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…
Cheering from the Top
Last Wednesday night, I had the joy (and holy privilege!) of sharing a message with over fifty beautiful women in our Bible study group about being Balcony Women — those who cheer others on, lift them higher, and speak life when the world shouts criticism. You could feel the encouragement in the air — the…
Let’s Sing — Even if It’s Raining
Aw! Don’t you love it when you awaken to the sound of rain and the thunder rumbling and it’s a downpour? And, oh, how we need this rain. And it makes me think — maybe we all need a good downpour now and then. Not just the sky’s rain, but life’s rain. You know the…
Always Room to Grow
It seems like we’re living in a world where disagreeing with someone isn’t enough. We’ve got to drag their character through the mud, too. Opinions used to be table talk; now they’re battlegrounds. But here’s what I’m learning. I don’t want to be right more than I want to be kind. I want to grow,…
Forward…March
Welcome, March! Time is literally MARCH-ing forward, and so are we! An army platoon marches forward, never backward. Whether soldiers are stationed at their home base, transitioning between posts, or engaged in battle, they are always on assignment –pressing onward until their mission is complete. For curiosity’s sake, I looked up how many active U.S.…
Breaking the Language Barrier with Love
I wish — oh, how I wish — I could speak fluent Spanish! Not just a few phrases or scattered words, but enough to truly connect with my dear Spanish-speaking friends. Enough to share a conversation, pray with them, and most importantly, share Jesus in their heart language. While in Cabo, I kept my phone’s…
Before & After Stories
Restore — as in something broken and then made new. To restore is to return someone or something to a better, often original, state. It’s a process we admire in the hands of artisans like Chip and Joanna Gaines. They take the dated and dilapidated and transform it into something stunning — a home, a…
Are We Good at “Christianing”?
We, Christian (Christ-like) folks think we’re decent people. You know, we have all those “good” characteristics to our credit: going to church, tithing, giving offerings, wearing a cross necklace, attending a Bible Study, volunteering for a charity. How could anyone think we are anything but wonderful? I think of myself as being a good girl…
We are Messengers
With all the text messaging we do, we can officially declare ourselves “messengers”! We’ve got it down well – just a quick message to announce: “On my way home!” “Running late – home by 6!” “Thx for the info!” “What’s for dinner?” But, today, I’m referring to being “life” messengers because we ARE the message!…
To the Holy and Faithful Ones
Those words jumped out at me when I read Colossians 1:1-8, “To the holy ones and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ.” Holy and faithful! That sounds as if the Colossians were doing well. They were doing their best to live as disciples in a secular world. And, for the most part, they were succeeding.…