I was listening to my favorite Christian radio station when a pastor began discussing rats. He said hope is life-sustaining and a scientist had proven it.
A Little Bird with a Big Heart
I love to watch the birds as they scurry around the backyard. Some come in flocks, others make their appearance one by one. They seem to have their own personality, and I enjoy watching them interact with each other.
Quick and Slow
While these words have meaning and benefit in our relationship with others, I hear God prompting me to be quick to listen to his voice through His word….to be eager to hear, believing that all is profitable to me and glorifies God. This speaks of a hunger that drives me to Scripture for satisfaction.
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.
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.
To Create
I do not have one creative bone in my body. When I walk into an arts and crafts fair, or worse yet, a craft store, I feel like I am going to hyperventilate. I am gifted in other areas, but somebody else got my portion of creativity.
A Thirsty Soul
The sad houseplant looked like how I felt. Forgotten, parched, brittle and malnourished. I had been so busy these last few weeks with all the responsibilities of keeping a family fed, clothed, and content, that I’d neglected that plant.
Running My Race
If life is a race, how are you doing? If you are alive, you are still somewhere on the racetrack heading toward the finish line.
Fighting Back
What battles have you faced recently? A dispute with a friend or co-worker? A fight with a family member? A health fear?
Aroma of Christ
What’s your favorite fragrance? For perfume, mine is an oldie, given as a 16th birthday gift, from a guy I was dating. I still wear Youth Dew even though I’m not quite a “youth” anymore.
Pursuit of Dreams
If you are like me, you had dreams as a child. In my late teens, my dream was to be a wife and mom. Although I didn’t plan to marry before college graduation, I married at age 19. Step one in the dream came true! Step two in my dream didn’t.
New Seasons
After retiring from a hectic career that involved continual travel across the country and even beyond at times, I went through transition. Being a task oriented planner, I struggled at times to figure out this new season of life.
Amazing Faith… Amazing Life
In the days of old (and I mean really long-ago) Scripture says…
Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation (Hebrews 11:2 NLT).
Look at what this group did by faith…
The Path Revealed
We were hiking through a mountain forest in Colorado and we came to a flowing stream. At first, we did not see a way across without getting our shoes completely wet. We thought we would have to turn back. I quickly prayed… asking Jesus for help. We looked at the rocks again, and now could see a path of rocks that stood above the water. The rock path seemed to suddenly appear and we used those rocks to cross to the other side.
Courage
As a city girl who now lives in the East Texas countryside, I have learned that it takes courage and determination to live here. It is not for the wimpy or faint of heart.
God’s Love Grows You
I have walked through tough events in recent years. It was a time of loss… the loss of my health, loss of our business, our income, our loss of home and community.
Small Things
I used to think that God didn’t want me to ask Him to help me with the small things in life because I thought prayer was reserved for only the big things.
I Am Equipped
Eugene Peterson’s expression of Psalm 13 in The Message is dramatic, and I often rely on it for encouragement and personal renewal. When I am discouraged, the words instruct me to keep on wrestling in an all-familiar battle initiated by the enemy of this world.
CHOSEN
Apostle Peter wrote letters to the early Christian disciples in the Northern part of Asia Minor around 64 AD. His intention was to encourage them to continue their work to establish the first churches even while they were suffering trials. He assured them they were the chosen ones.
The Art of Losing
It was a day of “Studio Renewal” as four ladies came to my art studio for the afternoon. One lady drew a meticulously rendered sunflower with colored pencils, while sisters painted nature scenes with watercolors.