Mary was a young lady with a special light in her eye. She would soon be the wife of an honorable man. As a young woman with God’s will on her heart and His laws on her mind, she knew she desired only to live for God. Her reactions to an angel’s pronouncement would indeed…
Just Give Me Jesus
“What do you want for Christmas?” my husband asked in preparation for his quick Christmas shopping trip. “Nothing you can buy,” I answered. He stopped at the door, his hand resting on the knob. He watched me as I tried to explain. It has been a long, hard year. Besides the emotional expenditure of situations…
Treasures Unseen
“For where your treasure is, there will be your heart also.” Luke 12:34 How do you respond to surprises? Words gushing like a waterfall? Stunned silence? Emotions erupting like a volcano? Mary’s response in both Luke 2:19 and 2:51b was silence. And her silence spoke volumes. In Luke 2:19, Mary had just received shepherds who…
Christmas Peace
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 One Cyber Monday, years ago, I awoke, happy to be home. Traveling most of the week before, I…
Too Busy for a Holiday
The sweet sounds of Christmas carols filled the air. The grocery store’s music reminded me of the upcoming season. In year’s past, the reminder overwhelmed me. For the woman of the house, the to-do list is endless: Menu planning. Grocery shopping. Cooking. Cleaning. Baking. Pinning ideas. Crafting. Decorating. Floral arranging. Preparing the guest room. Buying…
The Gift of Presence
Have you ever been alone in a really difficult situation? The day after I was diagnosed with cancer, I awoke alone. We were new to the neighborhood. All family was out-of-state. My husband went to work. Our three little daughters needed breakfast. I needed to care for them. Alone. At nine that morning, the doorbell…
Cast My Cares
“He is with us, He is with always, always,” the chorus from Love and the Outcome’s song burned in my mind. Yes, He is. But oh, sometimes, it is so hard to wait on Him. In a two-month time span this autumn, I watched all three of my children journey through life-threatening situations. All three….
Time to Praise
The moment I awoke, the worries flooded my mind. I had grave concerns, troubles on my hearts, and loved ones facing challenges. I began my daily exercise routine, turning on the praise music. Listen to the words. Recall God is bigger than any and all of these concerns, I told myself. I refocused on the…
He Cares About the “Small Stuff”
Hurrying out the door, I loaded my children and our puppy into the car. We had a booked schedule that day and it all started with dropping the puppy off first. Turning on the radio, we all happily sang and zipped through town. Unfortunately, when listening to Christian music I sometimes lose track of my…
‘Just’ Pray
5:30 am. I arise and descend down the stairs to begin my morning exercise. If I don’t exercise at that hour, I may never get back to it during the day. Plus, I love beginning my day to the beat of Christian rock music. Propelling my feet into motion, prompting my heart to recall God’s…