Anything is Possible with Hope
I often receive private messages from those who are hurting and are seeking peace in their lives. They’ve “tried” God, but still feel abandoned and hopeless. I speak truth and life into them and pray with them. And, very often, I’ll receive back their reply that what I said gave them comfort and peace –…
Christmas Coping, Moping or Hoping
Okay! Your beautiful Thanksgiving family photos on social media drew me in. Incredible displays of tables set with perfection. Those photos represent family love and traditions. Seeing them makes me want to gather all the photos I took and add them to my blog today, but I won’t. Obviously, I’m still in thanks-giving and gratitude-living…
Sweets and Sweet Advent
It seems irreverent to combine Advent and sweets into my blog title today, but hear me out! I’m going somewhere with this! I sat by a kind man last Sunday at church. He said “Happy Thanksgiving” to me; I said “Merry Christmas” to him. He patted his tummy and told me he had way too…
Scraggly Pessimism or Bright Eyed Hope
I read that this year’s 75-foot-tall, 11-ton Rockefeller Center Christmas tree arrived at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. The tree, donated by Al Dick (from his front yard in Oneonta, New York), will be lit on Friday, Dec. 2. The headline that stood out first about the tree was “it is a symbol of…
Time to Get Our Hope Up
In my neighborhood, the large, imposing and the small, non-intimidating campaign signs have been removed from their lofty positions on our yards. I’ll admit – I’m pleased to pass by my neighbors’ homes without “judging” them one way or another based on their choice of candidate. Now, we can get back to the business of…
Hope Springs Eternal
Yesterday, the co-leaders of what was to have been our 2020 Women’s ACTS 4-day Retreat in April, met to catch-up. Obviously, our retreat didn’t happen, but we’re counting on a coast-is-clear later this year. We’re all still together in heart and spirit. Yes, I was disappointed about the six months of preparing for the retreat…
Let’s Be Hope Dealers
I looked up “hope dealer” and ran across a website that literally “deals in hope”. Behind the website is its founder, Kyle Michael Miller, who uplifts and encourages people with powerful faith-filled stories that embody hope, resilience, strength, and trust in God while journeying through life’s toughest challenges. He says: “The heartbeat of what I…
Being a Messenger of Hope
Being a Messenger of HopeOn this first Sunday of Advent, we celebrate HOPE — the great expectation that something good is on its way — by lighting the first candle (the HOPE candle) on the Advent wreath. Advent means a coming or arrival, especially of something or someone extremely important. In biblical terms we speak…
When We’ve Run Out of Hope…..
This is my second day in a row to blog about hope. Maybe it has to do with some of the assignments God has given me in the last few months to encourage others to hold onto hope. So many are sick. Sick and tired. Sick of hearing so much negativity and hate. Sick of…
Things are Looking Up with Optimism and Hope
We are known as an optimistic family. We reinforced optimism in our children with “You are champions. You can do anything if you set your heart and mind to it. With God all things are possible.” We purposely speak “God is good — all the time” regardless of sunshine or rain, joy or sorrow, win…