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”
Tag Archives: trust in God
A New Creation
Recently I read something fascinating about caterpillars becoming butterflies, versus pollywogs becoming frogs. Pollywogs simply transform—lose their tails and grow legs. These are natural changes of a young creature maturing. But the caterpillar? It actually dies, and its body liquifies into “caterpillar soup” inside its cocoon or chrysalis. In the process, specialized cells survive, andContinue reading “A New Creation”
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”
Facing The Lion’s Den
“I feel like I’m walking into the lion’s den.” I looked at my husband with those words hanging between us. My heart pounded. I was about to enter a situation I wasn’t ready for, face something I didn’t have the strength to handle. The biblical Daniel faced actual lions—thrown into their den for praying toContinue reading “Facing The Lion’s Den”
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”
How Do I Live
How do I live, LORD Every dayWhen here, this place This mundane world Compares not To the joy Of beholding Your face How do I live More willingly When I’d rather sit Never stray from Your feet Listen, refillListen, learn Listen, heal How do I live To leave behind Something outlasting The breath of myContinue reading “How Do I Live”
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”
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”
Adrift in the Sea — “It’s OK”
What’s this lonely languishing As I drift on endless waves No port in sight No winging birds Just endless endless sea Beneath me churns those hidden things What might come to snatch me whole While sun beats hot And thunder booms And lightning strikes repeatedly Missing those who’ve turned away Rejecting still my poured outContinue reading “Adrift in the Sea — “It’s OK””
Receding Snow
Day after day sparkling white blankets covered the world, and gave the earth permission to pause. Now the pristine mounds of white are nearly gone, soaking silently into the earth, and chasing soiled slush down grated drains. Is winter melting away, the long-awaited snow too soon relinquishing its place, receding and signaling the earth toContinue reading “Receding Snow”
Leaving Lo-debar
New Year’s Day 2024 dawned with the promises of new starts and resolutions. Yet, as I reflected on the state of the year left behind, I wondered at that growing, kicking child of strife and unrest silently waiting to emerge from the world’s contracting womb. A glance out the window revealed a fog of environmentalContinue reading “Leaving Lo-debar”
The Melting Snowman
When it feels like life is meltingDespite sunny days When storms and rains lash fiercely Drain strength fast away ‘Tis then our God our Father Creator of our days Is catching all the drippings Tears coursing in a race And like the melting snowman Whose face beams joy and play In blessing or in meltingContinue reading “The Melting Snowman”
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”
Tap Tap Tap
Tap tap tapDo you hear my callTap tap tapWhen will it fall Tap tap tapAm I breaking through That wall surrounding you Tap tap tapThe world’s voice is strong Tap tap tapWill you hear my songTap tap tapWill love be received Or are you rejecting me Tap tap tapMy love will never cease Tap tapContinue reading “Tap Tap Tap”
A Brooding Heart
Sadness creased the elder’s face Thoughts of children dear to heart No longer sharing time and space Though not living far Turned away from heart of home To explore the worldly realm Left behind a beating heart Chose instead a heart of stone Yet the heart of home still beats Wrings with anguish and withContinue reading “A Brooding Heart”
A Frantic Chicken
After an intense two weeks of good things, hard things, challenging things, a weird sense of overwhelm descended and I tumbled unexpectedly into exhaustion. As my enthusiasm and energy drained away, the old adage of “running around like a chicken with its head cut off” came to mind. How often do we humans race intoContinue reading “A Frantic Chicken”
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”
Under the Hosta
Axel scurried across the lawn, the early evening breeze a tail wind. Snakes and mice and squirrels, oh my! Such a long day of hunting and chasing. In need of a break, he crossed Swat’s well-worn path and ducked under a large hosta leaf. The size of the plant accommodated his full-grown length and girth,Continue reading “Under the Hosta”
Dew Upon The Arbor 