Tag: jesus
How To Respond When Thankfulness Doesn’t Come Easy
It’s Thanksgiving week and turkey with all the fixings await me. As I ponder all I have to be thankful for, my thoughts are juxtaposed against all my worries and challenges. I find myself weighing one against the other. In reality, the challenges I face are small in comparison to…
Stepping Out Within the Storm
Self-preservation is a strong instinct. When waves lap over the bow and wind batters my ship, human nature urges me to hunker below deck. Stepping out within the storm wouldn’t even cross my mind. But this is exactly what the apostle Peter did. Were Peter’s actions simply a moment of…
Beauty Found Within the Ashes
Life is so full of confusing contrasts. Isn’t it odd how often unexpected beauty is found within the ashes? Its boldness brightens our day and pushes away worries that threaten to weigh us down. Out of the darkness, beauty offers hope within a world blanketed in sorrow. During my recent…
I Think I Can: A Mindset of Confidence
When my children were young, one of my favorite stories to read to them was The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper. Now that my grandchildren are old enough to listen to books, I find joy in this classic tale once again. The best line in the story comes…
Living Hope: Faith in Action
Do you sometimes leave worship services with more questions than when you entered? I know I do. Since this past Sunday, I’ve wrestled with Pastor Doug’s sermon. His message spoke of living hope which is not a new term for me. According to the Bible, Jesus is our living hope.…
Embracing Hope Despite the Soul Pains of Life
Here you are again blindsided by pain. Just when you thought the rollercoaster of life was on level ground, your world has been turned upside down by grief once more. I’m not writing about physical pain but soul pain–the kind that squeezes your heart and steals your breath. There are…
Gleaning Wisdom from Nature: Be Like the Bees
If you pay attention to the natural world, it will teach you many helpful lessons. It always amazes me how my bees offer me bits of wisdom applicable to my own life. When I observe their daily habits and compare them to my own, I’m convicted and a little envious.…
Celebrating This Exceptionally Unwelcome Birthday
In July, I turn 65 and for the past 3 months, insurance companies have hounded me to sign up for Medicare. From emails to phone calls and even Facebook ads, they implore me to choose their supplement or Advantage plan. The stubborn part of me, continues to procrastinate. Why do…
Tell Your Story . . . Then Let the Holy Spirit Do the Rest.
Are you ready to tell your story? I asked myself on our way to church. Trepidation filled my heart. It was Pentecost and we had a guest minister in the pulpit. Since we live just north of Asheville NC, my husband and I had time to attend Sunday services before…
Trust Jesus With Your ‘What Ifs’
If I’m totally honest, I admit I worry too much. With the daily disasters reported in the news, it’s easy to get caught up in the ‘What If’ game. This is especially true when it comes to my grandchildren. What if they become ill, what if they’re in an accident,…
Sow Generously and Wisely for a Spirit Filled Life
The days grow longer and signs of spring abound. It’s time to plant the garden. Depending on where you live, you may already have seeds in the ground. I do. The “cold tolerant” vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, and beets, do well early in the season. Whereas the tender tomato…
Hidden Treasures in Small Packages
Raising honeybees is a labor of love. Or, let me restate this another, more honest way. Attempting to raise honeybees is an exasperating task. Any beekeeper will tell you this fact. Honeybees are vulnerable to just about anything. If it’s too hot or too cold, too wet or too dry…
Comments Off on Reaching the Mountaintop: Three Ways to Overcome the Arrival Fallacy
Reaching the Mountaintop: Three Ways to Overcome the Arrival Fallacy
Do you long to live on a mountaintop? Like many other people, this was my dream. Mountaintop living consumed my thoughts as my husband and I searched for the perfect home. In my mind, this goal made absolute sense. If I left behind the busyness and booming growth of my…
When Something Good Feels Hard
For every ending, there is a new beginning. For each step forward, we must move from where we stand. This letting go is a necessary but difficult part of living. When something good feels hard, there is a sort of grief that takes place. We mourn for what’s been, before…
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Seeking Out My Solitary Place
Our boots crunch in the new fallen snow blanketing the path as we wind our way through the forest. From a nearby bush, a cardinal startles at our presence. With a flash of red and the flurry of wings, he is gone. My husband and I walk in companionable silence…
