Have you ever heard someone say, “She’s just a bitter old woman.”
I have. And whenever I do, I know exactly what the person means. The image comes instantly to mind—a woman whose smile has been replaced by a scowl, whose conversations are peppered with complaints, and whose heart seems trapped in yesterday’s hurts.
I don’t want to be that woman. Read more…
Have you ever wondered if God is really for you? Here’s a lesson I learned about how to view my weaknesses.
My son played on his high school basketball team when he was a teenager. We loved sitting in the bleachers and cheering him on.
At one game, I noticed a man on the home side of the court videoing the action. Read more…
Let today’s devotion prepare your heart for Easter…
Suppose I knew ahead of time that the people who cheered for me one day, would sneer at me five days later. That the people who showered me with praise one day would hurl insults the next. How would I respond to the accolades, applause, and admiration of others on a Sunday…if I knew those same people would turn their backs on me and shake their raised fists at me the following Friday? Read more…
He ironed. I watched.
I stood in the door frame of my guest room, watching my nephew Jonathan iron the wrinkles out of his crumpled shirt and the creases out of his crumpled heart. He’d stopped by for a visit on his way to a wedding in my hometown, and his clothes were a mess. He ironed and talked. Read more…
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…
The beach storm was fierce. Angry black clouds pelted watery swords toward the roaring waves that reached up with foamy fists. Sea oats and tall beach grass strained to keep the sand dunes in place. But within thirty minutes of the war of wind and waves, the sun came from the east, chased the irate clouds out to sea, and told the ocean to settle down. Read more…
As we role into Thanksgiving week, I’m thinking how thankful for how God took the messiest parts of my story and turned them into the most miraculous.
I used to cringe at the thought of telling parts of my story. People in my small town thought that my family was a typical American family with two kids and a collie dog named Lassie. Read more…
I’m writing over at Proverbs 31 Ministries today and thought you might enjoy it too! Here you go!
The negative thoughts were rolling in like the tide, carrying trash from the sea of memories along with it. Certain aspects of my life hadn’t turned out like I thought they would, and I was mentally complaining…to God…about God. Read more…
Hi there. I’m back from a month of reflection and rest. I’ve been praying for you and I’ve missed you! I’m glad to be back. Here’s today’s devotion:
There have been times when my heart ached because of a difficult or disappointing situation: a bad decision that led to painful season, an unexpected happenstance that created an unresolved circumstance, Read more…
I love Romans 8:28.
Now, let me be honest…sometimes I don’t.
When I am going through a dark time of loss or disappointment, and someone throws a sloppy coat of Romans 8:28 on my open wound, I just want to scream.
There. I said it.
Paul wrote: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, Read more…