“Blessed is she who believes the Lord would fulfill His promises to her.” (Luke 1:45 NIV) Mind reeling from the angel’s proclamation, Mary quickly packed her things. Her future would not be what she had planned at all. Her imagination could not even fathom this new world. She needed to share this with someone, someone…
Category: Challenges
There Must Be More…
Sinking onto the cement, fifteen-year-old Collette let her gaze fix on the painted autumn mountains. Every time life seemed too much, she retreated to her hidden perch on the patio behind the house. No deer currently grazed in the fields before the mountains, but if she stayed just a little longer she expected to sight…
Three Things Surviving Taught Me
Last week marked my 10 year anniversary as a cancer survivor. At diagnosis I was not expected to live two years, let alone ten! God is still in the business of miracles. Not only am I here, but there is no cancer in my body. What have I learned since surviving cancer diagnosis and treatment…
A Reason for Hope
Life doesn’t always make sense. We don’t always realize how everything works. We don’t always understand why people act and react as they do. We can’t always even comprehend ourselves. Our emotions often change like the wind. But there is one sure thing in this uncertain world: God’s great love for us. No matter what,…
Mindset Matters
One beautiful Saturday I was faced with a choice: think positively. find the best in the situation, and encourage my family to do the same or lead them all down the dark, grumpy road I often traveled. After a morning of work I envisioned an afternoon curled up on the couch with a new read….
Not Completely Out
Remember your last really bad day? A day where you came home feeling like you’d lost everything? King David, a man after God’s own heart, had them too. In 1 Samuel 30:1-6 we see David’s story beginning with a great day. He is returning victoriously, leading his celebrating troops home to their families. Imagine the…
God Grieves With Us
When tragedy strikes, it is sometimes hard to see God. We wonder where He was when the terrible times transpired. He knew. He cried with us. We are assured in the Psalms that He holds every tear we cry in His hand. He is not only catching and collecting our tears, He is catching and…
Coming Clean
“Cleanse me with hyssop and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7 NIV “What does it mean to repent?” I asked the sweet ten-year-old girl before me. She glanced thoughtfully toward the ceiling, and after a moment’s consideration answered both thoroughly and succinctly, “Coming clean.” Wow. How…
Lost Love
Do you get nervous meeting new people? What will he think? What if I inadvertently offend her? First impressions matter, we’re told. Some claim employers have a good idea just 7 seconds into an interview if a candidate is a good fit. In our feeble attempt to get the job, keep the job, give a…
He’s Leading in the Wilderness
When was the last time you did everything right, but ended up lost? I recently traveled into a city I don’t know well. Major road construction detoured me from the prescribed route and my GPS couldn’t find me. I ended up in a residential neighborhood pulling up my maps app. I was more than a…









