I don’t know about you, but I often find it easier to pray for others than it is to pray for myself. I’ll be in conversation with a friend and they’ll share about an issue with their kid or a sick relative, and I don’t have a problem storming the gates of heaven to...

To be known and loved by people is vital in this world. But, to pray for them or to be prayed for by them, that’s a hint of Heaven.  How do we help our friends? We write cards, send flowers, and bake casseroles in times of need. We help them move furniture (clearly an...

Have you ever considered how what you wear represents who you are and what you do? Our wardrobes include leggings for keeping active, business suits for work and meetings, a favorite old sweater for relaxing days, and pretty dresses for special occasions. You prepare...

At bedtime each night, my husband and I take turns reading a short devotional to our daughter from one of the various age-appropriate Bible storybooks on her bookshelf. Over the years the stories have gotten more complex, the topics more relevant to her current...

Several years ago, I spent a 40-minute drive to my parents’ house instructing my American fiancé how to properly greet his Cuban soon-to-be father-in-law. I explained that my family kissed on the cheek, rather than just shaking hands. We forgo all the formality and...

In our fast-paced culture, it is hard to wait. We are accustomed to getting what we want or need at an ever-increasing speed. Fast food sometimes isn’t fast enough anymore. Our internet speeds are instant, no longer the dial-up wait times of the past. Even being able...

I remember my mom once telling me a story about something her father was known to say: “There’s more where that came from.”  Her father had a very generous and compassionate heart. Even though their family did not have much in the way of wealth, they lived with open...

A few weeks back, I went into the backyard with a bucket and picked up a bunch of rocks. I carried the heavy pail inside and poured its contents onto the kitchen counter. Then I grabbed a black marker and wrote down the current year on one rock. Underneath the date, I...

Loss is something I have become very familiar with over the years.  First, it was my dad, then my younger sister six months later . . . then my mom.  I still remember each phone call I received, telling me I had yet again lost another family member. Within five short...

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes...

As a kid, I remember going to a father-daughter camp with my dad. One of the activities was to climb up a double pamper pole together. If you have never been on one of these, it is a tall wooden pole with metal hooks all the way up to place your feet on as you climb....

Sometimes I can’t help but wonder why God doesn’t answer all prayers the same way. I wonder why I see one prayer answered the same day I prayed it and yet another prayer left unanswered for a long time. I have realized that God’s timetable is not mine. He has a...

We sat in a room in the basement of the church that was typically used by a middle school youth group. Although I had attended several women’s studies at the church, this was the first one that my husband and I chose to do together. I couldn’t tell you the name of the...

​​“Thanks for calling customer service. Press 1 for billing, press 2 for … yada yada yada.” Some of my worst moments are when I lose my temper (ridiculous, I know) with the automated customer service robot and yell that “I just need to talk to someone real!” It can be...

For a long time, I thought that having a “successful” prayer life would require me to spend hours at a time with the Lord. I thought that to really pray effectively, I needed to get better or improve my prayer time. In my imagination, having a healthy prayer life...

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. –Colossians 1:9 There is a battle raging all around us. We all feel it. For...

My phone started to ding and I picked it up to read a very discouraging message. Someone I loved was in distress. Just a few days earlier, my friend had been released from the hospital after battling COVID. I thought he was past the hard part and home, but he took a...