Why the ongoing dissent in so many families? Irreconcilable differences, anger, unforgiveness, walls of not-talking. Where are You, LORD, as family members estrange each other? We are all broken people trying to survive. It hurts when some choose others as their “family,” distance themselves, and leave us bewildered. Our hearts are shredded when differences crucifyContinue reading “When Family Wounds Run Deep”
Tag Archives: love
The Inheritance God Offers
Have you prepared your will? Put things in motion to leave an inheritance? When my parents passed, their gifts were set according to their desires. God, our Heavenly Father, also has bequests for us. His Will began before our conception. He already knew us. While reading Ephesians 5, I was reminded of receiving an inheritanceContinue reading “The Inheritance God Offers”
When Clods Are Thrown At You
Some days the clarion call in our lives is “Incoming! Take cover!” Battle worn and weary, we wonder: “When will it end? When will peace come again? How do we navigate through?” How do we find our sea legs in an unending storm? Second Samuel 16:5–14 records King David’s experience when his son Absalom conspiredContinue reading “When Clods Are Thrown At You”
Sin Versus Error
Hi, friends. Why does the word “sin” carry such weight? Why won’t the dread of it let go, no matter one’s culture or belief? The penalty of sin is spiritual death. No one can avoid it. Thankfully, God has provided the way of escape…the gift of salvation through Christ’s sacrifice. A free gift for allContinue reading “Sin Versus Error”
Light in the Shadows
Thank you to all who joined me during book launch week. Like after birthing a baby, I’m catching my breath since sharing the book into the world. What joy to share this walk through life with you! For the next several weeks, I plan to share thoughts garnered from “Walking Through Shadows: Finding Hope WhenContinue reading “Light in the Shadows”
Launch Day 2 🎉
Woohoo! 🎉 Launch day 2 is here (three more days to go)! Get your 21-day devotional, Walking Through Shadows: Finding Hope When Life Seems Dark. It’s discounted now through October 24 (ebook at $0.99 and the print book for $10.99). After then, prices go back up. Click here to grab your copy: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FT515VPQ/ I pray this devotional will blessContinue reading “Launch Day 2 🎉”
Book Launch Week!
Hi, friends! Launch week for my 21-day devotional, “Walking Through Shadows: Finding Hope When Life Seems Dark,” is here! 🎉 Please pray this offering will reach where the LORD wills…I feel like a child with a few loaves and fishes, excited to see what the LORD will do! Ebook and print book prices are discountedContinue reading “Book Launch Week!”
Walking Through Shadows: Finding Hope When Life Seems Dark
Hi, friends, I’m excited to announce my new 21-day devotional, now available on Amazon! Inspired by my journey through different life shadows (challenges), I hope these devotions will help you walk through yours. Where is the light when darkness of the world overshadows you and steals your joy? Do you feel confused, lost, overwhelmed? HaveContinue reading “Walking Through Shadows: Finding Hope When Life Seems Dark”
Singing a Miracle of Praise
Time rewound and there I stood, in a New York City apartment, fellowshipping with others and singing praises to God in Holy Spirit song. The JOY of the LORD washed through the room and cascaded through us. It was 1972. I was in New York for a work-study program at Sloan Kettering Memorial Hospital, theContinue reading “Singing a Miracle of Praise”
Potter and Clay
Matt Tommey’s reel on The Thriving Christian Artist today on Facebook reminded me of who I am…clay in the Potter’s hands. It gave me pause to consider again the “design of my life, the position of my heart, the gifts I’ve been given.” LORD, am I malleable clay, is my heart soft, does my mindContinue reading “Potter and Clay”
A Mama’s Prayer
Help her to rise, again, from the floor In Your strength, LORD Not just her own Help her to realize every breathIs a gift from You Guide and direct her every choiceThough she might deny Your name Land her where she’ll safely grow Into the warmth of Your embrace Find her rest in You KeepContinue reading “A Mama’s Prayer”
In the Field of Favor
Lord, You have created me On purpose for a purpose To glorify You, share Love Be a part of bringingThe Kingdom of God to earth As Your Holy Spirit lives in me Who am I, LORDBut a tiny flower blooming In Your endless field of grace One small addition Exquisite and unique Created for aContinue reading “In the Field of Favor”
HONESTY
