Recently I suffered a loss. As I look around at my circle of friends, I’m not alone. Some losses happened long ago, while others are very recent. And although our losses vary in intensity, they always carry heartache and pain. Because of this, anyone who has lost something, or someone, grieves. I used to think…
“Ugg! Why does everything have to be so hard?” With an exasperated sigh, I pounded the steering wheel. Both of my Map Apps insisted I had reached my destination. But the clump of trees and bushes on the side of the road bore no resemblance to a dog-grooming business. Calling and texting the groomer proved…
Recently my husband and I booked a cruise to celebrate our thirtieth wedding anniversary. Can there be anything more fun than planning a vacation? In fact, some scientists claim anticipating a trip is more fun than actually taking it. We haven’t taken our cruise yet, but I can attest to the fun of planning it….
As I turned on the TV, I hoped for better news. But sadly the situation in the Ukraine continues to escalate. Throughout the day, even as I prayed for peace and reconciliation, fear gripped my already heavy heart. In search of comfort, I turned to one of my favorite passages, Psalm 46. In light of…
Pulling into the parking space, my red-rimmed eyes immediately latched onto the bumper sticker: Proverbs 3:4-5. Although I felt certain I knew it, I opened the Scripture on my Bible App: Trust in the Lord with all your heart. and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him,…
“I’m not going to be your friend!” In my years as an elementary teacher, I often heard this common refrain. Whenever someone hurt another’s feelings, or didn’t invite them to play, or said something offensive ~ the injured party responded by withdrawing friendship. Sadly, I see this same scenario play out among adults. Someone hurts…
The joy of the Lord is your strength. We see this phrase on cute trinkets, plaques, or Pinterest boards. But what does it mean? How can joy be our strength? The phrase comes from the book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament. The Israelites had begun to return to Jerusalem after being in exile in…
Are we nearing the end of the world? It’s a fair question ~ and one I’ve frequently heard, or seen on social media, over the last year and a half. And no wonder. Conspiracy theorists and some religious leaders have linked the COVID pandemic, political unrest, natural disasters, and economic upheaval to various Biblical prophecies…
Will we ever return to normal? It’s a question we hear a lot lately. Personally, I’ve begun to categorize my life’s experiences as pre-COVID or post-COVID. Pre-COVID days felt less stressful, less uncertain, and definitely more hopeful. I know COVID will always be with us. But just as we seem to figure out how to…
