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,…
The Marvel of a Man Willing to Trust
Yesterday, in my blog, I focused on the news from the angel, Gabriel to Mary — and the awesome yet trepidatious knowledge of carrying Baby Jesus in her womb — “and the Holy Spirit came upon her.” (Luke 1:35) In the meantime — Joseph had plans. Good plans. Solid plans. He was established, respected, engaged…
May Jesus Be Seen in Me — In Spite of Me
A dear friend shared words with me that stopped me in my tracks: “May Jesus be seen in me, in spite of me.” Isn’t that the truth? Because let’s be honest, sometimes “me” gets in the way. My impatience can flare up quicker than my smile. My opinion can jump out of my mouth before…
Worship Begins with Our Bodies
I’m singing to the choir – but sometimes reminders help us go the distance! If we’re ready to see change in our finances, emotions, relationships — or just in our overall presence — Paul the Apostle has a surprising place to start – with our body. “Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and…
Nestled in Loving Arms
At my beauty shop a few days ago — I saw something that wrapped me in peace before I even had time to name it. There I was, getting my hair cut — snip, snip — when I caught sight of another stylist two chairs down. Nothing out of the ordinary, until I saw who…
Fighting our Battles on our Own
Imagine. We’re on a boat drifting down a calm river. Suddenly, the wind picks up. Waves begin tossing us around. Boatloads of water are coming in the boat. In a panic, we grab a bucket and start scooping water overboard as fast as we can. We’re sweating and wearing ourselves out, convinced that if we…
Finding Our Way Home
Let me tell you about the most lost I’ve ever been — more than once or twice! Picture this: new city, unfamiliar streets, and me, utterly convinced I could find my way back home without asking for directions. Spoiler alert: I missed my road home each time. I had just moved to the metropolis of…
My Redeemer’s Hands
We read several devotions daily, plus we read a chapter from the Bible. A few days ago we read Psalm 31. As we read, my spirit was quickened by David’s plight as He was praying in distress, but fully trusting in God. He prayed Psalm 31:5 — “Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver…
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.…
Being the Spice of Life
I just can’t complain about anything, but I sure could if I let myself go there. But I can’t complain at all, especially when I see others with tremendous physical issues, heartbreak issues, homeless issues, and so many other issues. I was touched by Shane Claiborne’s book, “The Irresistible Revolution”, subtitled “Living as an Ordinary…