Gaining a heart of wisdom
My first few substitute teaching gigs in the fall always generate a bit of anxiety--butterflies over the unknown, anticipation of challenges, always the possibility of conflict. To my great surprise, on my first day of school, as I inserted my key into the car's ignition, the words of Isaiah 12 rushed into my mind, and… Continue reading Give Thanks! Sing Praises! Solid Disciplines Foster Strong Habits
I can’t think of a thing more discouraging than being defined by what I am NOT. Of course, the list is long, and for most of us, that list is freighted with a fair amount of disappointment, squandered opportunity, or even just plain failure. In his letter to the church he planted in Ephesus, Paul… Continue reading Take Courage from the Power, Majesty, and Authority of God
Now that winter with its "firm, business-like cold"1 has arrived here in Maine, bare branches open up the landscape for a good view of the horizon, but the sun does little to mitigate the monotonous gray or the hard-as-iron ground under my feet. I'll admit that most days I take to the basement exercise bike… Continue reading Do You Ever Wonder if God Has a Reason for Your Suffering?
I'm reading through the Bible again this year and working hard to pay attention to the BIG story. Genesis has started my year with one narrative after another, most of which any Sunday school child could retell, but my reading will be richer if I can bear in mind that all the little stories are… Continue reading What Do Biblical Stories Teach Us About God’s Heart for Women?
Depending on what time zone you're in and what your reading habits might be, there's a good chance that, if you're reading this post on a Sunday morning, I'm either getting ready to go to church, driving toward the church we call home, or actively engaged in Sunday worship. For our family, church attendance is… Continue reading Sunday Worship: 5 Arguments in Favor from the Writing of C.S. Lewis
What do you want in 2023? Most of us will come up with a long list of things. Possessions, jobs, relationships, goals--hey, it's a new year, and hope is in the air! I wonder, though, if any of our things have any resemblance to the things God recommends to us in this collection of Scripture… Continue reading The Crucial Question for Beginning a New Year: What Do You Want?
In this new year, it's time to sing blessing over our loved ones and over the year. It's time to be a blessing and to live blessed by remembering the generosity of a faithful God whose promises are solid and whose power is absolute. The words we say (and even the words we think) are… Continue reading Happy New Year Blessings for You and Your Loved Ones
The Christmas cards we send are a tiny point of connection that happens once a year. As a reader at Living Our Days, you have given me that gift of connection repeatedly in 2022, every time you have met me here over my offering of words. Thank you for all the many ways you have… Continue reading Thank You for the Gift of Connection: Merry Christmas 2022
I'm reading through the psalms again. Again! Funny how the Bible's prayer book keeps reverting to mundane words on a page as I hurry my way through this spiritual discipline with other tasks taking up space in my brain. Some days, however, the words and the Spirit find their mark, and I really do find… Continue reading Reset Your Pace to Walk with the God Who Leads You Beside Waters of Rest
Maybe the idea of a Peaceful Christmas feels a bit like an oxymoron by mid-December? The plans you laid on December 1st have dissolved, and now at the end of your rope, you've tied a knot and are hanging on until Christmas is in the rearview mirror once again. It's not too late to start… Continue reading How Can I Become an Instrument of Peace at Christmas Time?
