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"When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you." Isaiah 43:2 THIS ISN'T WORKING!!!  I'm not sure if these words sound familiar to you, but I have heard them in my own mind more often than I'd like to admit.  As a mother of young children, I spend much of my time and energy seeking effective methods for training and … [Read more...] about Drowning in Discouragement

"Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:23-24 Our pastor is currently speaking a series of messages titled "4 Things I Wish You Knew About God."  Last weekend's message was titled, "God is Not Mad At You."  My initial thought was,"This will be a nice message for someone.  I don't think God is mad at me."  Yet, I was once again amazed by the Holy Spirit's ability to … [Read more...] about He Makes All Things New

"Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes."  -Ephesians 4:21-24 (NLT) In our society, broken objects or vessels are often rendered useless.  In the Kingdom of God, however, yielded brokenness is an opportunity for matchless beauty to emerge. Recently, God has been leading me on a journey of shattering some of my personal beliefs...beliefs which have stunted my growth, stolen my peace, and muted my voice.  I have been waking up in the mornings joyfully asking God, "Which of my … [Read more...] about Wonderfully, Beautifully Shattered Beliefs

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever." Psalm 118:1 Every spring, for more than two decades, my Papa Leon took me to an old home place in the country where he and I would pick daffodils together.  Each year the daffodil patches spread and the beautiful yellow buttercups seemed larger than the year before.  The daffodils display the beauty God creates in spite of the rubble left from the destroyed home place.  The daffodil emerges from beneath the … [Read more...] about Daffodil | The Power of Gratitude

"I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him."- I Samuel 1:27 (NIV) On November 20, 2011 (the first day of Thanksgiving week) Eliana was miraculously born, healthy and whole, two weeks early weighing only 5 pounds.  Today she is four months old, weighs 14.5 pounds, and is thriving in every way.  Praise God! Prior to Eliana's birth, I was unexpectedly hospitalized due to high blood pressure which led to preeclampsia.  For three weeks before delivery, I was … [Read more...] about Eliana’s Dedication | March 25, 2012

"Surrendering the pen to God does not commission God to fashion our trials.  Instead, surrendering the pen to God acknowledges His good will and ability to author our victories." -Lesley Sturm What does it mean to surrender the pen to God? Surrendering the pen is a phrase I coined to symbolize my submission to seeing God's goodness in all situations.  I coined this phrase during a time in my life when I found myself asking "WHY?" more often than any other question.  We lost a son.  His … [Read more...] about Fear Not in Surrendering the Pen