The world rushes by you—a flurry of last minute shoppers—pushing, stressing to get it all done. You look around and see the harsh florescent lights, thick mall crowds and crammed parking lots. You listen and hear tinny, overplayed Christmas songs, car horns, and toddlers crying. This is not your idea of a Merry Christmas. Have you lost your holiday spirit? If so, take a Christmas … [Read more...]
Gratitude: God’s Secret Pathway to Protection
Here we go again, you might say, another lesson on gratitude. Strangely, though, despite that many times I've studied the topic, there's something I've been missing: There's a powerful connection between gratitude and powerful living. See, I've been listening to my conversations lately, and the words I hear myself speaking are not pleasant. Complaints. Impatience. Annoyance. Worldly … [Read more...]
Will It Be All Right? (And What if You Aren’t Sure?)
I know you’re weary. I feel it, too. I feel it deep in my bones before my feet hit the floor in the still-dark hours of the early morning. I feel it... weariness. I'm so tired of a broken world full of darkness unspeakable. Tired of shoulders hunched from the heavy load of caring for family. My cheeks are red from the frustration of mothering a child with special needs and a teen struggling … [Read more...]
Your Story Isn’t Over Yet!
Wouldn’t it be nice if God would show us what lies ahead? Do you know what I mean? I’m betting you do. We all have multiple questions to ask of God at any given moment: Are my kids in the right schools? Will they be safe there? Will we be able to pay for my child's therapies? Will you use my life, Lord, to make a difference here in some way? Should we move? Should we stay? Will I find … [Read more...]
Do you know Jesus? He’s the Answer.
When you seek answers but only find questions … Do you know Jesus? When your hopes are shattered, and you struggle to hang on … Do you know Jesus? When the road you are walking becomes rocky and unfamiliar … Do you know Jesus? When your heart is breaking for the child in your arms … Do you know Jesus? When you want to cry out, but no sound comes from your lips … [Read more...]
The Antidote for Fear and Anxiety: What to Do When You Fear the Future
Everyday, we face situations we cannot control ... We receive a bad report from a doctor. A job (and it's desperately needed paycheck) suddenly becomes unstable. Your child cannot sleep through the night. When anxiety places its cold hand on our shoulder because of a difficult circumstance and the future seems unsure, we are presented with a choice: Keep on struggling in fear ... or choose to … [Read more...]