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. continue reading
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Category: More Slices of Life Your Sphere of Influence
Your sphere of influence is broader than your sphere of acquaintance… have you ever stopped to think about that? Maybe you have never given much personal thought to the influence of your own life; maybe you think your mundane life, your seemingly menial work, doesn’t have much impact around you. But your daily walk, the investments you make in your home, family, prayer, work, church, etc., etc., are likely having a much greater impact than you can possibly imagine. We never know who is watching us—who will be affected by our actions—who will be influenced by our decisions, our faith, continue reading
View Article...Category: More Slices of Life Jumping Off The High Dive
Now, many decades ago, I climbed the steep steps up to the high dive at our local community pool in Southern California where I was raised. I’d been swimming most all my life (it was a given that most all the homes had a swimming pool) and from a young age I was able to dive and do back flips, etc., off the diving board. I wasn’t afraid of the water or the depth of pools. But the high dive was daunting. So high. I don’t recall how long it took me to muster the courage to mount those steps continue reading
View Article...Category: More Slices of Life Drawing a blank
Those shots are blanks. They roar at us or past us, but they’re blanks. God’s mercies are new every morning and His faithfulness is above the heavens. I may feel wounded by the shots of those blanks, but I mustn’t think they’ll destroy me — I must take those thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ.
View Article...Category: More Slices of Life the suicide option
Through our lives we have experiences that are etched on our hearts and minds — experiences that shape our thinking, shape our reactions, shape our responses, shape our decisions — maybe even shape our initial theology or lack thereof. If these etchings were recorded on 3×5 cards, in time we’d have quite a card file full, wouldn’t we? Events and experiences, lessons and influences all recorded on cards make up our individual card catalogs. It’s interesting to me, every now and then, to come across a card I realize has had a profound impact on my life and thinking. One continue reading
View Article...Category: More Slices of Life Seasons End In Various Stages Of Bloom
I’ve been mulling over the thought of seasons ending in various stages of bloom. It was below freezing through the night and this morning and as I look out the windows of my warm home, I see all around, summer is falling to the ground. The trees are losing their leaves, many fewer on the trees today than yesterday… more all over the lawn and field. The roses, hydrangeas and other flowering plants are losing their beauty, ending in various stages of bloom. The wood burns hot in my woodstove… wood cut from huge trees that still had more life continue reading
View Article...Category: More Slices of Life Thousands of Pictures to Sort
I’m in the midst of an overwhelming project: I have thousands of pictures to sort. Earlier today I was standing next to a table lined with boxes into which I’m distributing the thousands of pictures. It never seemed like we took a lot of pictures. At the time. What I remember of the early days was buying film and flash bulbs, taking pictures during special events and occasional pictures of our children’s milestones or accomplishments. And those quick get the camera adorable poses. We’d get to the end of a roll of film and put the roll (along with the other continue reading
View Article...Category: More Slices of Life Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotionals: potentially instructive, potentially destructive. Isn’t it interesting what the Lord uses in our lives to speak to us? He speaks through His Word, He ministers to us through teaching, poetry, testimonies, music, His creation; He works in us through joys and sorrows, hardships, grief, loss, trials, and countless other ways. He blesses us with all of these things — though we often miss seeing His signature it at the time. He blesses us with all these things — if we’ll receive them with that recognition. Do you have or read a daily devotional? I’ve had mixed opinions about continue reading
View Article...Category: More Slices of Life …feelings in the spin cycle
Do you ever feel like your feelings or your emotions are in a spin cycle — as if life’s experiences or circumstances are spinning out all your feelings or emotions? Sometimes my washer spins so long I wonder how in the world there’s any moisture at all left in the clothing or the towels or whatever. That’s how some days feel to me emotionally. Sometimes. Emotions completely spun out. I remember feeling like that when I had babies and children to care for each day — only it wasn’t emotions, necessarily, it was energy — that, or collapsing into bed continue reading
View Article...Category: More Slices of Life Dark Days
In the wake of the breaking news stories in the last couple of days, it’s hard to fathom the depths of evil consuming our nation. The enormity of this may well be underestimated, and the trail of money on a spiraling street paved with innocent blood may well be staggeringly more than can possibly be imagined. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10.31 Surely judgement has come on America when a nation will slaughter its own babies for great profit under the guise of research. When immorality is lauded and God’s continue reading
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