was in my teens, I went scuba diving with some friends. Read more…
The Wrong Number With the Right Answer
Sometimes God will bring people who need encouragement across our paths in the most mysterious ways. That’s why we need to slow down and look around. Be sensitive to the little nudges of the Holy Spirit. You never know when you will be someone else’s miracle.
Jon Robinson experienced an unexpected miracle at a crucial time in his life. Read more…
Grandma’s Hands, Your Hands
On a shelf in my living room sits a black-and-white photograph of a young girl taken in the early 1900s. Her hair is pulled back with an oversized bow peeking from behind the edges of her head. Her dress is typical of the times, with puffed sleeves and a brimming lace collar resting on her shoulders. She isn’t smiling, and she appears to be somewhat awkward, Read more…
A Time to Speak Up and a Time to Keep It Zipped
Timing is everything. How many times have I heard that? How many times have I heeded that? Hmmm. Those two answers are not the same. Sometimes I speak up when I need to keep silent.
When Steven was about seven years old we went snow skiing. For hours I instructed him how to stand up, ski down, and get up once he fell. Read more…
I Can’t Believe I Just Said That
What if your most snarly comments were caught on tape? Yikes! That’s exactly what happened to me. Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy one of my most embarrassing moments!
My friend Catherine and I set out for a stroll through the neighborhood, just before the fireflies emerged to start their party. We chatted about raising boys, husbands and decorating dilemmas. Read more…