I felt so alone. Unheard. Unseen. My utter defeat and hopelessness were one of the worst parts of my struggle. It crushed the life from my bones.One morning I came to some verses in the book of Mark. I’ve read past these verses dozens of times to get to the story that follows. This day, the formerly nondescript verses screamed at me. Jesus said: “I have compassion for these people; they have alrea...  Read More

Each of us has a purpose. God has designed you with a purpose that will fit into His plan. It is not a sin to be successful. Why not be successful in your calling or purpose?We have the benefit of the whole Bible, where we can read all the stories of biblical characters we may have heard about growing up. Jesus called people to follow him, to fulfill God’s purpose. For example, two brothers named ...  Read More

Have you ever felt an “urge” or “calling” to do something helpful for someone?It was a cold, wet winter evening in the mountains. The rain was pouring down so hard I couldn’t see more than a few feet in front of my bumper, even with my wipers swishing across my windshield on high. It had been a long day at work, and I was tired. The heater was on. I wore layers, a scarf, a full-length raincoat, ra...  Read More

I always wanted to be a teacher. I played 'school' with my younger siblings from an early age, positioned at makeshift desks for lessons. My mother even has a recording of such classes. My heart was set on this vocation, and I could not wait for a class of my own. Where did this desire to teach originate? Perhaps you are wondering if I heard a clear call from God. There was no booming voice from H...  Read More

What is God’s calling for your life? Does that question bring fear or confusion to you at times? As Christians, we want to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord and use our gifts to serve Him in the way He designed for us.  I decided to follow Jesus early in life and strived to stay tuned in to the Lord and hear what He was speaking over me in those formative years.  One summer, I heard God’s v...  Read More

Have you ever been through a rough patch and needed some encouraging words? Have you ever felt depressed and desired the right words to bring you joy? Has there been a time that you felt hopeless and needed words to revive your spirit?You are not alone! The disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:13–32 felt similar feelings after the death of Jesus. They had expected Jesus to redeem Israel. Ins...  Read More

Joy is often used as a synonym for happiness. These aren’t interchangeable. Happiness is dependent on circumstances. I’m happy when somebody brings me an iced coffee. Joy is a disposition of the heart. As I write this, I have a child struggling with medical needs. I can still have joy, even as this challenges my happiness.How do we find this joy of the heart?Scripture tells us, “Rejoice in the Lor...  Read More

For our last family vacation, before my older children were grown and moved away, we headed to Branson. Trying to navigate with three rowdy teens teasing each other mercilessly in the back seat caused us to miss our turn onto the Interstate.We ended up on a crooked, two-lane back road that meandered for miles and added hours to our trip.  It would take too long to get back to the highway, so we de...  Read More

I can recall God’s love as a child through his beautiful creation. I remember the joy of regrowth in the springtime. The feeling of a warm breeze after a cold winter. The popping of flowers, especially tulips in multiple colors. The birds sang as they made their nests. At six, I was excited when a robin made a nest on the window sill in an upstairs bedroom. What joy I experienced watching the momm...  Read More

If the name Marie Kondo sounds familiar, it should. She is a very famous lady who helps people declutter their lives. She suggests you take everything out of your closet and touch one article of clothing at a time. If it does not bring joy, give it to Goodwill or take it to the resale shop.While I think it is a great idea to declutter periodically, I don’t believe touching and sniffing an old piec...  Read More

Where does your Joy come from? I have always heard that happiness is from circumstances. Our circumstances can make us happy, sad, miserable, angry, etc.Life is hard! My life is like a roller coaster at times. I am not a fan of those! I am riding along in that “life car” on the roller coaster rail, and the next, I am falling toward one of the many low areas of my life! I often ask myself; How did ...  Read More

Have you ever been overwhelmed with joy about someone?When you have children, you invest much time teaching them many things. For example, when my husband coached little league baseball, he spent countless hours teaching them the skills needed to be great baseball players. As they grew and began to play for their school, watching them compete and succeed brought him great joy. He knew that his sol...  Read More