I believe one of the greatest inventions of the twentieth century was the Post-It Note. First there was yellow. Then came fuchsia, turquoise, buttercup, and magenta. From full-page mega notes to tiny little strips, sticky notes have kept me organized, tasks prioritized, and Scripture memorized. Mostly, they have served as visual reminders of information, events, and appointments not to forget. Read more…
Looking at Life Through the Right Lens
I sat in the dimly lit room with soft music wafting through the air, and I began to relax. No this was not the prelude to a romantic evening with my husband. It was my yearly eye exam!
If you’ve ever had an eye exam, you’re familiar with the refraction test the doctor uses to determine if you need glasses and if so, Read more…
Becoming a Woman Who Listens to God
I want to tell you a funny story today. One that taught me a great lesson. Here goes…
Fourteen exhausted, sweaty teenage boys plopped down on the bottom step of the gymnasium bleachers—my son being one of them. The assistant Junior Varsity basketball coach paced back and forth, lecturing them on the error of their ways. In the style of Sergeant Carter addressing Gomer Pyle, Read more…
Just What You’ve Always Wanted
Yard sales. I’ve never really liked them. But when we were preparing to move from our home of twenty years, we decided it was the best way to clean out the clutter and make a little money.
We displayed our lovely attic décor on makeshift plywood tables and waited for the bargain babes to descend. Two hours before the advertised opening time, Read more…
Gratitude Changes Everything
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I’ve been thinking a lot about gratitude lately. What is it? When should we show it? What does God say about it? How does it change the way we view life? Then I remembered the day I got contact lenses.
See, when I turned forty, suddenly small letters and numbers got smaller. Read more…
Divine Interruptions
Ever had a day when nothing turned out like you thought it would? Interruptions. Wrong turns. Traffic jams. Mercy!
Just the other day, I got a bit lost going to pick up takeout at a restaurant I had never been before. Once I arrived and got in line, I watched the woman in front of me with a baby in a stroller. Read more…
Whatever You Need, God Is
I was exhausted. I was drenched in sweat. I was filled with inexplicable joy–a joy I had never known. It was the day Steven Hugh Jaynes, Jr. emerged from the pocket of my womb and made his grand debut into the world. And it was through that miracle that I understood an important name for God: El Shaddai.
When my son was born, Read more…
When You Want to Feel Closer to God
Have you ever felt that your love for Jesus has just grown cold? Maybe you feel that way right now. If so, keep reading…
Most of us come to Christ with a certain “inloveness”—a stirring of emotion mixed with an inexplicable knowing that we’ve discovered our reason for being. But some years into our spiritual journey, the wonder that swelled during the early years ebbs into routine religion laced with busyness. Read more…
The Contagiousness of Grumpy and Grateful
2020 has certainly given us a lot to be grumpy about. It has also given us much to be thankful for. When it comes to having a grateful attitude I’m reminded of the most fun I’ve ever had in an airport restroom. Here’s the story.
A few months ago, I was in the airport headed to New Jersey. Read more…
Taking the Easy Way
Our culture tends to want to take the easy way to success, the easy way out, and the easy way period. But what if I told you that the easy way may not be what you think?
Here’s a question. Do you think obedience to God is easy or hard? Hmmm. It is difficult to cope with the messes we get into when we don’t obey. Read more…