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More First of the Year Thoughts
How are you are at memorizing scripture? I remember when Beth Moore wrote the study, James: Mercy Triumphs. She challenged those who did the study to take the plunge and memorize, along with her, the entire book of James! I was in my late 50’s and thought, “there is NO way.” Well, there IS a way. Because I like an impossible challenge occasionally, I decided to try it. It took over a year to get it, but it happened. So don’t say you are “too old!” Since then, I have continued to memorize chunks of scripture. I was challenged, at the beginning of 2023, by the last part of my…
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The Word on Waiting
As “waiting” has been on my heart, and in my advent study, I’ve also been working throuh a Melissa Spoelstra study on Isaiah. (Check the blog category for more on the topic of Waiting) Once again, the Lord has connected it all today as I was in Isaiah 49. The author’s focus was “we can trust God’s timing because He sent His Son, Jesus, just as He promised.” This message is very similar to what I’ve learned through the advent study, Our Hope Has Come! So, yes, Lord, I am listening while I’m waiting and waiting and waiting! I needed this reminder today and wanted to share some great waiting…
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Marriage Thoughts Part 1
I had the incredible honor of speaking words of encouragement to my niece at her bridal luncheon this past weekend as she prepared to add a new last name to her own. I was reminded of my own marriage almost 52 years ago and thought about what I wish I’d known. So as I wrote thoughts for her, I decided to share them with you in 2 posts. This is specific for those who are married or may get married. As I like to call myself, I am an “imperfect woman in God’s perfect plan.” I wish I’d known these things back in 1971. I have learned a lot, but…
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Vacation Blog Share
I am on vacation in September so will be taking a little break from blogging. But, I have 2 great posts from other bloggers to share with you today. Enjoy! 1 How well is your church reaching single adults? Read some statistics in this article from LifeWay Research: Pastors Encourage Single Adults, Some Provide Targeted Ministries, written by Marissa Postell. Take a look at these statistics and ask God what He wants you to do to reach your singles. 2 What does your prayer time look like? Has it become routine or maybe even dull? Read Ideas On How To Spend Your Prayer Time from LifeWay Women written by Tessa…
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The Cost of Leadership Part 6
Please start with the first 5 posts in this series if you haven’t already. The fifth aspect of the cost of going deep is prayer, and the time it takes to pray. Deeper for me was when our daughter walked away from our family for 8 years. And God called my husband and me to continue walking and serving faithfully when the waves we had to cross got even bigger. We continued to pray for years that the Lord would bring her back, keep her safe and draw her to Himself. Sometimes as we serve and lead, God does not answer for a long time. But He is at work even…
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Workplace Mission Field
When you think of a mission field, what picture do you have in mind? For many, this means a country overseas somewhere. Maybe you think of traveling across the US to a location away from home. But what about where you spend most of your time now? Many of you would say your workplace, whether it’s an office, school, factory, retail store, restaurant, home, or zoom meetings (especially if you work from home). Is workplace what you think of when you hear “mission field?” Maybe you need to consider workplace first since it’s where you spend the majority of the time. I’d like to recommend an article by Courtney Moore,…
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Blog Share for the New Year
If you are looking for some ways to strengthen your time with the Lord, check out these great posts! 1 Here are some great ideas for starting the year off right with your study of the Word from LifeWay Women, 5 Ways to Reset in 2022. 2 How do you start your morning? Set an example of the power of starting the day in the Word! Leaving a Legacy of Bible Reading, from LifeWay Voices 3 Most of us struggle to memorize scripture, but if I, at 70, can memorize, YOU CAN TOO! Check out these helpful, practical ways to memorize, also from LifeWay Voices in The Diary of a…
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Eternity is Worth the Wait: Lessons From a Social Media Fast #4
My daughter fasted from social media (not all internet) for a week and wrote some pretty powerful journals. I am so grateful she has allowed me to share some of what she wrote. You can read the previous posts here: #1, #2, and #3. The topic this day hits home with me as I also get frustrated when my internet connection doesn’t immediately download or an application doesn’t quickly open at my click! Perhaps you, too, need to take a break from social media, or perhaps the internet in general, for a period of time to focus on what truly matters! As you can see from this journal entry, eternity…
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When It Just Won’t End!
What else? How long? Have you asked that once or twice in the last couple of years, the last couple of weeks, as I have? Jut about the time things seem to be healing or changing, a variant COVID pops up. Then world events just take our breath away. Add to that personal crises, several friends who are in a health fight for their lives, on and on. Seriously? What’s next?…I guess the same thing that I wrote about so recently in He Speaks, before the last couple of “issues” mentioned above popped up. So this is how that morning a couple of days ago played out as I did…
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He Speaks…Do I Ask and Listen?
A few weeks ago, I wrote, Whispers and Shouts and How Does God Whisper to You? Feel free to read these first if you missed them. Today I have a life example of listening and hearing from the Lord when I asked from the heart. As I started my “deck time with the Lord”, I sat quietly for a few minutes. I was reminded of Psalm 5:3, “In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to you and watch expectantly.” Today, I was especially expectant and I ASK! Then as I often do, I played a worship song. this particular one has a…
