Blessings
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Indescribable Joy
Sometimes during the holidays I really miss not having parents to “go home to”, but I love being the parent my kids and grandkids come to for the holidays. Just once in a while I wish I still had parents too! Our last parent died in 2009, but it was several years before that when we stopped having a parent’s home to return to for family get togethers. So, holidays include both joy and a bit of sadness. Today I read Mark 12:24-25 a new way, “Jesus spoke to them, “Isn’t this the reason why you’re mistaken: you don’t know the Scriptures or the power of God? For when they…
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The Silence is Broken Part 2
Last week we looked at how God ended the 400 years of silence. If you missed that post, first read Part 1 here. How did God speak to you last week? Did He reveal something about an issue you’ve been praying about? Did He remind you of something you had stopped praying about and had even maybe forgotten about? Has He been speaking and maybe it was so different from what you expected, you just ignored His words? As I focused on Mary’s response to her Lord, I started thinking: how obedient am I when I hear Him speak? Perhaps I’m finally hearing from God after a long period of…
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The Silence is Broken! Part 1
Each year when I read chronologically through the Bible, the period of 400 years of silence makes me so sad. I’m always so ready to open the New Testament and hear his voice speak again. But I did not have to wait as the Israelites did. The Old Testament ends with Malachi 4:5-6 telling us: “Look, I am going to send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise, I will come and strike the land with a curse.” Jesus is that promise of…
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Thankful in Hard Times
I had another post ready to go this week, but decided instead, to share a message I was asked to teach at a women’s event this past Saturday. I realized it was timely for this week of Thanksgiving. I even taught this last minute to my Sunday women’s life group at church the following morning. I’m so grateful I got to share God’s truth alongside my own journey of faith. As I prepared for this message, I had such a sweet time of reflecting on how faithful God has been to me all my life and how much I have to be thankful for. Teachers always learn more than their…
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Embrace God’s Forgiveness
How do you deal with forgiveness? Do you think something you did is just too bad that even God wouldn’t forgive you? This is the second in a four part series on embracing God’s attributes. Read the first post here on God’s love. Forgiveness indicates pardon, absolution, exoneration, clemency, mercy, pity, and lenience. Human forgiveness is often not as generous towards others as God’s is to His children. Proverbs 10:12 reminds us that “Hate stirs up trouble, but love forgives all offenses.” As humans, we often struggle to forgive those who hurt us. This can make it hard to believe God truly forgives our sin. God’s forgiveness is is clear in Romans 5:6-11, “For while…
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No Rest for the Weary?
Ever feel this way? Ever say this in pride? I have and I am wrong. Now, one thing our Yorkie, #MoDawg, (as he’s listed on my social media!) is good at since puppyhood…is rest! He truly needs no help with this. And I could add quite a few more pictures to this post! In fact, every time I talk to him, he yawns just to prove he’s really tired! But humans tend to struggle much more in the area of rest. My pastor shared recently on this topic from his own experience with busyness, even for good things, which led to major health issues. God got his attention and is…
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Lessons from a Goat…and Other Things
So last week I blogged on the current Bible study I am doing by Jennifer Rothschild, Psalm 23 . You can read it here. Today, something that happened on Valentine’s Day has prompted me to write again on what I learned this week through that study and through my daughter. My kids are often “fodder” for this blog and today is no different. So, we deliver Valentines to our grands late in the day on February 14. Just wanting to bless these grands with more sugar and lots of hugs, we were not expecting to be greeted with a crisis with Fred, the goat. (I know we are studying sheep…
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Joy Restored
Have you ever witnessed an old rusty, beat up car being restored to an earlier version of beauty? I love seeing the new ones on the road but if I saw it before it’s restoration I might turn away and not even notice. Or I might comment on how beat up it is! I’ve been doing the Bible study by LifeWay, The Faithful: Heroes of the Old Testament. Each week is authored by a different Bible teacher and this week I’ve been studying Jennifer Rothschild’s portion on Hosea. I’ve been challenged to take a look at Hosea’s wife Gomer at her worst and at her best. Kind of like the…
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SO Many Ways to Mentor!
The girls in our family are true animal lovers. In fact, I once planned to be a veterinarian when I grew up until I figured out I’d have to deal with blood and pain. I can’t stand to see animals hurt! Unlike my daughters though, my husband and I live in a one dog home where our daughters each have zoos living in theirs! Recently my daughter, Amanda Dugger posted the following “puppy” update on Facebook: “So I have heard my mom say for years (since I was little) that it is so important for the older women to guide the younger women. I agree but I have always been…
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When Holidays are Hard
I decided since the holidays begin in full swing this week, I’d link you to a post I wrote for LifeWay Women, Celebrating Holidays With a Prodigal Child. I pray this ministers to your heart if you are in a difficult season as you face the holidays. God knows your hurt and He knows you hurt. Trust Him as He walks with you through your story. Banner photo by Chad Madden on Unsplash
