“Do not be anxious about anything but in every situation, by prayer and petition and with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6 NIV Six o’clock am. I reluctantly exited by bedroom. Wearing yoga pants, fleece top, and sneakers I appeared ready for my morning run. But inwardly I groaned. She had already spied…
Category: Promises
Bent and Blooming
My place of retreat had been attacked. My memories didn’t match this sight: broken branches, dirty debris, rogue rocks and mud everywhere. Record-breaking rains had flooded my favorite trail. After the water receded, I braved the large puddles and set off into the unrecognizable woods. Beneath the canopy of flourishing green, the plants and paths…
Impatiently Waiting
“Did the mail arrive,” our high school senior asked breathlessly as she burst through the door after school. “Yes,” I answered smiling, “but it hasn’t come yet.” It was a college acceptance letter she’d been expecting for weeks, anticipating for years. She knew she was set to graduate in a few short months and desperately…
Puzzling Over Pieces
“I will come back to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.” Jeremiah 29:10b NIV “Mommy, I need help!” Standing in the doorway, I stared aghast into our preschooler’s bedroom. She had found her new puzzles from Grandma. The five thirty-piece puzzles that hadn’t come with a picture. And,…
Grace Wins
“But He gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6 (NIV, emphasis mine) I cannot believe this is a struggle, I thought as I quietly listened. I knew her story. I knew she had an immense Biblical background. She had many family…
Jesus Insured
Ever wonder how God’s greatest gifts can become a burden? How the enemy manages to manipulate our minds and hurt our hearts with worry and fret over God’s gifts? If you are a mom, one day you held your precious child in your arms for the first time. Children are such a blessing! There’s nothing…
Rock of Refuge
Where’s your happy place? The place where you can go when life gets to be too much? The place you go to get a break? The place where you feel safe? Maybe you are thinking of a special place: the beach, the mountains, or maybe like me, Grandma’s house. Growing up, I was blessed to…
Humbled
I knew Jesus as a little girl. Relatives report that I, at age four, spoke of Him as a friend. Growing up brought trials. But I knew I could always count on God. I saw Him as a loving Father, always caring for me. Then, in my early thirties, came a shocking cancer diagnosis. I…
Pursue Peace
I shook my head in disbelief. That proclamation stunned me. I was on a committee planning a winter holiday party for children. These kids had all just recently moved with their families so a parent could attend graduate school. This party was to be a fun celebration with crafts, food and games designed to elicit…
Perseverance, Not Control
Wearily I dropped into bed. Not only physically exhausted, but emotional exhausted as well. Physical mountains to conquer and multitudes of concerns weighted my heart. Lord, where is that light at the end of the tunnel? Why can’t I find it? I bet you too know that feeling well. Maybe you too have carried a…