Gaining a heart of wisdom
The calendar and the brisk morning air have agreed that summer is over and autumn has arrived. It was time for me to get on the same page and decorate for fall. Understand that this is not a huge production here in this minimalist's life, but I do like a few sunflowers, a few pumpkins,… Continue reading Overcome Frustration with Gratitude and Action
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Even in this season of the empty nest, I value its uncomplicated requirement of gathering with loved ones, preparing a meal featuring everyone's favorites, and cultivating a spirit of gratitude to carry throughout the year. Of course, that last one can be a little challenging, right? I keep catching myself… Continue reading Can I Really Persevere in Daily Gratitude as a Matter of Obedience?
Among the pesky distractions that accompany an online ministry are the hackers who invade and imitate, even going so far as to steal accounts for their own nefarious purposes. Of course, all I have to do is open my Bible or read a few missionary biographies to put my own ministry woes into proper perspective.… Continue reading How Will You Overcome the Challenges Life Throws at You?
When the Cambridge Dictionary announced their word of the year for 2021, I did an enthusiastic double take. Their choice of perseverance may have been inspired by the name of the space rover that landed on Mars in February 2021, but it is also a noun form of my own word of the year: PERSEVERE.… Continue reading A Prayer for You as We Persevere through the End of a Long Year
The Montauk daisies in my front yard were covered in small white buds, a sight so improbable that I had almost missed seeing them. You see, the plants had been an utter failure in their first location, and I had, initially, had high hopes for the sunny spot near the rock that looks like a… Continue reading How to Keep Persevering When the Work Feels Hard and Horrible
Sunday Scripture My grandkids love to play The Ground is Lava whenever we're at a playground. By sheer little-kid strength, they carry themselves over the length and width of the apparatus, climbing and scurrying to stay aloft. Determined to stand the test, they'd rather fall from the monkey bars than come into contact with the… Continue reading Whatever the Challenge, Because of God’s Love, You Can Stand the Test
Last Wednesday my good husband and I celebrated thirty-one years together. Would it be unromantic to say that a good marriage requires perseverance? Of course, it's pleasant work, and the rewards are great, but here are three small ways that I've noticed us persevering in our years together: Persevere in Believing We've come through some… Continue reading The May Book Talk with Thoughts on Marriage, Perseverance, and 3 Books I Recommend
It's a chilly April morning, and Tucker and I galumph our way around the wooded path that circles the land behind our home. Along the path, a little beech tree stands alone, fully clothed in a grove of naked but budding alders. Every little breeze stirs a papery rustle as her brown leafy hands greet… Continue reading Persevere in Hope Even When Everything Feels Too Hard
COVID-19 has initiated the celebration of some very unique milestones. For me, the most memorable was the day I sat between two of my grandchildren and read them a story for the first time since we began sheltering at home. We celebrated the relaxation of strict quarantine here in rural Maine with our little group of… Continue reading How to Persevere All the Way Through the Pandemic: Are We There Yet?
Portrait #1 My friend Lori does not fit the profile for a church treasurer. With gifts that lend themselves more to giving hugs than to writing checks, and with a ready smile that makes her a favorite with all the kids in the school cafeteria where she works every day, she has persevered in faithfulness… Continue reading Portraits of Endurance to Jumpstart Your New Year
Living Our Days 