Why Trials? (Finding Joy in the Hardest Places)

We've all had trials in our lives, tough times where a lot of us have probably asked...why me? Why is this happening to me?? Or, why is this happening to the person that I love? I know I have asked that of God many times in my life. We tend, as humans, to focus on the trial alone and wonder why. Why me?

I’ve Been Through The Fire, Too.

I know that our fires were not the same But I’ve survived one too. The flames touched us both in different ways But I was burned like you. Maybe you ran as far as you could. Maybe you fought it with all that you had. Maybe you froze, paralyzed. Maybe you sobbed, watching flames consume… … Continue reading I’ve Been Through The Fire, Too.

The Blank Canvas of a New Day

I sit and watch as beautiful pastel colors seep and blend into the canvas of the dark morning sky, like watercolors spilling onto a blank piece of paper, and I think about the blank canvas of this new day. And I wonder what the Master Artist envisions for me today. For my children, for the … Continue reading The Blank Canvas of a New Day

Meditations from Psalm 139: Psalm 139:2-3 Seen, Heard & Known

One thing I know about the human condition...every one of us wants to be seen. Heard. Fully known. And sometimes, maybe we don't feel those things. We feel unseen. We feel like no one understands us or wants to hear what's really going on in our heart of hearts. It's a longing that we have, and sometimes we go to great lengths to try to be seen, heard & known by others.

Meditations from Psalm 139: Psalm 139:1-Fully Known

“Lord, You have searched (examined) me and You know me.” Psalm 139:1 Like a skillful doctor who studies an X-ray, MRI or CT scan to see what’s going on beyond what the naked eye can see, so the Lord searches our hearts and our minds. He looks beyond what people can see or know about … Continue reading Meditations from Psalm 139: Psalm 139:1-Fully Known

Walking with the Shepherd: A Journey through Psalm 23

Lord, You are my Shepherd. You are my Keeper, my Defender, my Guardian—my Protector. When I am living under the umbrella of Your care, when I am following You, there is nothing that I lack. There is nothing that I lack. When the world pulls me in so many directions, I look to You. I … Continue reading Walking with the Shepherd: A Journey through Psalm 23

The Wrestling Before the Praise

"BUT, I have trusted in Your faithful love; my heart will rejoice in Your deliverance. I will sing to the Lord because He has treated me generously." Psalm 13:5-6 Why do these verses of praise start with a "but"? Before the Psalmist gets to the praise, some wrestling was going on. I get that. I … Continue reading The Wrestling Before the Praise

Relief for Imperfect People…

Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.Genesis 15:6 I love this nugget from my reading this morning!! I think that a lot of times...when we hear the word "righteous" or "righteousness"...we tend to think of people that come across as "holier than thou"...people that think and act like they're pretty … Continue reading Relief for Imperfect People…