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Breathing in God’s Faithfulness!
Each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life. Psalm 42:8 NLT As daylight’s gentle shadows entered my window, I sighed, relieved to have slept through the night despite the heaviness of the previous day’s trials. I walked across the dew-covered grass, carrying the hose up our sloped yard. Needing to water my perennial garden before the day’s intense heat scorched my newly planted flowers. As I reached the garden, I gazed at the sky, and there it was… God’s faithfulness. A ball of fire had crested the hills, blazing orange against the expanse of the…
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Can I Trust God When Life Falls Apart? Faith Through Adversity
Even amid confusing adversity, when our spirits feel crushed beneath a weight of sorrow, disbelief in our predicament, and hints of despair, God gives His children a fresh opportunity each day to lift their defeated gaze from their problems and embrace the certainty of His character. This offering from Christ is as dependable as the sunrise itself. For my human heart, this becomes a deliberate divine decision, as my life feels unexpectedly broken, leaving me entirely undone and overwhelmed. However, I am learning that peace and new purpose arise from my tumultuous struggles as I turn my attentive gaze to Christ Jesus. Most often, I still lack clarity of thought…
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Choosing Joy in Adversity: Trusting The Character of God
We’ve heard it said that joy is not dependent on our circumstances. But when adversity stomps in like an unwanted invader, joy is not the first thing I think of. I want to get out of my struggle, and I want out – Now! Choosing joy in times of heart-wrenching adversity feels impossible. I have come to understand that finding true joy in times of adversity requires me to choose Jesus over everything. Choosing joy requires me to believe that God is all I need – right now, even in this travesty. That He sees my plight and knows what to do. Joy comes on the heels of resting and…
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When Adversity Strikes: Can We Face It With Courage?
Unannounced. Adversity strikes! Red-hot. Searing. An unwelcome arrival that feels totally unbelievable. Did I hear someone say “ludicrous”? Yes! Crazy, unbelievable, even bizarre. Sucker punched, I find myself gasping at its reality. Could this really be happening to us? Certain as dawn, it settles in, burning all the way down to the depths of my soul. Air! We need air! As our world tilts, then crumbles around us, nothing seems as it was. Crushed beneath the load, we look for normalcy, but it evades us. It’s just not there – no longer present. Everything in me cries out “This is wrong…so very wrong!” right on the heels of shouting… “This…
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Now Available: A Beautifully Reimagined Edition of Bella Bunny’s Big Question: Grammy Is Heaven For Real
Bella Bunny’s Big Question was created to gently support children and families as they navigate some of life’s hardest emotions—sickness, death, grief, sorrow, and loss. This newly updated edition brings Bella’s story back to readers with brighter illustrations, enhanced watercolor artwork, and a refreshed design, making the book even more inviting for young readers and the adults guiding them. This new release signifies a fresh chapter for both the book and its author. After facing significant publishing and copyright challenges with a former publishing partner, the decision was made to independently relaunch the book with renewed care, integrity, and creative control. What’s New in This Edition Enhanced watercolor illustrations —…
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Messy Grief and Unrestrained Sorrow…An invitation to come where the Divine dwells
In the quiet sanctuary, the holy place where the Divine dwells, we find rest for our troubled souls. Here we sit, too broken to stand. Here we stretch out prostrate at His feet. Weary of heart. Weary of mind. Just plain weary! Here we cry out. Our voice cannot form words. Here we pour out our lament. I lay my messy grief and unrestrained sorrow at His feet. He does not flinch at my uncouth offering. He does not pull away from the mess of my heart. Here, in the presence of Christ, I am seen. Here, in this holy sanctuary, I am heard. My heart is so full of…
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In The Dark Valley of Waiting: Hope Comes With the Good Shepherd.
When life’s adversity thrusts us into a valley, shadows loom large and darkness creeps in. Despair can threaten to undo us, and doubts about God’s goodness can overwhelm us. Here, in the valley of despondency, the Good Shepherd whispers, “Don’t be afraid. I see you. I am with you. I will protect and comfort you. You are mine!” As a child, I never liked being left alone in the dark. In my darkened bedroom, ordinary objects seemed larger and often took on frightening forms. A simple lamp or doll on a shelf, strangely, became a large, ugly monster. Legs that hung out of the covers or dangled over the side…
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Living Fully Present: Hope in Uncertainty When was the last time God led you into a waiting room? A waiting room without physical walls—a place where adversity and faith meet. Here, you are given the chance to embrace God’s character, yet somehow anxiety and overwhelm flood in, and all you can think about is solving your problem to ease the pain, remove the heartache, or erase the trouble. I am familiar with God’s waiting rooms, as I am sure you are. It has taken me years to realize that when God calls us to enter, He is extending a sacred invitation to spend time with the Divine. It is here…
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Feed The Fire In My Soul: Remission! Chemotherapy Reflection Part Four
As I am finishing my second month of remission, I continuously cry out to God with this one plea; “I don’t want my cancer journey to be wasted!” The question that rises out of this plea is; “God how do you want to use me now? How can my cancer be used for your praise, your glory?” Questions after facing finality In staring the possibility of death in the face, I have found that you can ask God one of two things; “God, why me? I have been serving you with my whole life. Why cancer? Why me? Why now!” or “God, allow me the privilege to be a marked…
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A Cup of Coffee… In Jesus Name
Exiting the coffee shop last week it was unseasonably warm. Spring wrapped in summers temperatures. Trees flouting their first blooms. Sidewalks filled with bike riders and walkers anxious to take in the suns warmth after a long winter. It was the first time I had seen him. There he sat. Ragged. Glazed, unseeing eyes. Slumped shouldered, yet with head thrown back taking in the warmth of the sun’s rays. It was almost as if he thought the sun itself could feed his empty stomach. The first time I had seen him I walked past. Startled by his vacant, glazed eyes. At first they frightened me; but almost instantly my fear…
