joyce

When I first realized that I may be the only connection for some people to experience the love of God, I changed my approach to how I do things. For example, when my family and I are dining out for a meal, I ask the server what their name is so I can address them

While I go to the salon to have my eyebrows threaded, I love chatting with the sweet lady who does them for me. Our last conversation revolved around our plans for the holidays. After I shared how I would be visiting with each side of my family, I asked her what she would be doing.

While I was driving a few weeks ago, I was overwhelmed with gratitude and praise to the Lord. No, I had not won the lottery … although that would have been nice ;) I had not even been the recipient of really great news.  Earlier that morning, I was at a medical appointment. A procedure

There have been numerous teachable moments in my life. Writing for our devotional, Quest For More, has been no exception. For me, the process of writing involved reading the assigned Scripture, praying about what the Lord was saying to me, and then jotting those thoughts down.   As much as I love to write, I found

I don’t know about you, but I can remember several instances when I wondered HOW our pressing need would be met. It just seemed impossible from my perspective.  Immediately after we encountered the unimaginable of our infant son growing ill and being hospitalized, we were slammed with a mountain of medical bills. To top it

There have been a few weeks of matters weighing quite heavily on my mind and my heart. In the midst of looking to the Lord for help and for answers, I will be honest with you to share that I struggled with feeling so discouraged that I just felt … forsaken. Then, I received a

Can I just be real with you Friend? The past few weeks have been really hard on this Mama’s heart.  There were just some days and some choices which left me overwhelmed. I felt discouraged and all alone as if no one could possibly understand or relate. Then, the Lord ever so gently reminds me

During our lunch hour, my children are excited to blast the music of their choice. There is one soundtrack that is played pretty frequently because of how much they enjoy those tunes.  Though I’ve heard the lyrics countless times, the following stood out to me today: “I will get back up again.” When reading the

Date night for my husband and me is a special evening which we treasure. Whether we go out for dinner or watch a movie, it allows us to connect as we meaningfully share this carved out time together. To be candid, I enjoy dressing up for these occasions. But I found myself sporting a t-shirt

A few days ago, I went to bed preoccupied. My mind was focused on an issue that I thought had been resolved. Yet, there it was rearing its head … again. My insides began churning as I felt overwhelmed with frustration and anxiety. I found myself having great difficulty falling asleep. After just a few