Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; Give thanks to Him and praise His name. — Psalm 100:4 “Giving thanks for what is, creates an appetite for more—not for more things, but for seeking more of God.” ~ Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts God is always good, and I am always loved.…
Nourishing Words
The lips of the righteous nourish many. — Proverbs 10:21 There was once a monk who, like many followers of Jesus at the time, was looking for a deeper walk with God. This monk, Abbot Agatho, fled to the desert. The story goes that Abbot Agatho, aware of his temptation to sin with his words,…
Say Goodbye to The Pit of Family Pileups
Pileups happen. Especially in families. That’s what happened to mine. That’s what happened to Keith’s. That’s the nature of family. The ties are so close that the same cord that hangs one tangles all. They say alcoholism is a family disease, but it’s not the only one. Both of my girls experienced some second-hand effects from…
Let Nothing Disturb You
“Let nothing disturb you, let nothing disturb you, let nothing disturb you,” I chanted in my head as I stepped out of the kitchen and into the garage to call my husband Rob with the news. “It’s in both lungs,” I uttered when he answered his office phone. “Okay,” he said, “I figured it was.”…
Wondering Why
My God… why? — Jesus Hospital orderlies, dressed in green, had taken Sammy down to the operating room. We’d said our goodbyes and now, somewhere in Southampton General Hospital, a surgeon was preparing to conduct his third operation of the day. There was nothing more I could do. Sammy’s life was in the hands of…
When You Feel Like Giving Up
I felt like giving up when I heard the news of my husband’s cancer diagnosis almost three years ago. How would we go on? I didn’t want to walk through this. It was too much. And suffering never comes at the right time, does it? It’s true that hearing the “C” word is like being…
Help My Little Faith
The consulting room finally stopped spinning, and I opened my eyes again. I felt numb, body and soul. I sat frozen in the metal chair, staring dully at the faded and picked blue carpet. We had arrived at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital just this morning knowing that we were likely facing something serious…
One Choice Every Couple Should Make in Their Suffering
What is one choice every couple should make in the midst of their storm? It might sound like a simple question, but it is incredibly important. One of the most important choices we can make as a couple is to move toward community instead of away from it. The challenge for most of us is…
No Weapon Formed Against Me Will Prosper
No weapon formed against you shall prosper. — Isaiah 54:17 NKJV When I was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer, my mind raced: What’s the treatment plan? How will my body respond? How quickly can I recover from chemotherapy? I resisted only one question: Why me? When crisis crashes into your life, it’s easy to ask…
God’s Plan for Partnership with Us
One of my favorite things about God is that nothing ever surprises Him. I take the greatest comfort in knowing that no matter how crazy the world gets, God is in Heaven saying, “Yep, I saw that coming. I’m still in control. You’re okay.” Knowing that the Creator of the Universe is in control reassures…