The Every Day Grace of a Burden Bearer

Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. Isaiah 53

Sunday Scripture In the practice of mothering, we become fairly adept at knowing when to step in and help our kids with their struggles. As "The Finder of Lost Things," the sounding board for pondering important decisions, or even as a baby-sitter of grandchildren for tired parents who need a break, we love our children… Continue reading The Every Day Grace of a Burden Bearer

Looking for Strength in All the Right Places

Like wisdom and daily provision, strength of soul is one of the gifts God holds out to his children for the asking. David the psalm-writing king bears witness: On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased." 

Sunday Scripture The day I arm wrestled with one of my sons, it was apparent on which side of the table the real strength lay. Amused, he let me struggle for a bit--rather than flattening me in a heartbeat, which he could have easily done. I'm not the same girl who could once whoop all… Continue reading Looking for Strength in All the Right Places

Can I Walk by Faith if My Faith is Small?

God is not interested merely in what I do.  Motive is everything in the kingdom of God.

Sunday Scripture We don’t know who he was because he didn’t sign his name. Was it fear that drove him to anonymity in an age of persecution? Or was it humility? Whoever wrote the letter we now refer to as “Hebrews” certainly knew the Old Testament scriptures, and in chapter eleven he’s connecting the dots… Continue reading Can I Walk by Faith if My Faith is Small?

The Amazing Hope of Transformation

While it's true that "by faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that what is seen was made out of things which do not appear," it is also true that God is revealed most completely in the person of Jesus Christ.

Sunday Scripture Last night, a full moon lit up the sky here on the hill as a three-dimensional bank of stars drew my eye upward into cold darkness. When daylight comes, evidence for a lavishly generous Creator arrives in living color. Even on a bleak February day, the evergreens stand out against a field of… Continue reading The Amazing Hope of Transformation

The Purposes of God Fulfilled in the Blue Chairs

My calling is a support role, a faithful truth-giving so that a growing relationship with God will be based upon knowledge of his ways.

Sunday Scripture Every Sunday morning I hunker down at a low table with the four and five year olds at my church. Everyone wants a blue chair, and there's almost always a tussle about something, but eventually, we put the attendance stickers on the bulletin board and settle down to business. There are crayons and… Continue reading The Purposes of God Fulfilled in the Blue Chairs

Breakfast for Your Body and the Bread of Life for Your Soul

Let Jesus's invitation to "Come and have breakfast" change your morning routine as you incorporate habits of holiness into your day and live your way into the daily welcome of God's presence and his love.

Sunday Scripture After a long night of empty-net fishing, seven discouraged disciples turned their boat toward shore. The surprise of an early morning Jesus-sighting and the gift of an unexpected and bountiful catch turned their day upside down, and their shore-side picnic with Jesus is one of my favorite New Testament images.  What's not to… Continue reading Breakfast for Your Body and the Bread of Life for Your Soul

Making a Commitment to the Wise Building Life

The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down."  (Proverbs 14:1)

Sunday Scripture I crave wisdom even more than a single-digit jeans size. All the time, I come face to face with the realization that intelligence, talent, cleverness, or stellar SAT scores pale in comparison to the house-building wisdom of Proverbs 14:1. The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one… Continue reading Making a Commitment to the Wise Building Life

All You Have to Be Is Desperate

On one level or another, everyone fights the battle of fragility at some point in life.

Sunday Scripture But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.  We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so… Continue reading All You Have to Be Is Desperate

Today’s Walk is Today’s Blessing

When it comes to paths, for today or for the future, we trust, and we are safe because our trust is founded in a God who is trustworthy.

Sunday Scripture Double digit temperatures and wintry sunshine called me outdoors. The dog and I headed for the wooded trails where the ground was frozen solid with no mud and very little ice to speak of. We did speak of it, though, because it was glorious to be walking between rows of bare trees on… Continue reading Today’s Walk is Today’s Blessing

Join Me in Remembering a Bountiful Year

Let’s join the psalmist in gratitude for what has been given and hope for what is ahead as 2019 comes to a close: “You crown the year with your bounty.”  Psalm 65:11

Sunday Scripture At the beginning of a new year and the winding down of the old, I love to look back on where I’ve been. With a coating of frosty white on the surface of my garden, it’s hard to imagine that just three months ago I was harvesting cucumbers and green beans by the… Continue reading Join Me in Remembering a Bountiful Year