Blog Posts

Ever notice wait is a four-letter word? Like some other four-letter words we generally don’t like to hear it. Most of the waiting we do is no big deal; an annoyance: waiting in the grocery line (even the self-check lines usually require some waiting); waiting for the school bus (you’re required to be there ten…

How do we respond when the Lord’s answer is “No”? When we struggle with relationships, problems, finances, illness, or see a loved one slowly slipping into the deepening shadow of Alzheimer’s? My sister suffers from schizophrenia. Diagnosed decades ago, I long prayed for healing only to watch her symptoms worsen. There are so many stories…

Last year we received three surprises: both our daughters were pregnant, they were due in the same month, and both babies were diagnosed with serious health issues. Wow. I have anxious moments during pregnancies, struggling with “what if” fears. But when tests reveal something is wrong the hovering “what if” becomes an identifiable, sharp-toothed monster.…

Abby is a faithful prayer warrior. Every day Abby spends hours in prayer. We met almost thirty years ago when she facilitated a women’s prayer group, a fellowship that gathered  and prayed for many years. Over fifteen years ago Abby became a widow, losing her husband to a sudden, fatal heart attack. We talked one…

Unanswered prayer.  Unexpected answers. We pray, hoping the Lord will change something: a circumstance, a situation, a heart. With frustration, we realize it seems nothing has changed. But we’re wrong. The “something” the Lord has changed is the heart.   I prayed for decades. I knocked, asked, and prayed for a couple of decades. Sometimes…

Making Decisions How do you make a decision? Every day we make dozens of them, with no conscious thought: take the vitamins; flip the light switch; flush the toilet. If I don’t take my morning vitamins then I might find myself sluggish that afternoon. Annoying but not life-threatening. Forget to turn the light on before…

As women, when we see a need or a problem, often our first response is to “fix it;” fill the need, solve the problem. Years ago the Lord showed me a pressing need, heavy on His heart. It was a need I was aware of, but hadn’t really considered. I assumed I needed to do…

At some time, most of us have delt with a “monster.” Sometimes the monster first shows up in a dream, sometimes it’s an event or situation we can’t stop agnsting over. As I crossed the threshold, my four-year-old grandson immediately began telling me about the dream he had the night before, about “the monster in…

“…inquire of God, that we may know ….” (Judges 18:5, New King James Version) Lydia and Steve are church friends. With her bright red hair, big smile and warm, outgoing personality I was surprised – and thankful! – to learn that she’s an engineer and a “computer person.” When she says “call me anytime” she…

“… how very much our Father loves us….” (1 John 3:1, New Living Translation) Emily was visiting her grandmother. She had brought her dog, Princess, along. Across the street Emily spied a neighbor playing with his dog. His dog would fetch; Princess didn’t do “fetch.” So, having asked and received permission, Emily walked across the…