I asked you to send me your special words to use as inspiration for my devotions, and I’m grateful for the responses—keep them coming. Last week we looked at the word perseverance, which means to press on, push through, and keep going for the long haul. This week two of you sent me the word resilience. So that’s what I’ll be writing about today. We can all use this reminder at some point or another. Resilience and perseverance go hand-in-hand. They both carry an attitude of d

For the last couple years, I have selected a word to focus on and help set the course for the following months. Last week I shared my sister-in-law’s word, perseverance . Although it is the word she has chosen, I believe we can all use a little more of this in our lives in to help us better push through and press on victoriously. My word came to me a couple weeks ago during a morning prayer meeting at church. As the pastor spoke and prayed, I considered and asked God to give

It’s that time of year again! The ornaments and lights have been put away, and a new year is upon us! Starting a new calendar with the many blank pages and empty squares holds so much hope and opportunity for the days to come (some of us still use paper). Although circumstances may not immediately change there is a hope that lingers in the air and beckons us onward. Endless possibilities! A few wonderful verses that describe our fresh start: Lamentations 3:22-23 , “Because of

I had the most unexpectedly wonderful morning! It’s a new year and I wanted to make sure to set off on the right foot by going to church despite the rain. I started attending this current church last April and have been thoroughly enjoying each gathering and every message. I truly look forward to going every Sunday. We had been at our previous church for over thirty years. Our kids were raised there; I was involved in various ministries, including helping with infants and tod

Christmas is just two days away! The darkest day of the year has passed, and a new light is dawning! The birth of Jesus, the Light of the world is born. God’s love drew near, and His glory was revealed among us. Merry Christmas! Rejoice and celebrate the birth of our Savior! To help prepare our hearts, here are a couple of short devotions taken from two of my books. Enjoy! Be blessed! Hand in Hand Christmas and love are tightly woven together, the meaning of each goes hand

How can one season bring such a palpable jumble of emotions? Happy and sad, joy and sorrow. Celebration and melancholy. Merry crowds and lonely souls. Family gatherings with missing members. There are hopeful plans and unmet expectations. Reality is not always a Norman Rockwell or Thomas Kincade painting, or a Hallmark movie (but even those have their ups and downs). And remember, events didn’t even go perfectly for Mary and Joseph on that first Christmas, but God had a bigge

The Christmas season is clearly upon us. Gifts, trees, carols, decorations, and the hustle and bustle are in full swing. Let’s pause and remember that this is truly a time of celebrating the birth of Jesus, our Newborn Savior and King. Jesus is the reason and should be our focus this holiday season. He is the greatest Gift we will ever receive! He is the Gift that blesses our hearts, revives our spirits, ensures our future, and impacts every area of our lives. For God so love

As a child, my grandma taught me the words to the song “Away in a Manger, ” and this is still my favorite carol. Its sweet simplicity transports me to the stable where Jesus, Emmanuel, was born. The second chapter from the Gospel of Luke is my favorite passage in the Bible. When I was in the third grade, I had the privilege of narrating and reading these verses in the church Christmas pageant. Onstage children were dressed as sheep and goats, as shepherds and angels, as Mary

God put it on my heart to share this devotion: You may currently be on the mountaintop or in the valley down below; wherever this day finds you, I pray this message meets you there. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. The year is winding down; a new season is around the corner. Fall will change to Winter, and Spring will follow soon after. I sit on the couch reflecting on the past year and current situations. A bare Christmas tree, adorned with only lights for now, glimmers quietly in

This week our minds anticipate dinner preparations or long-distant travel plans; our stomachs hanker for plates full of turkey and pie; our hearts long for a return home, for time with family and friends, and tables surrounded with stories and laughter (even with parties of two or three). To pause, reflect, appreciate, give thanks. Thanksgiving is a day set aside for just such an occasion. The whirling and rushing that usually distract our attention and steal our notice of ev

Each new day we have is a gift from God, waiting to be opened and appreciated. It’s important to be intentional with how we use this gift. It is essential that we focus our attention on here and now , not worrying about tomorrow or fretting about the past (yes, I know it's not always easy). Worrying and fretting just steal our precious resource of time in the present. God wants to help us live each day without regret by trusting and resting in His care, and through appreciati

As we enter this holiday season our minds first turn to thoughts and celebrations of Thanksgiving. Truly, there is no need to wait for the arrival of the last Thursday in November to begin thanking the Lord for all that He has done and continues to do for us. Here is a week full of prompts to inspire your prayers this week. And to spark a heart of gratitude for the whole year going forward. Enjoy! 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 , " Rejoice always, 17  pray continually, 18  give than

I admit that I sometimes get caught up in scrolling through videos on social media—my favorites feature dogs, flowers, travel, and of course, faith-based inspiration. This morning as I took a little scroll, I came across a video of two elderly women singing praises to Jesus. Apparently, they are life-long friends, with one of them battling dementia at 98 years old. Still this beautiful woman, sitting in her wheelchair, enthusiastically kept the melody and recalled every word

I was a guest on a wonderful podcast this week! I first connected with Kathryn May on LinkedIn last Spring. We share a love for the Lord and a passion for helping others grow to their full potential as children of God. She shared her role as a Transformational Coach with me, and I shared my Bible studies and devotional books with her. Over the months we kept in contact online and finally put a date on the calendar for a face-to-face meeting over Zoom. She graciously invited

Thanksgiving isn't just a day we celebrate each November. Gratitude is a perspective and practice that should impact our hearts and minds every day! Counting our blessings and thanking the Lord as the Giver of all good gifts, refocuses our minds, comforts our hearts, and refreshes our spirits. Thanksgiving is a mindset that turns our frowns upside-down. And most of all, it is an act of joyful worship! 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 , “ pray continually,  18   give thanks in all circ

The following Scriptures and prayer prompts are inspired by the weekly lessons in my book, "Come to the Father: Drawing Near to God Through Prayer and Scripture." They are based on week three, " Prayer of Submission. " You can choose one to read each day this week. I pray they bless and inspire your own prayer journey! God’s Authority Praying to our Heavenly Father and hallowing His Name naturally leads to a desire for His perfect will to be done. Knowing who God is makes it

When we think of prayer things like worship, thanksgiving, and asking God to meet our daily needs are what most often come to mind....

Hi there! I hope you are having a wonderful day. I am enjoying the start to the Fall season! It’s a perfect time to pause and thank God...

I'm so excited to share that one of my devotions was recently featured in the Fall print issue of Just Between Us magazine. The magazine...

In a world full of hate, be the love. Be the grace. Be the kindness. Be the quiet and gentle strength. In a world full of hate, be like Jesus. Love. Pray. Intercede. Bless. Persevere. Stand firm. Cling to hope. Hold to the Promise. In a world full of hate, guard your heart, keep your head, and be the voice of reason. Be an extension of God’s invitation. Be the hands, feet, and voice of our Heavenly Father here on Earth. Be the fragrant aroma of Christ. “Dear friends, let us l