There it was. Carved in wood. The evidence could not be denied. My niece, Anna, dropped her kids off at school and then went home to clean up a bit. She removed a hairbrush, school papers, and yesterday’s jewelry from her dresser. And there it was. She couldn’t believe her eyes. A nail. And a name. L-i-l-l-i-a-n…carved into the top of …
When You Forget…Remember Grace
Ann. I just love her. In just the few years I’ve know her, she has taught me much about gracious, grace-filled living. My friend Jill has the privilege of being a companion to Ann two days a week. But Jill is more than a companion…she is Ann’s friend. Last week Ann called Jill in a panic. “Jill, there are birds …
A Higher Place
911 Mom punched in the numbers and waited for the ambulance to arrive. She was having intense abdominal pains and the vomiting wouldn’t stop. I got the call, and for the next six weeks sat by her bed and watched her slip away. We talked about everything from the distribution of her material possessions to the best shampoo for shiny …
The Comparison Trap–And How to Escape It
While I am away taking care of my mom, I have invited one of my dear friends, Emily T. Wierenga, to share her heart with you. I read her wonderful book, Atlas Girl, this summer while on vacation. As I read about Emily’s struggles and joys of taking care of her mother who was suffering from brain cancer, I had …
What To Do When Your Rooster Crows
I sat on my back porch, wrapped in my fuzzy worn robe—the one that’s twenty years old that I just can’t seem to get rid of. The birch trees waved “good morning,” and the newly planted gerbera daisies stretched their faces to the sun…just a bit higher than the day before. Then I heard him. The rooster. ER-er-ER-er-ERRRR. I’m not …
When You Get In Over Your Head
I was just a wisp of a girl–a six-year-old, forty-pound monkey with gangly arms and legs who vowed she could do anything her eleven-year-old mischievous brother, Stewart, could do. Standing on the glistening sand of Bogue Inlet Beach, N.C., I hungrily watched as Stewart and his friend, Jeffery, plunged into the briny waters at the end of the island where …
God’s Valentine to You
Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. You knew that. Probably all too well. While it is touted as a day filled with red balloons, boxed-chocolates, Hallmark cards, candlelight dinners and sexy lingerie, it is also a day of disappointment for many because there are no red balloons, boxed chocolates, Hallmark cards, candlelight dinners and sexy lingerie. Here’s my word to you. Don’t …
Could You Be the Answer To Someone’s Prayer?
Two weeks ago, I was preparing for an upcoming trip to El Salvador with Compassion International and my ministry partners, Gwen Smith and Mary Southerland. We were going to visit several projects in three different cities to get a better understanding how Compassion breaks the cycle of poverty among some of the world’s poorest populations. Like the smell of …
He Loves Me!
I stood in a circle with a group of ladies to pray before heading to the podium to speak. They had been planning and preparing for about a year, and now the Christmas event was finally here. As we held hands in a circle of intercession, one of the women said, “This morning as I was sitting in the church praying for the event, God showed me that Sharon is very valuable to Him.” At that moment I began to weep…Read more
DEATH, ROOMMATES, & A RANDOM CAT
One of the new features of my Blog is that I will have Guest Bloggers post from time to time. This will usually be when I’ve read something that stirs my heart, and want to share it with you. That’s what I’m doing today. My brother left his wife and three teenage kids several years ago. (See, I told you …