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Take Up the Sword of the Spirit
It’s been a tough week. There is a spiritual battle raging. Until I fully recognize its presence, I fail to arm myself properly. My foes are not human but are the forces of darkness that invade the mind. Discouragement, hopelessness and complacency knock at the door of my heart. Now is the time to take…
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Follow the Yellow Brick Road
In a few short weeks, we leave for the Land of Oz. I’ve always wanted to travel to this mysterious place since reading the series of Oz books as a child. Most people remember The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, but this wasn’t L. Frank Baum’s only book. In fact, he penned a total of 14…
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Turn Down the Volume of the World
Stop just a moment to listen. What do you hear? If you’re like me, your world is full of noise. Cars honk. Cell phones ding. Musac plays in every office and elevator. Most of it we tune out as we go about our day. But our minds are full of artificial sounds. No wonder many…
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Take Me Out to the Fair
Take me out to the fair. Lead me past the carnival lights and the scent of cotton candy to the cattle barn. In this place, some of my fondest childhood memories were born. Every August for as long as I can recall, the Indiana State Fair was the place to be. My mother’s family raised…
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“I See You”: The Power of Connection
In my last blog post, I wrote about how worldview matters. Our individual beliefs about life determine what choices we make everyday. It’s these choices that effect our actions and how we live out our days. Much of the time it’s subconscious. We’re not even aware of why we make the most basic decisions. But…
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Choosing Wisely: Worldview Matters
We live in a world of unlimited options. While standing in line at our local Chick-fil-A, the number of choices is daunting. Yes, I understand that it’s all chicken. Even so, how many different ways can one fast food restaurant prepare poultry? If I find it difficult to decide on a simple meal selection, what…
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Life Doesn’t Seem Fair: Finding Hope in Tragedy
Life doesn’t seem fair. Just listen to the news for a short time to confirm the truth of this statement. Every day we see the evidence. Evil tramples good and recklessness harms the innocent. When the young become casualties, it’s particularly painful. My heart mourns with these victims of injustice and acts of violence. But…
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Childlike Wonder: The Art of Capturing Fireflies
Last evening as I was heading off to bed, I glanced through the kitchen window. Out in our yard hundreds of fire flies illuminated the night sky. As twilight turned to darkness, I watched more emerge. Their gentle flickering lights mesmerized me. I remember with childlike wonder running through the damp grass barefoot, carrying a…
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Chosen to Be Free: Blessing and Responsibility
In America, we are chosen to be free. This may sound arrogant but there is a reason we exist. Every time I write a post, I must remind myself not to take this freedom for granted. The majority of people around the world don’t have the liberty to speak or write as they wish. In…
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Mission Work: Is it Worth It?
Last night, I slept on the floor of the youth room in a church in Falkville Alabama with 10 other people. Needless to say, this was not my normal Saturday routine. My husband and I are traveling with 3 other adults and 8 youth from our church in Indiana for a week of mission work…
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I Give Myself Permission to Rest
I give myself permission to rest from this rushing race of life. From early morning, I have run around like a crazy woman. It’s time for a break. Even if for a few moments, I own the front porch swing. Here is a quiet place of respite away from the constant pull of the “to…
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Known By Name
I was the one in grade school that had the name no one knew how to pronounce. Maybe you were that person too. On the first day of school, the teacher called out all the student’s names alphabetically. When she came to my name, there was always a pause. Suzanne Van…Cycle? No ma’am, it’s Van…
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Open Hands and Open Hearts
As many of you know, I work in an inner-city community health center serving the needy in our neighborhood. My co-workers and I intentionally chose where we work because we are helpers by nature. However, even helpers find it difficult to keep helping if they’re not seeing the results of their efforts. Often we question:…
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A Time to Remember
Memorial Day is a time to remember. Today we focus our thoughts on those who gave their lives to give us our freedom. Indeed these are dear memories of selflessness and sacrifice. Many fought and never returned home. However, those that did make it back to their loved ones often carry with them memories too…
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Who Is Your Superhero?
You don’t have to look any further than the movie box office to know that the superhero theme is hot. When people stampede into theatres to get the best seats for the latest film, you know the craze is out of control. But isn’t it human nature to idolize the mysterious one with special powers…
