enLIVEn Devotionals

Abiding in Jesus - Overflowing His Spirit

My Best Friend

I’ve realized that when God is your best friend, you can’t help but talk about Him. I remember when I struggled with talking about God and all the things He was showing me. I was uncomfortable, and I worried about what people would think. I had to push through my fears and literally force myself to pray in front of my kids, talk about the Bible to a friend or mention my faith to a stranger. Apparently, something happened through the years. I went to a book club meeting the other night. The women had read my book, Eve of Awakening, and invited me to answer questions and discuss my writing ... Read the Post

Full Potential

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6 KJB). This scripture kept coming to mind when I had the opportunity to assist in coaching my son’s coach-pitch baseball team. There was a young boy named *Dallas who struggled early on in the season hitting the baseball. His fears of getting struck by the ball were enough to have him stepping out of the batter’s box with every pitch. I had to change my approach with him and coach to where he would be, not to where he was playing at the time. It was difficult and frustrating at first, ... Read the Post

Sunsets and Light Switches

Perhaps one of my most favorite sights to behold is a sunset. As the sky transforms into an ombre of oranges and pinks, the beauty is breathtaking. Slowly the sun disappears into the horizon while the clouds begin absorbing the melting beauty, illuminating the sky for just a bit longer. As time passes, night falls and my eyes begin to adjust to the darkness. Some of my favorite beach-y things like birds, boats, and shells, that were once in clear view, now blend into the darkening sky and I find myself blinking frequently to find them again. Now focused on the sound, not the sight, of the ... Read the Post

Unwanted Echoes

I pulled into our neighborhood pool, parked, and glanced up. A few clouds dotted the evening sky, harmless remnants from an afternoon thunderstorm that had blown through Tampa Bay. The rumbling, lightning-forked thunderheads were now long gone. With two rambunctious boys in the backseat, I hoped we would be able to swim. I tried not to think of last summer and the few times we came to swim, only to have the pool attendant shake his head and point to the sky. Thunder. Lightning. Pool’s closed this evening. As a former lifeguard and swimmer, concerned mom, and weather nerd, I’m fairly ... Read the Post

Size 13 Footprint

I received a Father’s Day gift this year from my son, created with “encouragement” from my wife. I have received many Father’s Day gifts over the years and I am sure many fathers have received a gift similar to the one I am writing about today. However, I suspect few have received one in the same size as the one I received. You see, my son is 18 and has a size 13 foot. This gift marks a milestone for us. This is our youngest child who is now away in college leaving us at home without children in the house for the first time in 27 years. We are quasi-empty-nesters. I say quasi because we ... Read the Post