Tag: hope

Hope of the World

Posted on by Staci Mauney

But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. (Micah 7:7)

Do you celebrate Advent? I hadn’t heard about this celebration until I was an adult. I’d heard about advent calendars and wreaths, but I believed those were only for certain denominations. Then, about 15 years ago, I attended a Baptist church where the pastor lit a candle each week for Advent and told us more about what each candle represented. It was then that I realized Advent was for everyone.

The word advent comes from the Latin adventus, which means “coming.” During Advent, we celebrate that Jesus Christ came to the earth and that his second coming is imminent. Acknowledging Advent allows us to slow down during this busy season and focus on the reason we celebrate: Jesus. Continue reading “Hope of the World” →

Charlie Bones and the Dreaded Dizzy Spells

Posted on by Staci Mauney

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. (Ps. 62:5)

It’s been a while since I provided you with an update about Charlie Bones and the effects of his head injury. Every few weeks since his concussion in March (which you can read about here), Charlie has a dizzy spell where he becomes wobbly and has trouble walking.

This week, he had a bad spell that started at ten in the morning and got progressively worse throughout the day. The vet has instructed me to give him a steroid pill when these spells start—the steroid will reduce the inflammation in his neck that’s causing his dizziness—but this time, the pill didn’t work because his neck had locked up. After a trip to the vet for an adjustment, he was finally able to keep his legs under him and move around without as much pain.

Each time this happens, I worry about my young puppy being in so much pain, just as I’m sure any parent of either furry children or human ones would feel. I want to make him better, but unfortunately, it’s out of my control. Continue reading “Charlie Bones and the Dreaded Dizzy Spells” →

New Year, New You

Posted on by Staci Mauney

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Cor. 5:17)

The new year brings with it the promise of a clean slate, with greater things yet to come. Each year as the calendar turns over, we hear refrains of “new year, new you” echoing everywhere—in ads on TV, on the radio, and on social media. Bloggers write about ways you can make changes and make a fresh start as the new year rolls around.

The problem with this is that we don’t leave our problems behind just because the date on the calendar has changed. Difficult situations that we faced on December 31 are still there on January 1. Continue reading “New Year, New You” →

Finding My Way Back to Center

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth.” (Ps. 71:5)

Several months ago, my workload increased to the point where I was working upwards of ten to twelve hours a day, seven days a week, consistently for almost four months. While I was excited that my business was doing so well, working those kinds of hours took a toll. I let a number of things slide—things like my blogs and social media posts and my next cozy mystery—things I had worked hard to build but didn’t have time to maintain. I didn’t participate in get togethers with friends because I had deadlines to meet. I stopped reaching out as much. I started reading books and Bible studies that I still haven’t finished. Continue reading “Finding My Way Back to Center” →

Where Is Our Hope?

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast” (1 Pet 5:10).

We entered 2021 with such hope for the future: hope for the pandemic to end, hope for a peaceful resolution to the election chaos of the last few months.

Although we’ve turned the calendar, our problems remain. With COVID-19 continuing to ravage our nation and the chaos in the US Capitol this week, it’s easy to focus on the turmoil around us. But one thing we should remember, no matter what’s going on around us, is that our hope is in Jesus, not this world. Continue reading “Where Is Our Hope?” →