Grabbed onto or slowly facedHonesty is but the start Of healing wounded shattered selvesOf clearly seeing hearts From retreat to near approach With trembling questions wonderedDo I really want to face Those buried hurts down under? Please…I do…I must for sureIf ever to be freeFrom the seep of festered wounds Into the heart of meContinue reading “HONESTY”
It’s Never Too Late
Have you been dwellingDeep in the coal mine Blackened by hard things So dark you can’t see Stuck in the mud pits Like mastodon capturedDoomed to be buriedBeneath sucking muckLost in the desert Dying for waterStung by the scorpion Vultures wait near Frozen to standstill In icy weather Snow heaped upon you Ice forming itsContinue reading “It’s Never Too Late”
A Listener’s Lesson
Opening just a little To reveal a precious thing Even to beloveds Might crush a wounded wing If reins are rudely takenConverse torn away By overeager listenersIntent their words to say With surgical precision They wield an upper hand While tumbling o’er each otherIn exuberance so grand Diverting in a tangentThough parallel in kind TheyContinue reading “A Listener’s Lesson”
The Little Man
Delicious aromas wafted through nostalgic oldie songs, the growl of grinding coffee beans, and buzzing octaves of conversations. Within this happy cacophony, a tiny, blonde boy swayed to his own tune, his sneaker-clad feet carrying him towards a glass door. What did he see? A bright grin lit his face, and his eyes sparkled. AbsorbedContinue reading “The Little Man”
A Tiny Ember
A sweeping illness blew through me Snuffed near out my candlelight Yet in my fainting heartsick lowA tiny ember glowed in sight Breathe oh Breath of God on me Gently fan anew my lifeBring once more Your steady flameLet my soul again burn bright Tamp not out this lantern’s use Hover healing Breath o’er meContinue reading “A Tiny Ember”
Opening A Door
Tears streamed down her face. How could a few chapters of a book pierce her to the core, open a door to a locked room she knew not existed? How could this be? And what would she, could she do about it? At this moment in time…nothing. Her life path was chosen, ruts worn deep.Continue reading “Opening A Door”
The Refiner’s Fire
Gold born in crude earthen condition Impurities girdling, invading within Confining hardness needs to be broken Release contaminants’ hold Mere specks of glory hidden beneath Wait for refinement to be revealed Heated to melt, burn not awayThe gold, but all that is not Cast in the fire of sanctification Dross bubbling up into confession BarsContinue reading “The Refiner’s Fire”
Meeting Forgiveness
The wound had been healing for years. It was hard to keep track of time, the calendar flipping like frenzied numbers on an old clock radio. All the woman knew was the ongoing cry of her heart…her whole, easily bruised being physically hurt. “You really need a counselor,” she was told. That broadsided her. SheContinue reading “Meeting Forgiveness”
The Father’s Care
“Go! Into the house now!” her father thundered. His elder daughter’s defiant eyes flashed as she stood daring to glare at him. “Go now!” he growled, not with menace but authority. She spun on her heel and fled, slamming the door behind her as she stomped into the house. She, with her mother, had selfishlyContinue reading “The Father’s Care”
Hope Deferred
Waiting with prayerful petition Goes on forever at times Months slow turn into decades Years roll languidly byHeart sick heavy with sorrowRefusing to heal, to mend A shroud of heaviness hangingMulling its way in the dim Why yet no answers so wanted Those heartfelt cries to aboveOh to see the great picture See with God’sContinue reading “Hope Deferred”
Our Tombs
The door slammed shut blocking any trace of light entering the pitch black room. He might as well have been dead and buried; the crushing experience was the same. Isolated, abandoned, rejected, ridiculed, he could only cower in a tight ball thankful he could still breathe. He had been beaten and bloodied…again. The boy wasContinue reading “Our Tombs”
The Strength of His Hand
She wasn’t completely sure who they were, this darling couple and others who came to visit time and again. They called her Momma or Auntie or Nona… who were these people? Her once short coifed hair had grown long and limp, the slow loss of curl and shine reflective of the persistent fading of herContinue reading “The Strength of His Hand”
The Man on the Curb
Traffic slowed. The right hand lane emptied at flashing lights ahead. At the stoplight an enormous white pickup sat at a slight angle blocking the right hand turn; a man sat on the curb nearby; three police cars parked parallel to the sidewalk faced him and the truck. No other vehicles evidencing an accident wereContinue reading “The Man on the Curb”
Dew Upon The Arbor 