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…
2020 doesn’t mean what it used to. It seems like there’s nothing perfect about it. But this one thing I know. God is in control. Let me share a story about how I saw God’s hand intervene on a very imperfect night. (By the way, I have an exciting announcement for anyone who has ever dreamed of writing a book after the end of today’s post!)
It was a beautiful crisp February morning when Steve and I traveled from our college town of Chapel Hill, Read more…
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…
Let’s face it. People let us down. They disappoint us. And so does God. Often our experiences fall short of our expectations for God to meet all our needs the way we think He should, and like a lover who has been wronged, we tend to guard our hearts against future disappointment by lowering our expectations and trustHe is not aloof. Read more…
I’m writing over at Proverbs 31 Ministries today. I thought you might enjoy this too. Welcome fellow allien!
One spring, our family hosted a 10-year-old Russian foreign exchange student. He went to school with my son and got a taste of what the American Christian family is all about. Alex’s English was very limited, and we depended on hand signals and facial expressions to get by. Read more…
I sat by her bed.
Her hand swollen…full…unmoving.
Feet that danced just a few weeks ago now stilled. Arms that lifted just a short time ago now limp. Words that spilled easily just a moment ago now halted. How could life seep away so quickly, right before my eyes?
Mom was ready. But I wasn’t. Read more…
God speaks to me in the comics. I know. That’s weird. But He does.
Pickles comic strip features an older couple named Earl and Pearl Pickles. Take a look at this one.
And there you have it! In the wise words of Earl Pickles, Read more…
When I was a little girl, I loved pretending to be a bride. I’d wrap a sheet around my body, drape a towel over my head, and hold a bouquet of plastic flowers to my chest. Then I would start at one end of the hallway in our ranch-style house and saunter down the “aisle.” In my little mind, all eyes were on me as my sheet became a pearl-studded wedding gown, Read more…
I’ll go out on a limb and say, that very single one of us, at one time or another, will struggle with feelings of inferiority, insecurity, and inadequacy. And the primary underlying falsehood that feeds the sense of worthlessness is I’m not __________ enough. You can fill that blank in with any number of qualities.
I’m not strong enough. Read more…
Oh friend, I don’t know what you are going through today. But I do know this: God is not surprised or worried. He’s got this.
I’ll admit, I’ve had quite a month.
For starters, someone created a fake Facebook page using my name, my pictures and my identity. If I didn’t know better, Read more…