I have a favorite verse today.Tomorrow ’twill be another.So rich the Word of God does layUpon my heart the answer. For whatever is my urgent need,This daily bread He transmits.If anxiety plagues, I concede,Philippians 4 only peace permits. When sleep eludes in dark of nightPsalm 23 brings the Shepherd’s hope.Rest then comes ’til dawns new…
Tag: Hope
The Blessing of Beauty
As I sit at my computer building an online jigsaw puzzle and glance out the window at the front yard a sense of peace and contentment settles in my soul. I say a quick prayer of thanks to God for the beauty, both man-made and natural, in this world. When I’m struggling with stress and…
The Beauty of Darkness
I don’t know about you, but I am on the lookout for beauty these days. It feels like so many things are ugly, marred, broken, and difficult. I long for the perceived “easy” days of childhood, when my parents navigated the waters of adulthood and brought magic and beauty into our days with a simple…
Dear 2021,
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. Proverbs 16:9 NIV Dear Twenty Twenty-One, Your predecessor has left us lost and dazedCautious and timid with our goalsOnly by the Spirit is our faith unfazedWe’re hopeful our love will touch many souls Our expectations for you are quite lowGiven the year we’ve just…
An Expectant Heart
Recently, on the drive to school, my boys were snuggled into their seats with blankets and heavy coats. Overnight the fall air had descended and turned the warmer temperatures into promises of apple cider and pumpkins. As we drive the curves to our little school in the middle of cornfields, we have a routine. …
Which Tale Should I Tell?
They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Revelation 12:11 (NIV) I could tell you my story as a tale of woeHighlighting trauma from ages ago I could tell you my story as…
Weariness and Renewal
Do you not know? Have you not heard? It was 1995, I was sixteen years old, and I thought I did know and I had heard. I’d grown up in the church: sang the songs, memorized the verses, assembled the Vacation Bible School crafts. So when I opened the devotional booklet during the “quiet time”…
When Hope Feels Unsteady
The world around us is shifting sand. I suppose it always has been, but the past four months have revealed its instability in profound ways. Medical advice and predictions regarding COVID-19 change daily. Businesses have closed, never to re-open, while others struggle to adjust their models to new and ever-changing standards. Neighborhoods near my home…
Clouds of Hope
As a child, I lived in a small coastal town where the summer days took on rhythms. Typically, the summer days would start out gray, cold, and with fog enveloping the small town in its soft, airy fleece. By 10 am the blue skies broke through the clouds and gave way to sunny days and…
I Stand Corrected
I have been reprimanded several times lately, by different individuals. Even though not all were harshly delivered, they took me by surprise and bit into my fragile ego. I instantly felt like an eight year old, caught with my hand in the cookie jar. I’m a grandma for goodness sake! Shouldn’t I be past the…
Anchored Voices 