The story is old but ever new by the vibrant colors of it: blood red with courage, true blue with faithfulness, and white hot with passion. It begins in Nazareth where the believers were considered sub-par, a bit too influenced by the many caravans who passed there. Those of Jerusalem’s…
God created a wonderful world for us, but sometimes during our fast-paced, overworked lives, we struggle to look beyond the frustration and exhaustion of daily living. During this time of year, we add scurrying about, trying to get ready for the holidays. We must not overlook the true meaning behind…
A valuable lesson I have learned—and continue to learn—is to trust God. When my life goes in an unplanned direction, my first instinct is to fix it by myself. How can I make things better? What did I do to get into this situation? How do I change it? While…
She was a desperate woman—a widow and a mother—hopelessly in debt. (Read her story in 2 Kings 4:1-7.) The Enemy had subtracted almost everything of value from her life. He had “minused” away her husband, her resources, and her ability to sustain herself until all that she, and her two sons,…
The Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia welcomed me to a ladies’ retreat where I had been the main speaker the year before. The pastor’s wife was a dear friend, and the ladies of her church were quite precious to me as well. Only this year, I was not their special…
“To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:79). We were laughing as we left church that Sunday afternoon—playing with our toddler cousin, vying for the attention of the small child, making lunch…
There is a point on the Seward (Alaska) Highway, at about Milepost 37, called “The Wye.” It’s the fork in the road where, when driving south from Anchorage, you decide whether you’re going to Seward (end of the road) or Sterling and points beyond. You cannot get to either of…
It was bound to happen. When the last baby turned five, she would start kindergarten, and I would need to decide to stay home or return to the workforce. It isn’t an easy decision. I haven’t worked since I was thirty-seven weeks pregnant with our twins, almost nine years ago.…
How can a loving God allow painful experiences in the lives of those who serve Him? Why do faithful servants in the Kingdom walk through dark times? Where is God’s mighty hand of deliverance when His children are faced with deep heartache and tragedy? While we may never fully understand…