Facing the Inevitable Trials
You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever. Psalm 30:11-12 It brings me so much peace in times of trouble to know that everything that Christians go through in this life has been sifted through the loving hand of God the Father first. When I encounter difficulties whether they be with finances, friends or family I can know that the Lord has given His approval for this situation to occur. His reason is always to draw me nearer to Him and teach me one more...
Read MoreHeartbreaking
Labor Day, for most it means a three-day weekend, a relaxing end to summer spent grilling out with friends and family. It means swimming for one of the last times of the year, potato salad, watermelon, and don’t forget the brownies. It kicks off the more organized, less chaotic, scheduled life of school, work, Bible studies and the like. Not this Labor Day though. Not for us anyway. This Labor Day weekend in Texas saw the beginning of the worst wildfires in Texas history. As I type this the Bastrop fire continues to burn days later. Hundreds, with the possiblility of it being well over...
Read MoreDetermine to Know Him
Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” Do you recall this verse in John Chapter 4? Jesus is talking to a Samaritan woman. As I was reading the other day I realized that this one verse speaks volumes of who Jesus is. It is the sixth hour, which is around noon and Jesus asks the woman to draw Him some water from the well. She responds with complete surprise not only because people normally drew water at the end of the day but also because she is a Samaritan and being a Jew...
Read MoreImpossible Love
Julian and I were having a little conversation this morning before he went to work. It was an innocent discussion about a challenging situation we were facing. Then suddenly my husband made a matter-of-fact comment as to what he considered would be the perfect way to “fix” the problem. Husbands are funny that way aren’t they? When a problem arises, the first thing they think is, “fix it,” well, my husband does anyway. His opinion of a “fix” horrified me, and I made sure to tell him too. I twisted my face up in a manner that clearly showed my disdain for his idea (I’ve learned...
Read MoreThere is a Difference
The difference - Holy people behave in certain ways because they love God. Hypocrites behave in certain ways because they want others to think they love God. ~~~ Holy people are concerned about being pleasing to God – inside and out. Hypocrites are concerned about how they are perceived by others. ~~~ Holy people have a heart to love and serve others, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Hypocrites like to associate with “movers and shakers” and the “up-and-coming,” to enhance their own standing. ~~~ Holy people bow to the authority of Scripture and live...
Read MoreGood Parenting
I hear it time and time again. A child misbehaves, someone informs their parent and the parent makes excuses for the child. The parent doesn’t take the information seriously or worse yet they take offense to hearing the truth. I’ve never liked the saying that Hillary Clinton coined some years ago, “It takes a village to raise a child,” only because of the full extent of the meaning behind it. But there is truth in the statement. Truth we understood years ago and maybe even in some small towns today. The truth that parents can be biased toward their offspring and it...
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Lover of the only One worthy to be praised, Jesus. Adorer of God's Word. Speaker of truth. Contender for freedom. Hater of slavery. Paramour of black coffee, dark chocolate and all things hazelnut. 
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