My Favorite Name

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14 (NIV) Immanuel is Your holy name.I marvel at the way You came.God with us in helpless infant form,Only a mother’s love to keep You warm. Expectations of Your coming were high:A King to conquer,…

Daughter

God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. Ephesians 1:5 NLT I am a sister of King Jesus,Daughter of our great loving God.I wasn’t born into this perfect family.In fact, I…

Taboo Truth

One day Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, went to visit some of the young women who lived in the area.  But when the local prince, Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, saw Dinah, he seized her and raped her. Genesis 34:1-2 NLT. She said I couldn’t write about the trauma I went throughIn the…

Choosing Forgiveness

But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too. Mark 11:25 NLT Hard and fast I held a grudgeBuried long and deep Other’s actions I would judgeAll my rights to keep Each wrong plainly recordedBuilt a mighty wall Behind…

I Wish I Knew

I wish I knew it was okay: That I didn’t excel at sports. That I didn’t have a boyfriend. That I wasn’t a part of the “in” crowd. I wish I didn’t believe the lies I told myself: If only I was thinner. If only I was prettier. If only just one of the popular guys asked…

When I Was Young

 Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11 NIV. When I was young I wish I’d knownThat I was loved for myself alone That mother’s frown was not disdainBut stemmed instead from her own…

God Brings the Rain

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:5 NIV When rain falls like tearsDrenching parched landscapesI know God sees my heart When flowers burst like hopeBrightening winter’s decayI know God is faithful When clouds hide the…

Not One Favorite

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…

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…

Christmas 2020

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8 NIV. Christmas is different this year,like so many other things of 2020.My living room should be half-decoratedtwo days after Thanksgiving, butnot a single nativity has escaped the shed.Packing boxes crowd the house instead. Though Jesus in our hearts resides. Christmas eve will be…