Balance
The Great Hope Maker
Two weeks ago, I posted about enduring hope. At the end of the article, I included this verse as part of a prayer. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans…
Hope That Endures
How do we keep hoping when everything we see tells us there is no hope? The very definition of faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (Hebrew 11:1). But how do we apply that to situations that leave us hope-less? So often I see the…
Time Savers for Fall
“Make the most of every opportunity.” Col 4:5 With fall schedules heating up, carving out time to write is even more of a challenge. I remember many days (even with my kids at school) that seemed to slip by with very accomplished at home — much less at the keyboard. I often thought, “Am I…
To Know and Be Known
As I wrote down my prayer, the ache in my heart formed into these five words, “to know and be known.” Baffled by its meaning, yet fearful of the ramifications, I realized in that moment this was my dream. To know and be known. Several days later as I read one of my devotional booklets,…
But What About ME?
The box in the barn had a few mouse nibbles in the corners, but the contents were surprisingly intact. While sorting through our 25-year pile of stored and forgotten items, I found that most of the things should have been thrown out long ago. But this disintegrating container held a treasure trove. It was a…
The Revelation of God
Ever have one of those meetings God clearly ordained? Either you realize it during the meeting, or after, when the facts have sunk in enough to complete the picture. I’ve had many over the years, but never one so clearly ordained as recently. God even made sure my teen-age daughter was completely occupied, and that’s…
Making Time to Write
Make the most of every opportunity. (Colossians 4:5, NASB) I think saving time is found in the little things, making the most of every opportunity. Much of this comes from developing good habits and letting go of the bad. For example, I used to stumble down to the kitchen in the morning, turn on the…
Timing Is Everything
Last night I was checking email, reading blogs and doing my own thing. My husband Tom was in the room with me, watching TV and doing his own thing. Companionable silence, it was nice. Suddenly, out of the blue, he said, “Hey, I don’t really like the way you have your hair right now.” I…
The Journey of Prayer
You’ve prayed for weeks, days, months, and now years for your spouse’s salvation. The prayers aren’t as frequent as before. Instead, a sense of hopelessness has slowly replaced the original fervency of your petitions. You’ve asked so many times, yet God seems to either not hear you or your spouse has an unusually thick skull.…
Seven Minutes with Sizzle
Good intentions. A writer’s life is full of them. And when it comes to finding time to spend one-on-one time with God, the proverbial “road” is paved with them. Well aware of this struggle in my own life, a scenario began to form in my mind… What if Jesus was making an appearance in our…