-
Grace Turns Broken Tiaras into Crowns
I have great news. Did you know that Grace turns broken tiaras into crowns? Let me explain… As little girls, we learn from good parents that we are beautiful, cherished, worthy, and loved. We host tea parties as we play the part of the princess proudly wearing our sparkly tiaras and frilly boas. Unfortunately, tiaras become heavy as we grow into womanhood. They are often broken, discarded, and shattered all snatched away by the enemy’s hand. I will never forget the testimony of a young woman at a faith walk I attended several years ago. All eyes followed her as she came to the podium dressed in a clown suit.…
-
“Stand All the Way Up” Book Review
Some of you may have been graced with a pain-free life, but I am not one of those people. I am taking comfort in God’s word and declaring my statement of faith despite all the conflicts that seem to navigate directly to me like I have this vast bull’s eye on my back. My covenant-keeping God has promised me in Psalms 34:19 that “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him/her out of them all.” So, after praying my humble “I believe but help my unbelief” prayer this morning, I am finding the strength to raise my hand in the declaration of victory. I didn’t find strength…
-
Jesus Fills Our Empty Net with Hope and Purpose
“When they got to land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread. Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught.” Jesus told them. John 21: 9-10 (CSB) Amid so many changes in my life, I felt empty. I had forgotten what it was like to dream and make plans. I had forgotten that Jesus will always fill our empty net with hope and purpose. It had been a long journey of ups and downs. Days of striving. Nights of tireless toiling. All our dreams had been shattered with just one swipe of a pen on a medical chart. So many things had changed. It had…
-
Learning to Travel Well
I have a confession to make. I am terrible at directions. When my husband and I traveled before GPS, he would always drive while I would nervously be in charge of the maps and printed directions. There have been times with a map in my hand we still managed to take wrong turns and go entirely off-road. After many laughs and a few heated arguments, we always ended up at our destinations. But only after we spent way more driving time than needed to reach our desired location. I would love to say I have only been navigational challenged traveling the physical roads of life, but honestly, I have been…
-
Fishing poles, Bait and Seaweed
Key Verse: “I sank beneath the waves, and the waters closed over me. Seaweed wrapped itself around my head. I sank down to the very roots of the mountains. I was imprisoned in the earth, whose gates lock shut forever. But you, O LORD my God, snatched me from the jaws of death!” Jonah 2: 5-6 (NLT) I love to go fishing. I guess it comes from living in a small country town with its creeks and streams and spending time fishing with my dad growing up. Dad always knew what special fishing pole he would need and what bait to use for the type of fish you were casting…
