What do a tightrope walker, a ballerina, and a gymnast have in common? Exceptional balance. They also have overall strength, but their exceptional balance comes from the core strength. As a noun, …
Identity in Christ: Just as I Am
Our identity in Christ is a miracle of grace. The Lord chose us to bear His image as His unique workmanship. The question of wrestling with self identity is not a new problem. People throughout …
What a Friend We Have in Jesus
Friendship develops by spending time together, talking and sharing life together. It takes time for the friendship to grow deep. A true friend loves and accepts us as we are. So it is with our …
Prayer: Where Would We Be Without It?
Prayer. Where would we be without it? When I wondered what to write about in this blog post, I reviewed my past week and realized that one thing I had done often was pray. I'm not saying this to …
6 Simple Stress Busters
Stress affects us in so many ways. We get cranky, tense and nervous. It impairs our relationships. It affects us physically. Life can seem like a tangled mess. Here are 6 simple stress …
7 Verses to Improve Perspective
Perspective changes according to how close or how far we are to the situation. If we are too close, the situation can look larger than life. If we are too far away, we can overlook details. On a …
Epic Grace
There's a lot of grace on my desk today. My coffee mug and recent book I read remind me to keep looking for God's grace. That's what I love to do on the GraceNotes blog. The book, Epic Grace: …
Taste and See
"Taste and See that the Lord is good." Psalm 34:8 Our physical senses help us navigate the world. The Lord has given us taste, sight, hearing, touch and smell that let us know what is going on around …
Blessings in the Busyness
Blessings. Busyness. Those two words summarize the last few weeks. I am thankful for it all. I've had to choose to look at the blessings and not be overwhelmed with the busyness. Sometimes it was …
What is Your Anchor?
What is your anchor during change? Transitions are inevitable, yet so many of us resist them. We get comfortable in our way of doing things. When life is predictable we know what to expect and can …
A Cheerful Heart is Good Medicine
"A cheerful heart is good medicine." Proverbs 17:22 What makes your heart cheerful? Here are some things I've seen lately: the late summer return of hummingbirds that provide …
Eliminate and Exchange
Exchange happens every day. We exchange money for food when we are in the check out lane. Consignment stores are popular now, where a trading agreement is made between a seller and buyer, exchanging …
God’s Heart
Driving on the Interstate, I caught of glimpse of love in the clouds. Can you see the heart? It reminded me of the extent of the love in God's heart, which is higher than the heavens. These verses …
Faith at the End of the Day: The Mulligan Day
Have you ever had a day when you wished you could do it over? In golf that's called a mulligan. I had a day like that recently where I moved from faith to weakness within a few hours. The day started …
The Boomerang Blessing of Serving
Serving others takes many forms. It can be providing childcare for a single mom, volunteering at school or a non-profit organization or church. For me, it has taken the form of picking up a neighbor …
Daydreaming a Prayer
Remember the fun of daydreaming? Gazing at fluffy clouds imagining different creatures in the sky? What a simple joy! On my walk the other day I couldn't help but notice the clouds. The bright blue …
Fearful or Courageous?
Have you ever felt fearful and powerless, needing courage? Perhaps you've been shaken by rejection and fear to try again. You keep trying, but your best isn't good enough. Maybe you lived out your …
A Marriage that Pleases God, Part 2
Marriage begins with the hope of living happily ever after. However, the reality is, like life in general, it gets messy. The husband-wife relationship gets tangled up with work responsibilities, …
Stressed or Blessed? A Time to Prepare
‘Prepare the way of the Lord!’ Spoken by the prophet Isaiah about the coming Messiah (Isaiah 40:3), these words led the way to change the world. This verse is quoted in every gospel. What needed …
Continue in Thanksgiving
Do embers of thanksgiving linger in your heart as the Christmas season quickly approaches? Psalm 107 reveals 5 ways to continue to pray with thanksgiving each day. 1. “Give thanks to the Lord, for …
