Yes, Esther was lovely in form and features (2:7); but more importantly, she oozed grace. Names were significant in those days. The queen’s Jewish name, Hadassah, means myrtle: “a tree native to Babylonia, (which) the returning exiles took…with them to Canaan... (as) a symbol of the nation of Israel—transplanted from Babylon to the Promised Land.” Her Persian name, Esther, means star: “The myrtle tree bears a beautiful star-like flower…full of beauty and grace.”**
Fascinating, the book of Esther, for as many times as I have read it—fascinating in its place in history; fascinating in its complex simplicity; fascinating in the conundrum of God’s absence. Where to begin?
In just a few weeks I anticipate the blessing of welcoming another generation of girls as I become a great grandmother. I pray that this little girl will also come to know Jesus Christ as her Savior, making six generations of Christian women I have known.
Receiving a hand written letter feels like a gift of love! Writing one requires time, thought, and a signature—most often a simple signing with “Love Linda.”
A young mother raised in a culture hostile to Christianity shared a joyful experience with me. After discovering the love of God through Jesus Christ, she immediately noticed how the sky glistened with a deep blue and the leaves on trees reflected various shades of green!
Accompanying a friend to a conference on domestic violence introduced me to the impact of traumatic experiences on children. A child’s brain rapidly forms during those earliest years and the unprocessed emotions of the trauma become hard-wired into their brains and creates a template for viewing life as adults.
My grandmother’s worn Bible beside her overstuffed chair held the foundational truths that provided the inner strength Paul prayed for the Ephesian believers. I pray that God will also strengthen me with His power through His Holy Spirit in my inner being. And, because of that, I pray my own grandchildren will carry with them a similar image of a Granny with God’s inner strength.
Our eyes were opened to see just how busy we are. Sometimes God has to "still" us to get our attention. He got our attention! If we aren't careful, we can make an idol of routine and schedules. Each day presents a different set of circumstances. We need some still time to enhance our awareness of God's presence with us.
Dear Sister , listen to me....Satan wants us to focus on the mountain! He wants us to analyze it, study it and be intimated by it. He wants to paralyze us with fear and the impossible scenario.
A new year is a good time to make changes in our lives-things we know we need to do differently. As for me, I plan to slow down and to spend more quiet time with God. You may be saying, "I can't possibly put another thing in my day." Well, I have a suggestion.
I have become increasingly more aware of my words as I speak to and about my children. My words are parts of a tapestry that shape the worldview of my kids. My words can also shape my relationship with my husband and other important people in my life. That is powerful stuff!
A new year has begun! Excitement is in the air! New Year's Eve parties are celebrated. Fireworks are ignited. New Year's resolutions are made. Diet and exercise regimens are started. Strategies to read the Bible through in a year are planned. Something about a new year inspires us to attempt new adventures.
Do you ever have trouble hearing the voice of the Spirit? If you're anything like me, then your answer is a resounding, Yes!
We like new. We like new cars, new clothes, and new homes, and new medical discoveries. We place our hopes in each New Year. We like adventure that takes us to new places. When Christopher Columbus saw the Americas for the first time he called them the "New World." Are these things genuinely new or just new to us? King Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes, was the wisest man who ever lived and he concluded through worldly living, that there is nothing new under the sun.
Reading from the scroll of Isaiah, Jesus finished with this final nugget of prophecy: I am anointed "to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4:19). No doubt this passage had been read in that particular synagogues to those folks many times. Perhaps they even knew the words by heart. It is you and I who need it explained.
This week marks the beginning of a new year. This year is a gift. How will you use it?
It's that time of year. We are trying to get healthy, get organized, exercise more, eat less . . . the list is endless, right? I agree that a new start is always a good idea. We should be trying to better ourselves in lots of ways.
This devotional explores patience as waiting with history, especially when prayers involve adult children and long-standing concerns. It validates the ache of delayed answers and the surrender required when control is no longer possible. Patience is framed not as calm acceptance but as faithful trust rooted in prayer. By connecting patience to hope and constancy, it reassures readers that waiting does not mean inactivity. God is still working deeply, even when outcomes remain unseen.
Joy is not what it used to be. It is no longer loud or obvious. It does not always arrive with celebration or certainty. In this season of life, joy often comes quietly, almost unnoticed, and you have to slow down enough to recognize it.
Comfort becomes something different as you get older. It is no longer a luxury or a reward. It is a necessity. There are seasons when life has taken enough that you can no longer pretend strength is endless.
