• Blessings,  Lessons,  Spiritual Growth,  Test,  Trial

    Sharing Our Prodigal Story

    Just a week or so ago, my daughter and I had the privilege to share our “prodigal” story on Leighann McCoy’s new podcast. One thing I’ve experienced over many years of teaching women is how God encourages ME when I get to remember what He has done and tell others of His work. I’ve witnessed His faithfulness in every single tough situation He has allowed into my life. One of those stories was the topic that Leighann asked me to share on this podcast, The Power of Praying Momma’s: Praying your Prodigal Home. I asked her if she would like for me to ask my daughter to also be on…

  • Lessons,  Spiritual Growth,  Test,  Trial,  Waiting,  What I'm Reading

    Why Is He So Quiet?

    Have you asked that question lately? If not lately, I bet you’ve asked it more than once before. Maybe you are in a place where you are asking God a question, or perhaps you are praying for a number of things. And you get silence. I feel your pain, your frustration, and even your anxious thoughts. There are a number of things that are on my heart right now, places where I desperately want to see God move. I pray, I release it to Him, I determine to walk in faith, joy, optimism and peace, only to become angry at myself for failing to do that for more than an…

  • Generations,  Great Blogs,  Leadership Lessons,  Spiritual Growth,  Test,  Trial,  What I'm Reading

    Blogs For You!

    Often I run across some really relevant blog posts that I like to share with my readers. Today is one of those days! 1. Consider who is speaking into your life as you read Who is Influencing You? from LifeWay Voices and Rachel Sinclair. 2. In seasons like we have been through and continue in right now, hope is sometimes hard to find. This is a great post on ways to recover and keep hope alive. 6 Ways to Preserve Your Hope in 2021 by LifeWay Voices and Yvonne Faith Russell . 3. Our churches want to grow and continue to reach the younger generations. They are leaving the church…

  • General,  Generations,  Leadership Lessons,  Lessons,  Spiritual Growth,  Test,  What I'm Reading

    In the Aftermath

    I have loved serving Jesus over the years in the area of women’s ministry. There have been both highs and lows throughout the journey. Often, when I have been on a mountaintop experience or event, not long after (or even during!), there has been a huge valley to walk through. When I should be flying on wings of hope and power and joy, I have felt low and even hopeless. Well, so did Elijah! As I finished Priscilla Shirer’s Elijah this week,I can’t help but write one more post on this amazing study. You can read the first two posts here and here. Why does this happen, to us and…

  • Lessons,  Pandemic,  Spiritual Growth,  Test,  Trial,  Waiting,  What I'm Reading

    Another Stop-Over “In- Between”

    Ever feel like you’ve just left a dry place but it was where you truly experienced God’s amazing presence and provision…then you find yourself in another “pickle of a place” when you really want to get to that mountaintop of perfect contentment and accomplishment? Often, waiting is like that. We wait and wait. Then God moves, and we think it’s all behind, and we’ve learned what He wanted to teach us. Now let’s get to the good stuff! Then there’s another delay in that perfect picture of life. As my husband and I waited in days of infertility, and eventually were blessed with the adoption of twins, I thought…now it’s…

  • General,  Lessons,  Pandemic,  Spiritual Growth,  Test,  Trial,  Waiting,  What I'm Reading

    Are You In-Between?

    Right now, we are in-between two winter storms…just waiting to see what comes next. We’ve not had a storm like this in years. And, are we surprised? Kind of just the next issue to face in year 2020-2021! So far, we’ve not lost power as we continue to be covered not with snow, but ice! But will this second wave of snow and ice change that? Kind of like being in limbo and waiting for this next storm. Has this past year made you feel a bit like you are in limbo in lots of ways? You aren’t where you used to be in pre-pandemic days, but not where you…

  • Pandemic,  Spiritual Growth,  Test,  Trial,  What I'm Reading

    Do You Need Courage?

    Who knew, when Jennifer Rothschild began writing her Bible study Take Courage, on the Old Testament book of Haggai, how desperately we would need the messages of encouragement for tough times that Haggai preached! No one knew we’d be in the middle of a global pandemic, or that we would have such turmoil in our nation! But God certainly did. Perhaps you have faced difficulty, opposition and discouragement that causes you to question your purpose, especially as you reflect the 12 months we have just lived through. Maybe situations have not turned out like you thought they would, or how you wanted them to. Maybe you are desperately needing encouragement…

  • General,  Test,  Trial,  What I'm Reading

    Over the Nations

    As I write this, we have come through one of the most frustrating and tumultuous weeks in our nation. How easy it would be to feel helpless and hopeless. How in the world did we get here? I cannot answer that question, but I can say this, God knows, He allowed it, and He will use it. I am reading and journaling through Psalms right now. One morning recently, I came to Psalm 67…right in the middle of the that difficult week. Here is that Psalm… May God be gracious to us and bless us;may he make his face shine upon us Selahso that your way may be known on…

  • Great Blogs,  Lessons,  Spiritual Growth,  What I'm Reading

    6 Great Posts for the New Year

    I’ve read so many great posts to help us kick off a new year that I decided to share those this week. No matter what you are facing today, walk into this new year in the power of Christ, trusting Him for everything ahead. 1.Here is a great article about what is on the minds of young adults: THE REAL ISSUE TROUBLING OUR MINDS RIGHT NOW 2.Many of us consider health and exercise at the start of a new year. Here are some helpful tips: HOW TO USE EXERCISE AS ONE OF YOUR LEADERSHIP TOOLS IN 2021 3.LifeWay leaders share their 2021 prayers: PRAYERS FOR THE NEW YEAR 4.Encouragement from…

  • General,  Great Blogs,  Pandemic,  What I'm Reading

    For the Christmas Season

    This week I am sharing some helpful blog posts for this time of year. Christmas 2020 may look different for most of us this year. Many are dealing with a variety of situations and concerns. May these posts encourage you as well as provide practical help for making this Christmas all about Christ! If you have some tough relationships that sometimes overwhelm you, Perhaps you or those around you are struggling with grief this year…for any kinds of reason or loss. Check out this post from Josh and Christi Straub Finding Hope Through Grief | An Advent Family Experience from LifeWay Voices. One last one for this week that I…