-
Behind the Clouds
Years ago I was captivated by how God got my attention one morning as I drove to work in downtown Nashville. Reading Adore by Sara Hagerty I was brought back to that morning as she shared her own cloud story that led her to “adore”. No doubt I’ve written about this experience somewhere in the past, but I couldn’t help but relive, and write about, that morning again after Sara’s reminder! It was such a tough season for many reasons: my mom’s declining mental abilities, heavy work and travel load, family crises all piled up. This was also the week of our annual LifeWay Women’s Leadership Forum, our largest training…
-
The Hope of Revelation
My D-Group had finally made it to the book of Revelation! To get here, we are using Foundations F260 for the Old Testament, then we stopped and began Foundations NT260 for the New Testament. We began in January 2019 and have arrived at our last few weeks together as a group. One of the hardest books to understand is Revelation, so I am SO grateful this plan ends with the Gospel of Matthew! Very refreshing after trying to understand a very difficult book in the Bible. In preparation for our weekly meeting, and for my own deeper understanding, I’ve read numerous commentaries with my daily reading. But one book that…
-
What Are You Standing On?
Have you ever built a sand castle…for a day? Perhaps as a child you spent endless hours creating a beautiful castle only to find the next day the tide has demolished it completely. Such is the way of houses built on sand! As an adult, if you have undertaken the task of building a home, you certainly wouldn’t choose a foundation of sand, but one of something much stronger, so that your home would sustain torrential storms without collapsing. I am in the process of memorizing the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5, 6 & 7 with my D-Group. It has been challenging, but so rewarding, for all 4 of…
-
What’s Your “Go To”?
What is your first “go to” when you struggle? We’ve seen recently what some people go to when they are upset or angry. Violence and hatred brings even more harm to an already unjust situation. But maybe you go to something less harmful like chocolate? Isolation? Running away? Despair? A friend? Usually we all default to something when things do not seem right in our world. As a Type A perfectionist-leaning woman, I think my big default is trying to control the situation. But God has shown me over the years that I am NOT in control even when I think I am, but I can fully trust that in…
- Blessings, General, Generations, Leadership Lessons, Lessons, Pandemic, Spiritual Growth, Test, Trial
Pandemic Panic
I recently wrote a post for Revive Our Hearts leadership blog. A Veteran’s Wisdom for Ministry in a Pandemic. I am so grateful for an opportunity to serve women’s leaders, especially as we face ministry challenges in this pandemic confinement. If you are challenged by having to learn new “ways” to connect and serve Christ, please head over to their blog to read! Today, I will link to that here. Leader Connection Blog is a great one to follow! Also, check out their leadership page and ask to join their private group. Here you can see all their women’s leadership resources. P.S. I previously wrote more detail on my technology…
- Generations, Leadership Lessons, Lessons, Pandemic, Spiritual Growth, Test, Trial, Unity, What I'm Reading
What’s Up With All The Kings?
Right now, in the midst of something none of us expected…social distancing due to a virus we’d never heard of until this year…we are hungry for what was and, prayerfully, what will be again…physical connection with people we care about, life before the virus, recovered income, and plenty of toilet paper! But until God chooses to release us from our isolation, what do we do? Is He teaching us anything? Am I listening well? Are you? Seems like everything I am reading and studying right now has to do with kings! Normally, 1 and 2 Kings in the Old Testament is NOT my go to for Bible study. But, it’s…
-
The Promise
Has anyone ever promised you something and then didn’t come through? I remember as a little girl, I was with my uncle and we came out of store that had a mechanical horse ride. I asked if I could ride and he said we’d go to a real amusement park later. Only thing is, later never came, and I was really disappointed. Now, he had no idea how much that hurt and he wasn’t intentionally lying, but to me it was a promise from a loved one. I was really disillusioned. Has God ever promised something and not come through? Personally, I can say, no, not ever. Now, He didn’t…
-
Infant…Still?
Who doesn’t love a cute little baby? Ok, maybe somebody, but most of us love seeing a sweet, innocent little creation of God wiggling its toes. But, I bet 5 years after that baby’s birth, most of us wouldn’t want that baby to still be in the infancy stage. Surely, by now, this child is potty trained and about to be in kindergarten. Surely, this 5 year old can eat with a utensil rather than just sucking on a bottle filled with formula. Not so cute, now! This is what the author seems to saying in Hebrews 5:11-14 about Christians who stay in infancy: “We have a great deal to…
-
Quarantine Questions
Recently when the extension to April 30 for social distancing was announced, I experienced my first real Coronavirus funk. Even though my funk didn’t last long, it reminded me that what I do during this time either draws people to Him and lifts His name high, or, it just doesn’t. The study Experiencing God calls this a crisis of belief. I either believe God or I don’t. I believe He is sovereign and will bring good, or I don’t. The day after this announcement, as I spent time in the Word (Finding God Faithful), I studied Joseph’s reunion with his father Jacob. I was reminded that, after 22 years of…
-
The Difference Connection Makes
Unless we plug our blow dryer into the socket, it flat won’t work, Right? It must be connected for the electricity to flow. I have a visual picture of what a tree connected to its roots looks like compared to what one looks like that is separated from its roots. You can see a redbud in bloom on the left side of this photo. If you look close to the other side, you see a broken trunk sticking up in front of the house behind us. In front of that, you can see a dried up, dead tree. What a contrast. As we’ve been social distancing, this redbud has been…
