Posts Tagged ‘God’
Grateful, thankful, blessed: finding joy in the midst of pain
You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. ~ Psalm 16:11 This week, many of us are preparing for celebrations with family and friends, while others are feeling less than festive. Perhaps you fall into the latter category and…
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On the front lines or behind the scenes: your presence is your purpose
Over the years, I’ve been guilty of whiling away my time trying to figure out my “life’s purpose.” When my husband, Bob was hit by a drunk driver almost two decades earlier, I used to assume there must be some grand plan for his survival—a cause bigger than ourselves. Fast-forward to present day. After my…
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When you can’t see where you’re going: inching ahead
How often do we desire to make a change or move forward with a decision, but the specifics are unclear? I remember a cross-country trip through Texas decades ago when my husband and I hit a patch of thick and soupy fog, the visibility nil. My fingers clenched around the moving van’s steering wheel—our Ford…
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Thanksgiving series three of three: Give thanks in all circumstances
Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Welcome to the third and final installment of my Thanksgiving series! You can catch up on the previous posts here. With Thanksgiving in the recent past, it’s the…
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Thanksgiving series two of three: Never stop praying
Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Welcome to the second of three Thanksgiving posts! Click here if you missed week one. Today, I’m talking about how to never stop praying. When I read this…
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Thanksgiving series one of three: Always be joyful
Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Welcome to the first of three Thanksgiving posts! Each installment will highlight one aspect of the key verse. Today, I’m talking about how to always be joyful. For…
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God ‘winks:’ tiny reminders that we matter
One recent morning, I prepared a travel mug with hot coffee for an hour-long drive into town. But when I reached for the natural sweetener I use, I discovered my supply was depleted. On a whim, I peeked inside my purse and found a stash of my favorite sweetener packets. During another morning, I stepped…
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Choosing better over bitter: the tests within the testimonies
On Aug. 19, 2004, my family’s life was forever changed. Nineteen years ago, a drunk driver slammed into my husband, Bob’s vehicle. Yet despite his chronic pain—and the deficits caused by a traumatic brain injury and broken bones—Bob’s story doesn’t end there. It lives on each year I climb atop my soapbox. It lives on…
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Showing up late to the party: when you feel unseen
As a late-blooming writer (aka mid-life), I often compare myself to prolific authors with five, 10, 20+ books in their backlist, while I eagerly await the release of my Harlequin Love Inspired debut novel (releases April 2024). I have to remind myself to acknowledge the small beginnings; e.g., my stories in Woman’s World, Chicken Soup…
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The truth of the matter: feelings or fact
Not too long ago, I noticed a recurring theme in my speech. While I’m not suggesting the following phrases aren’t valid, they gave me pause: “I don’t feel like it,” and “I’m not in the mood.” But here’s the problem: both are based on emotion vs. truth. And the truth is: our hearts are wishy…
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