Home Sweet Home?
Working from home. Homeschooling. Unchartered territory for many. Yet, it’s the new norm for most at this present time. Having navigated through these waters for the past 15 years, the following are some lessons we have learned along the way which I hope you will find helpful: TAKE A DEEP BREATH None of us could have ever expected to be in this position. The fact is that it can be overwhelming. Breathe. You are not alone. God is with us. He is our Help, our Refuge, our Strength. In addition, remind yourself that family, friends, and neighbors are in the
Mediate On His Truth
Every time I turn on the TV I hear that we are in unprecedented times. Modern life as we know it has come to a screeching halt. Cities once filled with people, from Times Square to Las Vegas are now empty. The coronavirus has dominated every hour of the news for the past few weeks. And I have to admit that watching too much of it has caused me to become weary and afraid. In Matthew 14:22-33, when Peter stood with his eyes fixed on Jesus, he was able to walk on water. But as soon as he looked at
Don’t Forget About Your Loaves
In Mark 6, Jesus performs a miracle of feeding 5,000 people with 5 loaves and 2 fish. The disciples pass out the food and then collect 12 baskets of leftovers. After this, they hop on a boat and float out to the middle of a lake. In the middle of the night, the wind picks up and the disciples are terrified. They are struggling to right the ship. Jesus walks on the water to them, and the disciples see him, in the midst of their struggle, and are filled with fear. Jesus climbs into the boat with them, calms the
Be Ready, Fear Not and Pray
In Luke 21:26, it talks about a time when there will be “...men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world”. These words were said by Jesus over 2000 years ago about His second coming but it seems that we can apply them today. Jesus may not return before COVID-19 is gone so what do we do in the meanwhile when chaos is around us and panic has gripped the hearts of people all over the world? He continues … “But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up
Your Prayers Do Make a Difference
Lately, it seems like the list of needs I am interceding for has grown … a lot. People around me are in difficult circumstances and my heart has been feeling heavy for each of them. Slowly, discouragement and defeat began to move in and take residence in my mind. I began to wonder if my prayers were even making a difference. I brought this struggle to the Lord. And then, I was sent a reminder. While my parents were at my home last week, my oldest daughter proudly showed them group photos of her graduating class. After the oohs and
Maybe It’s Time to Fight
Is this the time to rest, or is this the time to fight? I’ve had to ask myself this question at pivotal points in my life, especially when it came to the life of my mom. It has now been 11 years since my mother went to be with the Lord. But my mom was at death’s door several times before then. There were at least 3 major times in my life that I thought we were going to lose her….when I was a young child, when I was in college, and when I was in my early twenties.
Knowing Your Opponent
On a scale of 1 to 10, my athletic ability is probably a negative 5. (Yeah, I’m that bad) Needless to say, any childhood dream of becoming a cheerleader, gymnast or ice skater came to an end before it even began. BUT for the past 12 years, I have lived the life of an athlete... VICARIOUSLY- through my kids. From the no score keeping kindergarten b-ball league to the every point counts high school varsity basketball team...the emotionally thrilling highs and the sad, silent lows...I have experienced it all. And before a big game, I even get that feeling of
Reading Your Bible
Reading your Bible using the SITT method. ~ Anu https://youtu.be/p6WI2iHFrhw https://youtu.be/p6WI2iHFrhw
Being a Man of War
Here's another installment of books imitating life (or vice versa). Tonight, we get a zoology lesson. My kids love animals; so we have a ton of books about animals. One of their favorite books is a book called "Predator Splashdown". The book is a series of battle match ups between various water dwelling animals. They each go head to head to determine a winner. For each "battle", the book outlines the speed, strength, brains, attack and defense of each animal and then uses these traits to predict a winner. One particular match up taught me a lesson the last time
Blessed Are the Peacemakers
Are you a peacekeeper or peacemaker? At first glance, they can seem one in the same but actually, they are quite different. I struggled with this recently. Someone I occasionally interact with was frustrated with how I handled something and proceeded to let me know exactly what they thought. Their words and tone were disrespectful and unkind. I was surprised by their reaction because we always had a good working relationship in the past. I didn’t respond in the moment but the situation left me feeling unsettled. I was at a crossroads. Did I want to be a peacekeeper or
