Gaining a heart of wisdom
Sunday Scripture My three married sons have chosen wisely, smart women who love God and love their husbands well. Therefore, my grandchildren have wise mothers who limit screen time and access to junk food. Humans, both big and small, develop an appetite, an acquired taste, for what's-good-for-them when what's-good-for-them is what they are given. As… Continue reading 4 Strategies to Help You Develop an Appetite for Reading the Bible
Sunday Scripture "Bam, how old are you?" My oldest grandson's eyes sparkled with pleasure over the edginess of his question, although I'm sure he knew I'd answer without hesitation. "I'm 58," I said because my September birthday hadn't happened yet. "You're younger than Grammy!" he reported with surprise. "You don't LOOK younger than Grammy! Your… Continue reading God is Not Distant or Untouchable. You Can Draw Near to God.
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
Our intrepid son and daughter-in-law hiked up Pike's Peak, but we drove, oohing and aahing as the car carried us through rugged pines, scattered wildflowers, and startling rock formations. Past the tree line the view changed dramatically, and we began to notice sheer drop offs leading straight down to a mile of nothingness. My cautious… Continue reading See the Narrow Way as a Focused Path and Thank God for the Gift of Guardrails
I remember weeding our very first garden with white knuckles, in a cold sweat. All the sprouting vegetables in our tiny plot looked sort of alike to me. The weeds were just as green and leafy as the seedlings we'd planted, so I proceeded with great caution. Too afraid to be ruthless, I left behind… Continue reading When You Know What’s Important, You Find the Courage to Be Ruthless
What goals have you set for your spiritual formation this summer? Do you want to trust God's faithfulness more fully? Have you accumulated a pile of deeply challenging books to read? Maybe you've decided that you're sick and tired of feeling as if your prayer life needs work and are determined to focus on your… Continue reading Think Well | Why Is It Important for Me to Persevere in Clear Thinking?
Sunday Scripture It's been so long since I administered a standardized test to a first grader that I had almost forgotten the most crucial skill being assessed is a little boy's ability to sit still for twenty to thirty minutes at a time while attending to academic material. Even with frequent and very stimulating breaks--butterfly… Continue reading What Obstacles Stand in the Way of Your Daily Endurance Test?
Sunday Scripture Have you ever wished you could open the Bible and read it for the first time? What if you could hear the words with new ears and see them with new eyes? How would it feel to rediscover the words you've heard for so long that you've stopped hearing them, like the sock… Continue reading Is Meditation an Important Part of the Christian Life? | A Quick Tutorial
I'm convinced we're prone to make entirely too much of visible, quantifiable ministry. Don't get me wrong--I love sharing the faith that is in me with a big roomful of women and then trusting God with the results. It's also extremely satisfying to write and then painstakingly edit an article that shows up online and… Continue reading Intercessory Prayer: The Hardest Work in the World
“You can say ‘no,’” he said softly, in a whisper, so our son would not hear.Immediately, my guard went up. It was Christmas time, so my planner was bulging its squares with lists of things to buy and to wrap and to bake. What was my husband going to propose that required this ominous-sounding, front-loaded… Continue reading Say Yes to the Gift of Christmas
Living Our Days 