Is Faith a feeling, a thought, or an action?
John and I have a covenant with one another. It’s a promise we made to each other and have kept for over fifty-four years. I felt so excited when he slipped a ring on my finger and said, “I love you!” We waited for about six months to enjoy the pleasure of living together and […]
An Isolation Melody
One of their favorite games, when my children were small, was hide-and-seek. They loved to hide in places where they thought I could not find them. One such place was behind the living room drapery. When I saw the wiggling bulge in the drapery, I knew exactly where they were. I often pretended not to […]
God’s Faithfulness for Seven-plus Decades
In this time of distress, when the coronavirus is spreading uncontrollably over the earth, I admit I’ve been struggling with fear. I’ve not wanted to get out of bed in the morning, read more disturbing news reports and hear more predictions of disaster. This morning I felt encouraged. As I was waking up, I remembered […]
The Moment Called “Today.”
In the last few weeks, uncertainty about the coronavirus has caused me to consider the brevity of life. I’ve not been panicking but thinking a bit more seriously about what choices I am making to stay healthy and embrace life. How do I, as a senior citizen, respond to this threat? How does my faith […]
How faith in God gives us power to embrace self-respect and extend forgiveness
At New Hope Community Church where I worship, we’ve been looking at the Old Testament story of Joseph. Although treated with immense injustices in his teenager and early adult life, he did not become a victim of his circumstances. Instead, he made these amazing choices. When his envious brothers sold him into slavery, he did […]
What I learned about teamwork through playing Scrabble with my husband
While eating breakfast this morning I said to my husband, “Playing Scrabble with me every day for the last six weeks has been one of the most romantic things you’ve done!” He smiled, nodded his head, laughed heartily, and asked, “How so?” “I learned a lot about myself and I learned a lot about you. […]
When laughter comes, depression flees
I visited my doctor this week. She said, “You are depressed.” I tried to deny it but after honestly answering the questions she confronted me with, I agreed with her. Amazingly, I am not worried about this depression. I’ve gone through enough dark valleys to know sunshine awaits on the other side. God has always […]
Joy in Making a U-Turn
If we want to sail with the wind of God’s Spirit, there are times that we need to change direction. In her beautiful book, Openings: Glimpses of God’s Grace, my friend Jean McAllister illustrates this. She offers us fifty-two inspiring meditations, combining truths of Scripture with her rich experiences. I’m reading her book slowly, as […]
Freedom to Pursue Your God-inspired Vision
“Oh, why do I want to do everything!” These are the words I spoke to my husband after a discussion about my commitments for the coming week, month, and year. I resist boundaries. Like the sheep who breaks through the fence and leaves the safety of the pasture, I often wander into dangerous territory. I […]
If we keep looking back, how can we move forward?
I look in my car’s rearview mirror when I’m backing out of my 150-foot driveway. I’m getting pretty good at it. I’ve learned how to move swiftly and still avoid hitting the two trees which stand on either side of the entrance to the highway. I look in the rearview mirror because I want to […]