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Settle In
I’m not sure how you feel about our country, or our global world, right now. With elections in the future, crime and violence, anger and hatred all over the news and filtering into whatever we watch, read or hear, we could just decide to go live on a tropical island somewhere away from it all! Tempting isn’t it? Definitely for this beach girl. The thing is, God has not put us here to run away. He has placed us here to make a difference. He actually has a plan for us, for our lives and He wants us where He has placed us. I read a post by Noe Garcia…
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Focus 2020
This time of year I am always watching for direction from the Lord on a theme or passage of scripture He wants to develop in me for the year ahead. As I was reading and preparing for teaching at an event in 2020, the topic for the weekend grabbed my attention. It’s based on Kay Arthur‘s study, “Lord, Give Me a Heart for You.“ Our key passage for the event is Ezekiel 36:26-27: I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will place my Spirit within you and cause…
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The Sting of Thorns
Today’s post is written by one of my daughters, Alycia Neighbours (see bio below). She has written a number of posts on my blog and is an amazing writer who shares her journey and her faith with many. I know you will be touched by this message. Chris One of my children is in crisis. Not a “I have nothing to wear to school” crisis, but very serious. I’m currently at a total loss, so I went to the barn because that’s where God will usually meet me and help me sort through the blur of emotions. When I arrived I found my horse covered head to toe in burrs.…
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Impatience in Finding God’s Will
I love discipling Christian young women. They are so hungry to know Jesus and serve Him with their life. They are desperately seeking His calling, His purpose. They want to obey it and start living it out. But one thing I’m seeing as well is that they want that purpose to be clear and immediate. Their whole world is instant so why would understanding God’s will not also be instant? There is an impatience about their finding His will that sometimes leads to not being content, at peace, with where God has them currently. They may even be thinking, as I was in my younger life, that once we find…
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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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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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What Does it Take For Your Heart to Burn?
My Bible reading this week, took me to Luke 24. I love the new insights the Holy Spirit gave me as I studied the passage this time. This is resurrection morning, so imagine being one of Jesus’ followers and what you might be experiencing that day. I want to make two points I believe the Lord said to me that morning. Take time to stop here and read that chapter if you can. Make a note of anything that refers to something that is bright, light, or fire-like. First the women, who came to anoint Jesus’ body, saw two dazzling men! Or, as the Bible states: “two men stood by…
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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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Doing Battle
I’m mad and I’m doing battle! Last weekend I got really ticked at the enemy! I know better. I know his tactics. But sometimes I still fall prey to his lies. Heading out to teach at a weekend women’s retreat I was not at the airport long before seeing my flight was going to be a little delayed. Not a problem, right? I have an hour at my connecting airport to still make it, don’t I? But, this is Atlanta, so, well, hmmmm. When the delay grew, my fear was that there was not another flight into the smaller city where I was to arrive. So, I asked the gate…
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What Will I Leave Behind?
I’ve just completed reading Hebrews in my chronological Bible reading plan, F260, written by my pastor and his wife, Robby and Kandi Gallaty. Once again I am reminded so much of what we leave behind as a heritage. Yes, I’ve written on this topic more than once and you see it threaded through many of my posts as I ask: how can we take what God is teaching us (even the tough times) and pass it on to others. But reading Hebrews again tells me that we CANNOT ever get over what Jesus has done for us corporately and personally through His Gospel. Hebrews 11 lists so many men and…
