I’ve Made Up My Mind
Do you have negative thoughts about yourself? Do you fall prey to the tactics of the enemy who tells you — “You are a loser” — “You’ll never amount to anything” — “You won’t make it!” Ugh! I remember learning — slowly and sometimes stubbornly — that the real battleground isn’t out there. It’s right…
Clear Vision
Have you ever tried to walk through your house in the dark — confident you know where everything is — only to stub your toe on a chair that never moved? That’s what life can feel like without clear vision. Ouch! The Bible puts it plainly: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (Proverbs…
Restore — All Things New
I recently wrote about a dear friend recovering from brain tumor surgery. Thanks be to God, she continues to improve day by day. But what truly gave me pause was watching her husband — her steady, faithful caregiver for more than four months. His eyes light up as he tells us about each small victory,…
He Holds Tomorrow
On the little shelf outside our apartment door, I change out a bit of décor each month — nothing fancy, just something meant to encourage passersby by giving my voice to faith and calm in a noisy world. This January, I placed a simple sign that reads: “I don’t know what the future holds, but…
When Love Carries On
God has certainly gifted me with true-to-life human interest stories lately. And, it sure gives me pause to craft a blog about them. Here’s an example: On December 23rd, dear friends said goodbye to their beautiful daughter, Lisa Samuelson Cole — known to many as Mama Cole. She was just 59 when she stepped into…
An Angel in the Garden
Our word for the year is encourage—and wouldn’t you know it, God keeps giving us pop-up reminders everywhere we turn. Right outside our garage, no less. Our community has shared garden beds—wood-sided spaces meant for flowers, vegetables, and herbs. Most of them shine through spring and summer, then quietly rest. But not Cherry’s. Oh no. Cherry…
Epiphany: When the Light Keeps Leading
Yesterday, January 6th marked Epiphany — the celebration of the manifestation of Christ to the world. It gently closed the Twelve Days of Christmas and opened our eyes a bit wider to what God was doing all along. Tradition tells us that the Wise Men arrived later than our nativity scenes suggest. Jesus may have…
The Beautiful Surprise of Being an Encourager
A few days ago, I wrote about being an encourager. Funny how God does that — once we speak a word out loud, He hands us an opportunity to live it. Like I often do, I asked God for a “word” for 2026. As Carl and I prayed our way into this new chapter, we…
In the Beginning — Again
“In the beginning…” are some of the most powerful words ever written. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Gen 1:1“In the beginning was the Word.” John 1:1 Even Julie Andrews knew what she was talking about: “Let’s start at the very beginning — a very good place to start.” And here…
The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow
“Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there’ll be sun…” Thanks, Annie. Turns out she was onto something eternal. A brand-new year arrived, but aside from the clock striking midnight, nothing really looked different. The first minute of a new day is just as dark as the last minute of the old one. No fireworks. No…