In James 5:13 the writer asks, “Is any of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick?” Pray, pray, pray! It’s believed that the author of the book of James is actually Jesus’ brother. He did not become a believer until after the resurrection of Jesus; but once he did, he must have been a ball of fire! He earned the nickname “Camel-Knees” because he spent so much time on his knees in prayer. So after learning this new nugget, I thought about my own prayer-life. I can’t say that I spend so much time on my knees that they have ... Read the Post
Ch-Ch-Changes
My sweet daughter revealed several changes about herself today. She unveiled her new teeth, which I found not by sight but by touch; and unlike her overall gentle nature, these new teeth are sharp. My son has been in a phase of shyness the past few weeks; and while I'd hoped this would clear up before he started school, it did not. I'm not sure why it has started, and I'm striving to let it go. I was a bit saddened when I saw his craft today. He told me he had made a shy face because he was shy today. While his teachers said he was good, I'm interested to see how they react when he reaches ... Read the Post
Cast Your Nets
Looking at the bay through the large plate glass windows of my office, I watch as the shrimpers toss their nets into the water. One old shrimp boat moves forward steadily as its nets fill with the catch of the day. Eventually, the shrimpers pull in their nets, harvest their shrimp, and then move further into the bay, continuing the process several times throughout the morning. Watching the shrimpers, I am reminded of story in Matthew chapter four. Walking along the beach of Lake Galilee, Jesus encounters Simon (Peter) and Andrew, and later, James and John. He tells them to follow Him and ... Read the Post
A Child of God
During my entire childhood, I longed to look like, act like, and be an adult. Finally, my chronological age supports that I am. I have a husband, two children, a wonderful career....I guess I have finally arrived. Now, I can work on having an adult relationship with God, Right? However, in one day, I found out that being an adult in the kingdom of God was not all that desirable. I had the pleasure of joining a group of godly women for a Christian conference. The women surrounding me were all women I respect in their personal and spiritual lives. From my vantage point all these women were so ... Read the Post
The Christmas Rose
I love Christmas time and all the preparation that is involved to get my house ready. One of my favorite things to do is unpack my ornaments and place them perfectly on the tree. The ornament that is the most precious to me is a beautiful and fragile red rose. This rose symbolizes a miracle to our family. A couple of years ago, I received the scariest news I could have imagined. My baby nephew, Shane, had suddenly become very ill. My sister and brother-in-law took him to Texas City Children’s Hospital thinking he had a cold or the flu. Several tests were run that resulted in devastating ... Read the Post
Clark’s Prayer
When our mother died, my five brothers and I started an ongoing dialogue reflecting on the loss of our last surviving parent. While the rest of us stumbled along in our attempts to comfort each other amidst our own grief, my brother Clark would simply say, “Let’s pray.” I recall one prayer he led with me that went like this: “Dear God. Help Pat in Heaven. Amen.” You have to know my brother to understand the significance of this simple prayer. Clark took care of my mother as she deteriorated over time from her diabetes. He lived with her until she was placed in a nursing home after her ... Read the Post