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Vulnerability Yields True Community
After a particularly hard week, I spent an evening pouring out my heart to a trusted friend. Having a good listener at the other end of my struggles lifted my spirit. My sharing turned into mutual encouragement, finishing with a time of prayer for each other, acknowledging that we both had needs that neither of us could fix. The words that touched heaven were heart-pleas, that God would show us His presence, administer His peace amid overwhelm, and invade the lives of those we love by showing up and doing the impossible. In short – do a miracle in us and them! Prayer brings peace and the empowerment of the…
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Courage to Risk
Today I risked! My children’s story is now in the hands of an editor. The Bella Project has been seven-plus years in the making. When Covid hit, I decided to pick Bella back up, and see her come to life by putting watercolor to her simple sketches. It has been exciting to see the progress over these past eight months, as I have steadily plodded along, putting corresponding illustrations to the words of her story. But…just hours after hitting send on my story, I felt like my spirit plummeted. Have you ever felt this way? You finally move forward on something you feel God nudging you to do, and then; BAM!…
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New Day Prayer
Help me Father, to begin to see You at the start of each day. I pause to linger now in your Presence. Beginning my day with the knowledge that You are here with me. I have nothing to fear, for You are my God. I bask in the truth that you are goodness, holiness, righteousness and redemption. Search me God, know my heart. Shine Your light of truth on anything that hints towards self-seeking, and not looking towards You to fill me, and flow through me. Cleanse me from my sin of seeking after self-centered gain. Replace self with the joy of entering mission with You and reaching out to…
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Comfort for Life’s Storms
Come… weary and burdened As my husband and I joined in prayer, an overwhelming sense of God’s nearness pervaded my anxious soul. As we invited the Father to handle our deep concerns, I was flooded with a sense that in the end, all would be well. God was at the helm and we could lay down our habit of holding on to the controls – by relinquishing all to Him. In this I knew that He has our best interest at the center of His heart. How I needed to rest in this truth! Despite our ineptness to personally mange our angst, we knew that there was nothing humanly possible…
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Social Distancing brings an odd push and pull of emotions
Living close to the Savior is not a place of clamor, confusion and clutter. It is a place of quiet rest despite the storm clouds that come rolling in. They may look like they are going to take us under; but Jesus Christ is the only One who can calm the angry waves. If you remember, the disciples looked at the waves that could sink them while the Master of the sea, Jesus, was asleep in the boat. Through all that we are going through Jesus offers His children the gift of Himself, the gift of hope and the gift of perfect peace admit the uncertainty of Covid 19. Jesus…
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FEAR. FRENZY OR FAITH
Walking through the grocery store yesterday I stopped to talk with a friend who was also shopping. As we chatted between the crossroads of chips and dairy, I became aware of my surrounding. “Stop and listen.” I told him. We both stopped and inquisitively looked around. The store was packed with afternoon shoppers; but no one was talking. They were quietly moving around the store loading up their carts. “Don’t you find this odd?” I asked. “That’s fear.” He observed. The day before in another larger store I came face to face with another kind of fear. It swept through the store with panic, rudeness, carts rushing the isles at…
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Beneath His Wings
FOR THIS I HAVE JESUS NO MATTER HOW STEEP THE HILL I CLIMB NO MATTER HOW SWIFT THE CURRENT I SWIM NO MATTER HOW ROUGH THE ROAD I WALK OR SWIFT THE BREEZES OF THE WIND NO MATTER HOW STILL THE SILENCE IS NO MATTER HOW THROBBING IS THE PAIN NO MATTER HOW MANY TEARS THAT FALL I KNOW THAT JESUS KNOWS MY NAME. NO MATTER HOW DEEP MY LONGINGS ARE NO MATTER HOW EMPTY IS MY SOUL NO MATTER HOW MANY PRAYERS I PRAY OR CRIES TO BE MADE WHOLE NO MATTER HOW WIDE THE CREVICE IS NO MATTER HOW FAR I FEEL FROM HOPE…
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Embraced
Embraced Take me in your arms, Dear Father, Let me rest, safe in this place. Encompass me with endless mercy, Wrap me tight with love and grace. Keep me from the weight of sorrow. Ever pressing down on me, Let me feel your safe, sweet harbor, Offer now this sweet reprieve. Sustain my weary soul, blessed Savior. Restore my faith these trials have crushed, Remind me that you love me dearly, Soothe me with your tender touch. Listen to my prayer, Lord Jesus I cry out, “Please rescue me!” Lest I falter in this journey, Turn my feet to follow thee. Infuse my mind with your…
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Day of Victory!
How is it, that I can wake up on Valentines Day and feel like all the love is slowly being squeezed right out of me? Thirty-seven consecutive Valentines Days shared with my husband Joel, and here I was entering this one with a melancholy attitude I couldn’t identify. I should have prepared myself for the unexpected low, as I had just said hard good-byes to my brother and sister who were visiting here in the Philippines. While my brother was doing ministry work in the Province, I enjoyed two remarkable weeks together with my eldest sister. Each day was hinged with laughter, reminiscent memories of experiences from days gone by,…
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Glory Came Down and Dwelt Among Us
As a child I loved tinsel. Today it is nearly impossible to find a box of the ornamental silvery strands. In fact, just mentioning tinsel dates me. At Christmas time tinsel lined the shelves of the local five and dime stores, right in there with the large colored electric bulbs and the delicate glass-blown ornaments. I remember feeling horrified when I saw someone throw handfuls of tinsel at their tree, leaving large clumps, hither and yon. I guess to me there was something ceremonially reminiscent of the time of year, as we thoughtfully placed each strand of tinsel on the perfect bough. Each thin strand of metallic garland shimmered under…
