Have you ever caught yourself repeating the words of your mother? I recently told my six year old daughter, “Sticks and stones will break your bones, but words will never hurt you.” This is a quote my mother often sang to her very sensitive daughter, who happens to be me. I know she meant well in sharing this, but I can’t understand why I would repeat such absurdity to my own daughter knowing it isn’t true. Words do hurt. They can literally change a person’s attitude for better or worse. There are several negative things I can remember hearing throughout my life which have had a profound ... Read the Post
Archives for March 2013
Pure Joy
Pure joy during trials always seemed like an oxymoron to me. I could understand having joy after the trial was over and everything turned out okay, but joy during a trial seemed unimaginable. However, there was a season of trials in my life through which God finally taught me how to find pure joy when surrounded by despair. During this time of trial, I experienced one of the worst days of my life. It was the darkest day of this season of suffering. On that particular day a miracle happened: it snowed in November! This may not seem like a miracle to most people, but snow in the part of Texas ... Read the Post
Praying for Her
I sat in the pew with my eyes closed and head bowed while the pastor was praying one Sunday morning. As I meditated on God, He revealed a face in my mind of an old friend I hadn’t seen in years. He laid it upon my heart to pray for her. I prayed for her then, but for the next several weeks, God continually impressed on me to offer my old friend up in prayer. I prayed for her daily, though I didn’t understand what I was specifically praying for. I had lost contact with her, so I had no way of reaching her. Finally, while driving in the car, God again urged me to pray for my friend. I did, ... Read the Post
Rags to Robes
As Christians, we can choose to take a step of obedience or stay resolutely in our self-will. If we choose to be obedient, we find ourselves in a situation that is outside of our comfort zone. Insecurities and doubts begin to plague our minds. We may feel confused, lost, scared, anxious, unworthy, inept, uncomfortable and a dozen of other negative emotions. We may become frustrated because our step of obedience has stripped us of our carefully constructed image based on our own accomplishments. God strips us of our worldly rags only to offer us royal robes. But those royal robes scare us to ... Read the Post
Old Recipe Box
We were sorting through donations for a rummage sale when my friend and I spotted a small, rusty old metal box. One of the hinges on the lid was missing; probably because the little box could barely contain its contents. Worn corners of aged index cards and newspaper clippings peeked out, beckoning my attention. I sensed the box held something very precious. The moment I lifted the lid I knew that it was someone’s old recipe box – a history of what one family had enjoyed around the dinner table. There were handwritten recipes and other recipes clipped from newspapers and magazines. Recipes ... Read the Post