I struggled with forgiving my mother for years. Even after I became an adult she continued to be abusive, and I had to forgive her on a daily basis. Sometimes I stayed away from her and just let my dad deal with her by himself. Unfortunately she turned her anger toward him. When he became…
Messy Endings
I have won several awards for my music, but one award I’m pretty sure I’ll never be nominated for is Mother of the Year. Take for example one Wednesday morning when Josie was thirteen months old. We woke up late for a Bible study I was leading with only enough time to get one of…
The Daniel Dilemma: Core Convictions Shape the Way We Live Our Lives
Convictions require you to decide what’s right ahead of time. They’re not based on what feels good or seems right in the moment. They are, instead, the unmovable foundation upon which our lives are built. We don’t need to be mean or judgmental when we share them with others, but we do need to be…
What Happens When Holy Women Talk to a Holy God
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just…
What About Life-After-Death and Near-Death Experiences?
Life-after-death and near-death experiences fascinate me. Shucks, they fascinate millions of people, if anything can be gleaned from the sales of books and movies on the topic. We so want them to be true. Maybe they are; maybe they aren’t. On one end of the spectrum, people cling to these stories to give them the…
A Quiet Life
Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life. — 1 Thessalonians 4:11 Beloved! This is our spirit’s deepest need. It is thus that we can learn to know God. It is thus that we receive spiritual refreshment and nutriment. It is thus that we are nourished and fed. It is thus that we receive…
Jesus Is the Gate
This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him. For the Lord is your life,…
7 Habits That Will Change Your Life
When I was eleven years old, I committed my life to Christ. From that day forward, I’ve constantly lived with the realization that I only have one shot at life—and that my time on earth is finite. I didn’t have any amazing gifts or talents. I was pretty much just an average girl who got…
June Brings New Life and New Bloggers
June brings new life and so much new celebration with it. Just look at nature – the spring ushers in a new beginning in the plant and animal kingdoms and it is breathtaking to take in all the new growth around us. For me specifically, spring means new life spiritually. Of course we just celebrated…