We just returned from a road trip to visit family “before the snow flies.” When your relatives live in the upper Mid-West, this is not an expression but a date certain.
I Am Secure
The day Drew moved out followed ten months of limbo. It had been an awful day. The kids cried themselves to sleep. It was late when Dana climbed into bed. She sat propped up on her side of the double bed and opened her Bible. She hadn’t planned to read Romans 8, but the words were there for her that night.
I Am Wanted
Eight months had passed since Drew’s and Dana’s ten-year marriage started to unravel. Uncharacteristically, Drew accompanied Dana and the children to church one Sunday morning. It was Valentine’s Day.
I Am Beautiful
Drew and Dana began marriage counseling with a Christian counselor soon after their move. Drew finally admitted to having an extramarital affair. As devastating as the news was, Dana expressed the willingness to forgive him. Her commitment to keep their family intact held steady. Drew wanted a separation, but he took no action to move out.
Following Drew’s confession that he didn’t love her, Dana’s feelings continued to reel. She felt lost at sea one moment and anchored by faith the next. Soon thereafter, Drew received his new job assignment that required moving fifteen hundred miles away.
I Am Loved
Dana felt sweet anticipation as the day began. It was her 10th wedding anniversary. Drew, her husband, was home from completing some out-of-town professional training for his new job. The last few months they’d only spent a few weekends together so she was excited about celebrating today.
The Lord Is Good
This week, we’ve looked at the verses that In-N-Out Burger uses on five pieces of packaging. If you don’t have an In-N-Out Burger in your area, you might be interested to know that these verse references are very discreet – usually at the bottom or underside of the packaging.
You’re an Overcomer!
Today’s verse makes me want to dance.
The “Secret Menu” of Your Life
Today’s verse comes from In-N-Out’s milkshake cup. My California friends, who introduced me to In-N-Out, love the Neapolitan shake. You won’t see it listed on the menu. It’s considered part of the “secret” menu and made with all three regular shake flavors: chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry.
Does Jesus Want a Bite of Your Burger?
Today’s verse comes from In-N-Out Burger’s hamburger wrapper. I think it’s fitting because Rev. 3:20 sounds like Jesus wants to eat with us.
Friends
I wish I had known Jonathan. Scripture does not tell us much about this man, but when I think of him, I envy the friendship he shared with David. We know from 1 Samuel 18:1 that Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.
Contagious Wounds
Through tears, she told me that her marriage was over. Her husband filed for divorce and the shock and grief shattered her. “Wounds are contagious”, she said. Heartbroken, I prayed for her and looked for ways to minister to her, and my mind revisited that phrase over and over: Wounds are contagious.
Dirty Lamps
Several months ago, a broken sprinkler head under high pressure sent muddy water spraying across the front of our home. The deep front porch took the brunt of the filth, with windows, shudders and our pretty red door dirtied. Though it was cleaned up promptly, it wasn’t until this week that I noticed the porch lights that flank our doorway. Stepping out one evening, I wondered why the light was so muted, and noticed that the glass in the lamps was dingy and smeared with the muck.
Bound to God
I am so thankful that God called Jeremiah and not me to be His voice to His people. Jeremiah, at God’s behest, preached gloom and doom to the people of Israel and Judah because of their sin and rebellion.
My Glory?
“But my people have exchanged their Glory for worthless idols”, declares the Lord (Jeremiah 2:11). How could they? God had done so much for them. He had showed Himself Great and Glorious in their presence. He had been faithful, patient, loving. Yet His people had embraced idolatry of every form. Just a few verses later, God says, “They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water” (Jeremiah 2:13). His beloved was looking elsewhere for satisfaction and sustenance and didn’t even realize that the hunt was futile. What a sad commentary on God’s chosen ones.
Hang in There
“Hang in there” is an expression of encouragement in today’s world. It’s a way to say, “Don’t give up.” Recently, I needed to apply the hang in there concept to my prayer life.
The Rocking Chair
I sank into the overstuffed rocker and massaged my throbbing forehead.
The Blueprint
As a young wife and mother, I thought I had the perfect blueprint for our family. My intention was to have two children. No more. Within a few years we had two wonderful little boys. When I learned that I was expecting baby number three, I was extremely upset.
The Plumb Line
In the days before HGTV revealed the intricacies of home decorating, I naively decided to redo the wallpaper in our bathroom myself. Why hire a professional when I could do it, right? Little did I know how tricky it would be to remove the existing paper or how tired I would become before finishing the project.
The Cavern
One summer our family toured Luray Cavern. Our guided tour took us deeper and deeper into the earth. As we walked the well-lit path, our leader pointed out the natural wonders on all sides.