Paul Still Went…
Over the past year, we have had major appliance after major appliance break down in our home (see devotion from Feb 1). Our kitchen vent hood, refrigerator, microwave, and even our garage door - all needed to be replaced or repaired! With the passing of each appliance (and the huge purchase of a new one) my husband and I would just look at each other and shake our heads. I couldn’t help but wonder, “Did we forget to give our tithe???” Just keeping it real, friends! That’s where my mind went! Maybe it’s cultural, maybe it’s human nature…when things don’t
Living Your Legacy Now
I have been thinking a lot about legacy. A few years ago, one of our cousins asked my husband and me: "What do you want your legacy to be?" We had a healthy discussion, and then I didn't really think more about it. Life happened and I amped myself up to keep up with the pace of it. Fast forward a few years, a few gray hairs, and a few unexpected funerals, and it's weighing on my mind. One of my favorite psalms, Psalms 112 paints a beautiful picture of what our legacy will look like as children of God.
What Would You Do?
If you had one day left to live, what would you do? It isn’t something we necessarily want to think about, but you’ve probably heard the question before. Let’s change it up a bit. If you had 40 days left to live, what would you do? Yesterday, the world celebrated Easter. To some, it just meant spring had sprung and hunting for Easter eggs. For those of us who are Christ-followers, we know it as “Resurrection Sunday” - the day our Lord rose from the grave. But that wasn’t the end of the story. Jesus remained on the earth for
We Do What We Hear
Lately I’ve been listening to some content online about health and the benefits of certain habits, such as fasting. There was one weekend a few weeks ago that I stumbled upon one video and continued to listen to several videos in the series. Hearing the science behind how our bodies respond to things like sugar, fats, and fasting was fascinating. I couldn’t get enough of it. And what I didn’t realize was, I started making some of the positive changes without much effort - which resulted in me eating better, feeling better, and even losing a couple of pounds. It
Trust God
When I reflect on my early days of parenting, what comes to mind are the times my children were dependent on me for EVERYTHING. Each child has had their own challenges and adversities to work through and overcome. I knew it was my job during that season to help them and I embraced it. It was a period of my life that required a lot of time and energy, both physical and emotional. Truthfully, there were days it seemed as if that’s how it would always be. Yet, here I am now observing each of my children thriving in their
Heart Barriers
When I was a young nurse, I had the incredible opportunity to go on a mission trip to Mexico. I had one issue: a language barrier. Although I knew the basic rules of conjugating a verb in Spanish, I was far from fluent. It didn't stop me from taking up the challenge, so I hopped on a white van with a group of young doctors, and off we went to a small village to provide medical care. When we finally got out of the van, I was shivering in the night wind. Maybe I was cold....maybe nervous, but I was
Forecasting the Storm
Last Monday evening we had some severe weather roll through our area. I was getting dinner ready and had told the kids to come inside from playing. My husband had gone out to run an errand and my phone started blowing up with people checking on us due to the storms. My town does not have weather sirens, but we can usually hear the sirens that are just a stone's throw away. That evening my kids were carrying on so loud that I couldn't hear them ring. I noticed my dog acting a little restless. He kept pacing back and
More Than I Could Ever Imagine
I remember it so clearly. My 7th grade science class had the privilege of going on a field trip to the zoo. I was so excited because I knew that not every class was able to go. And I was really looking forward to a day away from my regular old classroom. But in my excitement, I also remember feeling somewhat sad that this would be the last field trip in my school career. You see, I knew that field trips were reserved for elementary school, so I assumed that this would be my last field trip during my time
It’s Springtime…
He initiated the conversation, and he was beyond transparent. Without my husband or I even asking, our friend told us everything…and it wasn’t pretty. My stomach was in knots. As he went through the details, all I could think of is, how does someone get themselves into this kind of situation? 2 Samuel 11:1 came to my mind. “In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites…However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.” In case you’re unfamiliar with the story, let me warn you…it wasn’t pretty.
Make the Most of Your Time
Among the life lessons learned particularly from the pandemic is that tomorrow is not guaranteed. In fact, you may be familiar with this quote by Eleanor Roosevelt: “Today is a gift. That's why we call it the present.” From the time we moved to Texas, we have done our best to go back and visit our loved ones in New York. What I have loved about these visits is that no matter what’s happening in their lives … career, business, ministry, or children … they always make time to spend with us. In fact, every visit involves breaking bread together.
