I didn’t get married in June. The sky threatened snow and the lace I wore on my long-sleeved wedding dress failed to block out the cold of an early January day. Looking back, there were a few things I would have done differently. With limited resources it wasn’t possible, but had I been able to…
Expecting my first baby, I was suddenly put on bed rest to prevent premature labor. I was only 28 weeks along and was not even allowed to sit up, rising only to go to the restroom (because I refused to use a bedpan!). The goal was to get me to at least 32 weeks– and…
Stopping to consider the lessons I’ve learned from my opportunities to travel, my perspective on being an American has changed. I came to realize that I thought was gratitude, was actually a form of pride. Gratitude or pride? I don’t think it was intentional, and at best it was subtle, but this sense of pride…
Sometimes saying “yes” to God is the most difficult step we take in obedience. Other times it comes easily, and our response is followed by a joy-filled freedom to step out in faith. What do we do when saying yes is a struggle? “No, Lord” is not an option–it’s a contradiction; and yet, if we…
Surrender. It’s a word that sounds defeated. Discouraged. Beaten. Surrender: verb (used without object) “to give oneself up, as into the power of another; submit or yield.” [dictionary.com] While the word may seem to carry a negative connotation, in the Christian life is a cumulative word that describes what happens when a person, 1.) recognizes…
I woke up to a new reality. A sobering thought. A haunting question: What if? What if the passion I have is misguided? What if my thoughts–my desires are not from Him? Does this passion that I have honor the One I have declared to be my Lord? The One True God. The Maker of…
The problem with falling down is not just the initial shock or the pain of blunt force trauma to your backside, but the consternation and wounding of your pride as others look on. Worse than that is when the fall is not physical at all, but a spiritual, emotional or moral tumble that leaves you…
Sometimes it is of our own doing. Sometimes it comes because of the hard circumstances of life. That familiar, not so friendly state of feeling frustrated. Desperate. Lonely. Tired. Tired of where we are but not sure how to turn the corner and move past this place that seems, well, muddied. Like the familiar story…
I don’t like the spotlight. I have always been a wallflower and would rather be in the background than center-stage. Being a pastor’s wife doesn’t always accommodate my insecurities, so learning to accept being uncomfortable has been a journey that started long ago… I can still remember squirming in my seat as a young girl…
Disclaimer: I am not a parenting expert. (Can anyone really claim that title?) My four children are now grown and I get to enjoy eleven grandbabies. I love my family–from the littlest to the oldest, and I am grateful for every single one of them, and to be clear, we are not a perfect family.…
The words jumped out at me from the page. “Do the next thing.” As simple as this phrase might seem, some days life can stop us in our tracks. Whether we are struggling physically–or emotionally hanging on by a thread, our minds can be overcome by a sense of futility. “I’ll never (be/do/accomplish that)… so…
Compared to the wisdom of others, I could come out on the short end of the stick or I might look as grand as an oak. Proverbs has taught us that being “wise in our own eyes” is a sure sign that you are not wise at all, so if we see wisdom in its…
“It’s not fair!” Sometimes in life we come to a crossroad. Will I trust God or blame Him? Will I walk forward in faith or run away in rebellion? There are always curves in the road, roadblocks and even dead ends, but wisdom says, “even when I don’t understand, I will trust him.” Proverbs 29…
Courage is a funny thing. Some see it as bold, or daring. Some see it as the characteristic of one who is willing to take a chance or to embark on some grand adventure that appears risky (i.e. sky-diving or rock climbing), while others would call it crazy. Irresponsible even. When I read Proverbs 28…
There is nothing worse than a dull knife. Okay, maybe there are things a lot worse than that, but if you are peeling 10 lbs. of potatoes, you sure do want to start by sharpening your best knife. Despite your best attempt, no amount of scrubbing or cleaning can get those knives razor-sharp; it takes…
