The Lies We Believe

God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. (Ps. 46:5)

I attended WriterCon, an annual writing conference, over Labor Day weekend. The speakers and sessions this year provided a wealth of information. Several stuck out to me—too many to list here, really. But the one on my mind today is the last session I attended on Sunday. Laurel Thomas taught about how writers can find their story’s theme by examining the lie their main character believes.

This doesn’t just apply to writing fictional characters. We are the characters in our own story, and we all believe lies Satan has told us. Some common lies we believe are that we are not good enough, we are not worthy, no one loves us, we have to be perfect, and we did too much bad stuff in our pasts for God to use us. Continue reading “The Lies We Believe”

Tending to Our Relationship with God

“Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.” (1 Chron. 16:11)

A few months ago, I planted a variety of flowers in containers and some vegetables in raised beds. I made sure to plant each flower and veggie in partial sun. When I’ve planted in direct sunlight in the past, even those varieties that say they can be planted in full sun wither and die in the brutal Oklahoma heat.

After an unseasonably cool and wet spring, my plants took off, with the flowers nearly bursting out of their containers. The unseasonably cool temperatures continued into the summer, and even though we’ve had plenty of hot and humid days, the cooler temperatures combined with lots of rain and shade have led to my garden flourishing in a way I haven’t seen in years. Continue reading “Tending to Our Relationship with God”

Enjoying the Journey

“Then they said to him, ‘Please inquire of God to learn whether our journey will be successful.’  The priest answered them, ‘Go in peace. Your journey has the LORD’s approval.’” (Judges 18:5–6)

Some of my best childhood memories were made on the summer road trips my family took to Nevada to visit my dad’s family. My parents went out of their way to take us to see the wonders of the West: the Grand Canyon, the Hoover Dam, Yellowstone National Park, the Redwood Forest, and many others. Of course, a trip through California wouldn’t be complete without a stop at Disneyland, Universal Studios, and Knott’s Berry Farm. One particular memory of a Cabbage Patch Kids store in Los Angeles still stands out. Continue reading “Enjoying the Journey”

Honoring Our Elders

“In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’” (1 Pt. 5:5)

I’ve always had a soft spot for older people. Maybe that’s because both my mom and my dad were the youngest of a handful of children, and all my grandparents were older by the time I was born. I spent countless hours with my grandparents during my childhood. In addition, my mom started working at the local senior center when I was just sixteen, and she still works there today. Continue reading “Honoring Our Elders”

Investing in the Future

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Mt. 6:19–20)

When I was in high school, one of my teachers encouraged all of us students to go to college and earn a degree in case we married and experienced one of the three Ds: death, divorce, or disability. She strongly advocated that we all—boys and girls alike—needed to be able to support ourselves should the worst happen.

Her prompting isn’t why I went to college, but it did confirm what I already knew—investing in myself and my future was a smart thing to do, and I’ve never forgotten that lesson. Continue reading “Investing in the Future”