“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 ** I want that. Overflow. So full that there’s no room for more. So filled to the brim that hope overflows. Spills out. …
Sit down with me for a minute. This little snippet might just change your life. “How?”, you say. By changing the way you look at the Bible. Maybe you think it’s not for you. Maybe you struggle to know where to start. Or maybe you have just given up in frustration because you don’t “get…
I think I have watched every single episode of the reality show, Fixer Upper. I made sure that I recorded the ones that I missed and am guilty of watching some episodes more than once. You could say I’m a fan. I am fascinated by the transformations they can make on homes that many would…
Some days it is only a flicker. But even the smallest light will shine in the darkness. Being human means that I don’t always feel like living up to the world’s definition of “Shine”, but God’s definition is a very different one: At that time, when you call, the Lord will answer; when you cry out, He…
“What’s love got to do with it, got to do with it…” “What’s love, but a second-hand emotion…” You’re welcome. Get that stuck in your head. Sing it all day and wake up with it on your brain at 3 a.m. And let it sink in deep..…all the way down to your heart. Because love…
We started our journey to Israel on December 26, 2017. This will be a trip that will, without a doubt influence my study of the Bible—and my writing here on the blog. Those 8 days were life-changing. We went at this same time–20 years ago. This was our second time to go to the land…
Thanksgiving. The day of celebration and food and family gatherings may be well past us, but the spirit of this holiday is a welcome prerequisite to the coming Advent. Our thankful spirit is what prepares us. Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: See, the virgin will conceive, have a son, and name…
“Like a bride Waiting for her groom We’ll be a church Ready for You Every heart longing for our King We sing Even so come Lord Jesus come..” I grew up singing songs about heaven. Lots of them. Songs of Jesus’ return were sung in praise and worship of the King of Kings who came to…
No, really. We have a well. And it’s dry. Again. This has been a particularly dry year for us and while having a well seems almost… romantic. Almost. I can assure you that running out of water doesn’t come close to making the “Top Ten Ways to Romance Your Wife”. Wishing my husband would “woo”…
Though not often spoken, it is a common question in the back recesses of the human mind. “Can God forgive that?” “Can He forgive me?” He knows what I’ve done. He knows my mistakes. My rebellion. He set up clear perimeters and gave us specific instructions, But we disobey. Like a child, when we deliberately…
This is a confession. Seems I’ve been doing this a lot lately, and the truth is, it is freeing. I know that I am not alone on this one because I see it all over the internet and even on people’s faces. Fear. The eclipse. Hurricanes of historic proportions. The wildfires in the west. The…
When I was little, I remember praying and asking God to let me live long enough to know what it was like to be a wife and a mom. Some would say I didn’t dream very big. Yet there are others who know exactly what was in that little girl’s heart. The desire to love…
For the last two Sundays I have been away from my home church. The majority of the last 35 years I have had one pastor–my husband. As strange as that sounds to you, I can assure you that it sounds just as strange to me. In a lifetime of dreams, never once did I imagine…
Do you remember the game? When you were a child, the game was somewhat innocent. Unless you were a little audacious. You know who you are–or maybe someone particular comes to mind when I say it. There’s always that one person who willingly takes a dare–and he’s probably the same one who knows how to come…
There is nothing quite like that helpless feeling you get when you watch someone you care about hurting–and you are separated by distance or by circumstance. You can’t wipe their tears or hold their hand. You feel their pain, and you hurt with them. You are grieving with them, but words just don’t seem to…
