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
Creating a Heritage
At this moment I’m doing a one of my favorite Bible studies by Beth Moore, Believing God. This week we are studying about our heritage and what that means to those around us. The definition for heritage means something that is passed down from proceeding generations, like traditions. I don’t know about you, but there are some things in my life that I do not want to pass down to my children: my temper, my stubbornness, my teenage rebellion. Yikes! The thought of passing those down to my children scares me to death. But there is hope! I can start a new heritage for my family, and so can you. ... Read the Post
Count the Cost
Many years ago during a church service, I heard a preacher say, “That which counts the most, costs the most.” As I heard these words, my mind began to muse on what counted the most to me. Without much hesitation, salvation came to the forefront. That was the most valuable thing to me. Then in an instant later I saw the contradiction. Salvation does count the most, but what did I do to pay for it? How has salvation cost me the most? Even if I wanted to, how could I pay for it? Even If I gave all I had, it still wouldn’t be enough. I could offer myself, but that’s a measly offering. My ... Read the Post