Trial
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Uncomfortable, But Soaring!
I don’t know about you, but I like comfortable, routine, predictable. Many of you reading this might be bored with predictability, but others will identify with my comfort zones! Now, I’m not so naive to think life is usually within my preferred “zones”. Normal life is really not like this, and even though I do not always enjoy the changes that come, I’ve seen God’s hand as He has done much in those unexpected and often daunting experiences. I recently finished a book by Stacey Thacker, Fresh Out of Amazing. Stacey shares a story about eagles that I was surprised by, and yet identified with. Before the baby eagle learns…
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When We Fall Down
Beach Lesson #2, 2019 One morning while sitting on the beach, I saw a women walking down the shoreline. But on her return trip back, she appeared somewhat unstable as she walked on the edge of the surf right in front of where we sat. I kept watching her, and sure enough, she fell and began rolling in the water unable to get up. My husband and I jumped up and ran over to help her stand up and fish her sunglasses out of the water. Once she was standing again, we asked her if she was okay. She said yes and, after we advised her to walk on the…
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Have You Paddled Out Too Far?
Beach Lesson #1, 2019 On our first day of our fall beach vacation this year this happened…. I looked out our balcony to see 3 emergency vehicles towing jet skis with lights flashing. Of course, I was curious as to what was going on and went for the binoculars. I could see one of the rescuers also looking through binoculars but pointed toward the horizon. As I continued to watch, eventually a paddle boarder appeared…just this side of the horizon and very far from shore. A girl in a bikini with a hat on, and no life vest. When she got almost to shore, she got off her board and…
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Embrace God’s Faithfulness
This is last in a 4-part series on embracing God’s attributes. Here you can read part 1, part 2 and part 3 here. Everything that God has promised will come to pass. His faithfulness guarantees this fact. He does not lie. What He has said in the Bible about Himself is true. He will honor His promise that our sins will be forgiven and that we will live forever with Him. He will never leave us, no matter what. We are told in Deuteronomy 7:9, ”Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who…
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Karen’s Legacy
I was given the honor of reading a letter at the celebration of life service for my dear friend, Karen Alexander-Doyel. She wrote it to her three boys to encourage them to see her heart for them, and for Christ. She wanted them, and those attending her funeral, to know how much she loved the Lord, and how much God entrusted to her in this ordained, though not always easy, life journey. I have been given permission from Karen’s boys to share “Mom’s letter to her boys” here (and these are her exact words from that letter): “As I sit here tonight, I have so much to be grateful for.…
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Does God Really See Me?
How alone do you feel right now? Isolated completely? Perhaps isolated in a crowd? Do you wonder if anyone really even notices you are in the crowd? I tend to enjoy alone time at this stage of life. This desire to pull away from people and “cocoon” began when my work/ministry life began to become so fast paced and began to involve lots of people…groups small and large. My cocoon time became a cherished respite to be quiet and to recharge for the next busy rush of life. But too much isolation would bring great loneliness and unhealthy living. Then there are times we are in the middle of a…
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Grand Girl’s Camp Crisis & God’s Provision
If you have read this blog for long, you’ve been introduced to my daughters, Amanda Dugger and Alycia Neighbours. Alycia has written several blog posts for me, and today you will read another one. Our family lived alongside Alycia through the stories you are about to read, one 8 years ago, and the other this summer. She has such a powerful way of showing how God works in and through each situation and I know you will be blessed by today’s post: Yesterday (heck this whole past week) has been a bear. This time of year is always hard as we approach the anniversary of when my late husband took…
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Wilderness Temptations
After 7 months in the Old Testament, my D-Group just moved into the New Testament using NT260. I read this week, once again, about Jesus’ temptations in the wilderness right after His baptism and His pubic ministry began. I began to try to put the temptations the devil used with Jesus into current application for my life. The enemy continually seeks to pull our focus from what God has called and commanded us to be and do for Him. Perhaps you can relate to one or more of these that I identify with. You can find this series of temptations in Luke 4:1-13 (also found in Matthew 4:1-11, in a…
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Opposition to Building Walls
Has God ever given you an assignment that you were so excited about you shared the idea with others so they could be excited too? Even join in on the work of the assignment? Did it go so smooth and problem-less? Or did you hit some snags? Yeah, it happened to Nehemiah too. After the Babylonian captivity, the temple had been rebuilt (also with opposition to the work) and now the wall around Jerusalem was also being repaired. As I was reading chapter 4 in my chronological Bible plan recently, I was reminded once again that God’s work will be opposed. The enemy is always watching for ways he can…
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Corrie’s Legacy
When have you read something an author wrote (besides the Bible) that just gripped your heart and maybe even made you cry? Perhaps you watch how someone loves Jesus and you just want to know and love Him that deeply. I believe God doesn’t give us these testimonies to condemn us, but to challenge us to grow in our walk with Him. That has been my response to my re-reading of The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom. If you have not heard of or read this book, please get a copy! Although I sometimes dislike reading about the painful past of wars in history, and I especially hate what…
