Do you ever feel left out, or even forsaken? Do you fear your kids being left out? Maybe better questions would be: When was the last time you felt left out and how badly did it make you feel? When did you last perceive one of your children being left out, and what did you do to prevent it or make sure it didn’t happen again? What lengths do you go to ensure that none of you are left ... View Post
Unmet longings in a season of high expectations
Christmas! The season evokes so many emotions. Excitement for some. Dread for others. The joyful anticipation and preparation some embrace is a season of begrudging participation for others. Christmas may evoke new hope, and yet can also be a harsh reminder of past disappointments and dashed hopes. There’s possibly no other time of year when our expectations run as high, no other ... View Post
It is good to give thanks to the Lord
“What do you say?” I likely repeated that one phrase more often than any other while raising our kids. Sometimes it was a prompt for “I’m sorry.” Most of the time it was a reminder that “Thank you” was due to someone. As I sit here this Thanksgiving morning, I’m strongly reminded that “Thank you” is due Someone. Thank you is always due Him. And while I’ve spent time being thankful for many ... View Post
The best (and sometimes only) way to start your day
I’m amazed at the variety of emotions with which I wake up. Some mornings I feel great. Other mornings, a lot of mornings, I feel heavy - heavy in my heart, and at times negative in my thoughts. What I do with those first thoughts and emotions has a dramatic effect on the rest of the day. I’ve found there’s one needed response: Bring them to Jesus. Bringing my thoughts to Jesus looks different ... View Post
Way #48 – The struggle with prayer
I was so glad she said it. The words of this mature Christian brought hope into my struggle: Whether we admit it or not, we all struggle with prayer. I know I do, but I didn’t think she did. I didn’t expect her to think most people struggled with it too. Just knowing I wasn’t the only one motivated me to overcome — to become and encourage others to be the people of prayer God intends for us to ... View Post
Way #46 – Let’s talk about Jesus
Sitting at Starbucks, eavesdropping as I sheepishly admit I'm prone to do, I was fascinated by the conversation of two young men sitting across from me. They were talking about application development. One of them was creating an app; the other works for a tech company where he develops them. I was intrigued by what they knew and could do with technology. They must have noticed I was listening. ... View Post