Simple joys are often found in deep-rooted faith and the legacy families create. I believe all of us have an inheritance that comes from our families, whether financial or emotional. Although you may not have a dime left to you by the ones you have long lost, I am sure experiences and moments from the…
Don’t Make Things Worse
Sigh. I reread the quote again for the third time that morning: If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. — Romans 12:18 Sigh. To be honest, on that particular morning, I didn’t feel like living at peace with a certain individual. This quote is one I…
Reminding God to Remember
While God will never forget or abandon us, at times we will feel forgotten. It’s not that God is distant; it’s just that sometimes He feels distant. It’s not that God is preoccupied; it’s just that our struggles make us feel like we’re facing the world alone. What is amazing is that we are given…
Caregivers Need Prayer
Editor’s Note: Baby Grace from Little House on the Prairie has written a beautiful devotional based upon the beloved TV show. Enjoy this excerpt. Wendi and her sister, Brenda Weatherby, on the set with “Pa” Ingalls, Michael Landon. (Photo: Jackie Juchniewicz) * Season 3, Episode 13, “Quarantine” “The worst part about being sick, I think,…
Be Strong! The Right Kind of Strong
Editor’s Note: I’m excited to share this unique and bold book with you. As a Jesus-follower constantly facing my personal frailty and fierceness, strengths and needs and seeking God’s divine interference in my life to find the sweet spot of graciousness and yet dauntlessness, I believe Mary speaks straight to the heart of issues women…
I Give Up: Dear God, Let’s Be Co-Rulers. Love, Me
I have a proven tendency to mess things up. I have good intentions and even a few really good ideas. But sometimes things can go sideways so fast that I find myself questioning not only my actions but also my worth as a child of God. Not too long ago, I traveled to The Cove…
The Test of Forgiveness: Corrie ten Boom
Editor’s Note: Corrie ten Boom, arrested for hiding Dutch Jews from the Nazis, survived the horrors of a concentration camp to astonish the world by forgiving her tormentors. Enjoy this excerpt of 7 Women and the Secret of Their Greatness and be exhorted to forgive as Corrie did. * Healing was linked to forgiveness, Corrie wrote. Each…
I’m So Sensitive: Why “I’m Sorry” Is Essential
Most of us are initially defensive when we learn we have hurt someone. But I have begun to gauge the health of a friendship by how fast we are able to push past the situation, and own our stuff, in the context of conflict. As my girlfriends and I get healthier and come to trust…
The One Jesus Loves
When I was a child and someone asked me what my name was I would say, “Sheila Davina Walsh.” My mum would tell me time after time that all I really needed to say was, my name is Sheila but that made no sense to my five-year old brain. There are lots of Sheila’s living…
Valuable Souvenirs: What’s Beautiful Now?
Editor’s note: Kate Merrick, her husband Britt, and their family faced a life-changing cancer diagnosis, long and painful treatments, and the death of their daughter Daisy. In the midst of the suffering, they chose to be present with God and with each other and find the beauty in the pain. * Pivotal moments pave the…