• Faith - Home Sweet Home - my story

    The Welcome Home

    For a few months we had been inching toward the sale of our home. One year ago today was the first of three days of showings. We’d been blindly taking steps forward, guided by the unseen Hand.  Now over twenty five years ago we were looking for a home that would be just right for our growing family. “Looking” is far too weak. We were searching, yearning, praying for such a home. We searched and searched—drove around day after day looking for that forever home.  It had been suggested that I make a list of things I hoped the home…

  • Faith - my story

    Life’s Greatest Hindrances are its Greatest Teachers

    More and more I find that what I used to consider my greatest hindrances were, in fact, my greatest teachers.  I used to believe that my troubles were attributable to lack of finances and consequently, thought all of them could be solved by a surplus.  I considered disadvantages and often almost totally overlooked the great trust and creativity I was developing and gaining over the years.   I used to overlook what God was placing right before my eyes.  Troubled with how things were going to work out—crippled by fear that they wouldn’t, days were difficult and money seemed scarce.  Little…

  • Devotionals - Faith - Motherhood - my story

    The Eternal God is thy Refuge

    The days seem long but the years are quickly passing. As I typed that, I recalled saying something similar in the early years of motherhood: the days are long and the weeks fly by.  I never thought about the swift passage of time in terms my own mortality but in terms of our children growing taller, learning new things—getting older. Now I think of them as young —in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s— so much life ahead while our years are swiftly slipping away. Early on, older women would tell me to enjoy the children while they’re young, it’ll go so…

  • Faith - More Slices of Life - my story - Woman to Woman

    The Gathering

    The gathering happened and afterward I returned home again  to my warm, comfortable, familiar, safe haven.  Now, nearly two weeks later, I look back with heartfelt gratefulness.  It was such a stretch for me, but I’m so glad I met the people I did and am thankful for the messages that were shared. Over the years I’ve headed women’s ministries, Bible studies, retreats, and other church events. So I totally get the gatherings deal and the sincerest efforts to create a space where women will gather, feel the love, be ministered to, and not feel like they’re on the outside.…

  • Devotionals - Faith

    Hindsight Isn’t 20/20

    You’ve heard the saying — probably have said it yourself from time to time: “Hindsight’s 20/20!”  When looking back on what you did, what you shouldn’t have done, or what you’re sure you ought to have done, could have done, would have done… you may have reasoned a better outcome with your 20/20 hindsight vision.  But it’s a lie.  Hindsight isn’t 20/20. Hindsight isn’t 20/20 bcz we don’t know what God knows.  You don’t know if you would have had a perfect outcome had you been able to exercise your now perfect 20/20 hindsight bcz you couldn’t have known all…

  • Faith

    Regard Not Your Stuff

    And so, I encourage you to rest in the Lord... fret not over what God’s doing in your life or where He’ll call you to go or what He’ll call you to do. Regard not your stuff. No matter how things seem to you to be today: God cares for you, the Holy Spirit is ever making intercession for you. The LORD Jesus has taken care of everything that concerns you. God says He will be found by you when you call upon His name.

  • Faith - ThisBeautifulLife

    The Power of Music

    Music. It tells a story, makes us smile, makes us cry, warms our hearts, consoles our hurts, tells our stories. That’s the power of music. This morning one of my daughters sent a text, a picture of her home’s front flowerbed: hyacinths and dozens of tulips just beginning to bloom. How sweet of the Lord to give her that gift — this is the first Springtime in her new home and so the various plantings done by the previous owner are just coming into view.  This is just an example of so many things the Lord has done for her.…

  • Faith

    Welcome Home

    Welcome Home. Some of the sweetest words we all long to hear, long to read, long to know: Welcome Home. Some of you have been reading pages of my journal for many years — some, perhaps, for the first time today.  I’m glad you’re here — I’m glad you’ve been here.  I’m a sporadic blogger but a daily reader and writer, and, this being the case, it’s probably disconcerting to readers to wonder when/if another entry will be written — I know it is to me. ~smile~ This past season’s been strangely tough for me – tough to figure out,…