As I watched my five year old son try to zip up his jacket, I grew impatient. I had all the kids ready to get into the car, but he was holding up our exit. We were in our third minute of waiting when I asked, “Can I please zip it for you?” He kept his focus on his jacket and replied, “No. I want to do it by myself.” He was having trouble connecting the jacket zipper on the bottom, and I was tempted to just do that for him and let him zip it the rest of the way. But before I could reach down to help him, I had a flashback of my childhood. I distinctly remembered one morning when I was ... Read the Post
Heavenly Smiles
When I am holding my baby daughter, she gives everyone heavenly smiles. She is in my arms, and she feels the freedom to spread her sweetness to each new face that she sees. Her smiles melt the hearts of the passersby, and they always comment on how beautiful and sweet natured she is. However, when my daughter leaves my arms, her sweetness completely disappears. When someone else is holding her, she frowns and cries and lets the whole world know her displeasure. She has no more heavenly smiles to share and no more sweetness to pass out. She is completely miserable and makes those around her ... Read the Post
Only the Go-Between
My friend does the coolest God-thing with her kids – she opens doors for God to show Himself to them. I’ve seen this happen several times in my experience, but I’m sure it’s a consistent pattern in my friend’s family. One morning I was shopping and I felt the urge to buy my friend’s daughter a pair of earrings. I brought the earrings to her little girl that afternoon; and after I presented them to her, my friend squatted down and told her, “You see! I told you God would bless you today!” My friend’s daughter was learning a new level of responsibility, and my friend encouraged her by telling ... Read the Post
Shout of the Healed
I saw a friend tonight stand up in front of the crowd declaring God’s love. The joy, power and comfort of God surrounded her. His light reflected from her and mingled with the fire of Christ burning within her. I know I was staring, but I couldn’t help it. She blazed with God’s goodness. “His Goodness,” I thought! She was diagnosed with breast cancer only days ago, and she BLAZED with God’s goodness! This woman who has every right to claim fear, mistrust and hurt has never looked so loved, so protected and so comforted. “I will get to know my God as the Great Healer!” she exclaimed. When ... Read the Post
Romanticized Obedience
Lately, God has been prompting me to do many things that I do not understand. As I take each step of obedience, I can’t help but analyze and romanticize the results. I imagine this awesome outcome that shines the glory of God and affects many lives. I anticipate the gates of heaven opening up and flooding the fruits of my efforts with miraculous and jaw-dropping wonders. However, the endings that I dream up usually fizzle away, and I’m left with conclusions that wouldn’t make it into book, let alone a best-sellers’ list. After one such disappointing end to a much built up step of obedience, ... Read the Post