Hope stirs up expectations in our minds. We look forward to good things with an optimistic perspective. We long for a good school year. everything getting done before a deadline. good …
What Do You Rely On?
We rely on many things to begin the day. The alarm clock wakes us up. We anticipate everything we need to be accessible as we begin the day, especially coffee. Throughout the day, we rely on …
Ready to Travel? Be sure to Pack Smart
Ready to travel? Do you have all you need from your mental checklist in your suitcase? Tickets? Identification? Toothbrush? When preparing for an overseas trip, I found this simple advice on a …
More Than Awards
Recently I had an opportunity to attend an awards reception in Chicago. My book, The Grace Impact, won the 2016 Next Generation Indie Book of the Year Award for the category Christian:Non-Fiction. In …
God’s Presence In Transitions
Have you ever been going along in life, doing what you normally do, when unexpectedly, you find yourself in the middle of huge changes? It might be caused by a significant event like a job loss or …
God’s Faithfulness
Faithfulness is a comforting characteristic in those around us. We know we can trust them to be there for us, even in the tough times. Unfortunately, we are often confronted with someone who is …
Knowing God as Refuge
Have you ever been in a season of life when one crisis follows another and you need a refuge for protection? One way to regain a solid footing during such times is to seek the refuge of God. This is …
Knowing God as Redeemer
Do you know God as the Redeemer? The redeemer is the one who buys back. We were lost and separated from our Maker. Although we are God's unique workmanship we are still need a redeemer.Through …
Knowing God – The Power of the Cross
An intense, powerful storm passed through last night. Lightning flashed like strobe lights, pounding thunder shook windows, sheets of rain poured from the angry sky. Lights flickered. Would we lose …
Knowing God: A Living Hope
Every day we have hope and expectations. We desire an attainment of something good, or the feeling that something will be true. "I hope it doesn't rain for our hike." "My hope is to …
Knowing God is Good
God is good. At the dawn of time, God created the world and called it good. After everyday day of creation, he paused and declared it good. He created the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, …
Is Knowing God Possible?
Have you ever made the mistake of not knowing someone after you met them? Recently I met with a few people to discuss an upcoming event. I knew only one person of the four and proceeded to introduce …
My One Word for 2016
In recent years one word has guided me throughout the next year. Last year my word was commit. I had a lot of work to do and needed to focus my commitment to accomplish it, with the Lord's help. I …
New Year, New Perspective
"But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians …
Joy to the World!
Joy breaks into darkness with hope! I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you: he is Christ the Lord. Luke …
Unwrapping the Gifts of Isaiah 9:6
Gifts are sometimes bought as a result of strolling down the aisles of a store, looking for just the "right gift." We don't quite know what the gift should be, but we're sure to recognize it when we …
Simplicity at Christmas
Simplicity becomes elusive during the Christmas season. We are bombarded continually with advertising to buy something NOW. Shopping with the deadline for the best price brings stress to …
Ongoing Gratitude
Ongoing gratitude keeps our awareness of the Giver of the blessings in our lives beyond Thanksgiving. Year ago, this scenario played out in front of me every week. Rick’s car pulled …
Do You Fear or Trust?
Terrorist attacks. Political division. Economic uncertainty. Fear of family instability heading into the holidays. Increased health issues with test results that indicate major changes are …
Are You Stressed or Blessed?
The buzzing alarm of the smartphone awakened us on our travel day home, but the stress ratcheted up when we realized the clock on the smartphone was different from the bedside alarm clock. …
