Gaining a heart of wisdom
If I should ever happen to meet the Old Testament prophetess Huldah, I would fully expect her to have pale blue eyes like my friend Mary's. Mary had turned her eyes on full power the day she rebuked me for being a hypocrite. Gulp... Until that point, we were having a great visit, sharing how… Continue reading Learning Humility: Cooperating with God in God’s Time and in God’s Way
We were new in church and new to the area, and our little three-bedroom fixer-upper was situated in a part of the universe in which it didn’t matter that we had been born and bred in Maine. We had not been born and bred in this part of Maine, and we had the accent (or lack of same) to… Continue reading People Who Are Cooked for Feel Cared For: 4 Helpful Hospitality Resources
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?
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
Roots and wings are the gifts Christian parents pass on to our children. We establish rules, give them responsibilities that build confidence and skill, and water those deep roots with lots of love and prayer, knowing that strengthening wings will soon carry our children away from home, out of reach of our influence and our… Continue reading Three Biblical Ways to Pray for Your Adult Children
Fleming Rutledge describes Advent as a "season that begins in darkness and ends in light." Certainly for us in the Northern Hemisphere, the Light she writes about is "shed abroad in our hearts," but both ends of the day still make for challenging conditions if you crave sunlight for your power walk. Late autumn temperatures… Continue reading Heaven and Nature Sing, and You’re Invited to Join the Party
Living Our Days 