"But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart." Luke 2:19...marveling in wonder with the shepherds. 12 Years Later... "And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart." Luke 2:51 I handed my joy away yesterday. It was effectively stolen really. And it took a good night's sleep and fresh mercies of a new day from the LORD to reclaim it. Then today, I received a gift of JOY in a message from one of my very first friends. A year ago, I had given her a gift. So she told me that today ... Read the Post
Happy in Holiness
God wants me happy, right? I said to myself. Everyone at church is happy. They think I’m happy. So why don't I feel happy? As a new Believer in Jesus, I went from experience to experience seeking fulfillment. I went to Bible studies, women's conferences, and coffee houses. I even worked at a Christian radio station. My heart did not match the smile on my face. How could I stay happy when deep down I was crushed, miserable, and needed answers? After three years of pretending—I wore the happy mask well—I learned that I could not achieve continued happiness, even if those at ... Read the Post
Joeboy
One day in my early teens, a group of the neighborhood boys went out to the school to play basketball. I had no idea that this particular game would be reflective in my life for the next six decades. The two best basketball players in our community lined up to choose teams. I went there hoping to be selected by one of the team captains. I was a tall, gangly young boy who, because of my upbringing, had not been allowed to play basketball with the neighborhood kids. My father was very strict and did not want us doing anything that would take us away from our relationship with the Lord Jesus ... Read the Post
The Gift of Grandparenting
“Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers” (Proverbs 17:6 ESV). Children who benefit from our unconditional love are knit in the core of our hearts and souls. We may have difficulty expressing the emotions in words, but our actions show the extraordinary link. One reason God established the family is to teach us love, sacrifice, and the strength of relationships—done His way. And those grands don’t have to be blood-related to receive our affection. With open arms, and often free from the parenting tasks of discipline and meeting basic ... Read the Post
When You Can’t See
The torrential rain poured down mercilessly that Saturday night, as I drove my husband Chris and myself home from a whirlwind day-trip for our friends' wedding in Dallas. The country roads were not giving me much help to see--no white or yellow lines to follow. And my Chris was fast asleep! I remember looking at him and thinking, "Wake up and help me." But he still slept. My eyes could not make out the road before me, only buckets full of blinding rain on the windshield. The wipers gave no rescue either. I could not see, and there was no shoulder to pull off and wait it out. What ... Read the Post