“Her children arise and call her blessed…” (Proverbs 31:28)
Mother’s Day is always a good time to acknowledge the women who have influenced me the most. Throughout my life, I’ve had many examples of what a strong Christian woman looks like. My family tree is filled with women who have helped me learn more about Jesus and grow stronger in my faith, and I also have a lot of friends who have been good examples. Continue reading “A Strong Influence”
He [Jesus] replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. (Matthew 8:26)
Hey, readers! It’s been a while since I’ve written a blog post (or anything else), and if you’ve moved on, I understand. But if you’re still here, or if you’ve just stumbled across this post, please know how happy I am to have you.
Around this time last year, I realized that the freelance writing and editing business I’d worked so hard to build was in trouble. I wasn’t bringing in new clients, and my long-term, reliable clients didn’t have much work for me. After eight years of hustling to find work, and almost three years of steady work, I was burned out. As much as I hated to, I knew that I needed to find an alternative source of income not related to writing and editing. Continue reading “When Faith Falters”
“I will extend peace to her like a river . . .” (Isa. 66:12)
God can speak to us anywhere, through anything. Often, he uses nature. After all, nature is his creation, and his fingerprints are all over it. Over the years, I’ve found peace by taking walks, enjoying the fresh air, and studying the things that God has made. But I’ve found the most peace—the place where God speaks to me the most clearly—near water. Continue reading “Peace like a River”
This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. (Is. 48:17)
When I was growing up, my family went on a road trip almost every summer. My dad, a teacher, had summers off, and since his mom lived in Nevada, we would take off and explore various points of the West on our way to visit her. Continue reading “The Map for Our Lives”
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God . . . (Rom. 1:1)
On a recent trip to Michigan to visit my brother, my family and I wanted to find one of the excellent roadside produce stands the area is known for. We had almost given up on finding one when a trip to a nearby state park took us by an Amish farm with a roadside stand. The stand was set so far back from the road that we weren’t sure it really was one, so after exploring the state park, we decided to see if we could find it again.
We did, and what a fun experience it was. Items were placed on shelves and tables and inside a cooler that wasn’t turned on (no electricity!), with price tags attached or on signs in front of the items. A bucket to collect payment sat on one of the tables. No one manned the stand—it was completely on the honor system. The stand was just a few feet from the house, and while we shopped, we could hear the women inside chattering away in a language we couldn’t understand, most likely preparing supper based on the time of day. Continue reading “Set Apart”