There are so many rules and regulations that people have tagged onto religion. I don’t believe that those kind of guidelines are necessarily what God had in mind. It surprises me how many people can spit out Bible verses with amazing clarity and precision but also with venom and without any compassion. We are all created in God’s image, therefore we all have worth in His eyes. People make choices and sometimes those choices are something I know God has declared to be unbiblical. Does that mean I should berate and harass them? How is that showing God’s love? There are a lot of hot button topics ..read more

As I was on a group call with my friends last night, we talked about a great many things, including how we make assumptions. Sometimes we are making assumptions about other people without getting to know them based on an unfavorable first impression. Sometimes we make assumptions about how people perceive us based on our own insecurities. I am guilty of both. Are you? To be honest, I find myself having an easier time assuming that someone doesn’t like me rather than assuming they do. Why is it so easy for us to believe the negative about ourselves? My husband can tell me he thinks I’m beautifu ..read more

I am an insecure woman. I know I am not alone in this, but I often feel alone. I know a few people who seem genuinely pleased when they see me, but I am not exactly the most sought out by any stretch of the imagination. I do not make friends, or keep them, easily. I am constantly second guessing myself, wondering if I am truly welcome or merely being tolerated because of common courtesy. It is hard to believe that someone would actually desire my company and I often find myself feeling honored by the slightest bit of attention thrown my way. As if I am not worth knowing or spending time with ..read more

If you ask just about anyone what one of the most heartwrenching things to deal with is, I would guess they would say dealing with loss. Whether it’s the loss of a family member, friend, opportunity, dream…it hurts. And it takes a long time to heal, sometimes your entire life. For me, it was hard to get over the loss of my 2 babies I miscarried. In addition to losing the dream of holding those precious children in my arms and watching them grow, I also had to face the guilt I felt in losing them. I felt that if I had done something, anything different, they might still be alive. Looking back ..read more

It has been a crazy time. My family and I, and many other people we know, have had a lot of trials and tribulations this year. Some relationships have been broken, others have been mended or renewed. We’ve had deaths and births. We’ve had hurting and healing. But one thing has held us all together, sustained us, and remained our common thread. We all have God. Sometimes we have cried out to Him on our hands and knees, begging for mercy and deliverance. Sometimes we have raised angry fists to Him, screaming in agony and desperation. Always, God has listened to us, loving us, intervening for us ..read more

I have always been a bit of a tomboy. I wasn’t on any official sports teams in school but I participated in a lot of neighborhood basketball, football, baseball, and various other outdoor activities. Even as I got older and started to “notice boys”, although I’d wear makeup and play with my hair color, I wasn’t overly concerned with my looks. My hair was usually kept short because I hated dealing with it. I bit my nails and never bothered with nail polish. I dressed like a slob most of the time with a uniform of t-shirts and jeans. In fact, even now at age 51, I’m still most comfortable in my ..read more

“Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” ~Job 1:21 (KJV) I have heard several variations and also many misquotes of this verse for many years. I never particularly liked it. It seemed so cold and callous. I would envision God up in Heaven dangling things and people I loved before me, just to snatch them away again. I especially felt that way after my two miscarriages. During those times, well-meaning believers would quote that verse to me in an effort to encourage me. It had the oppos ..read more

When I started homeschooling in 1999, I read a lot of books to help to prepare me. In one of these books, I found a great little story that taught me a little bit about perspective and attitude. Here is a condensed and paraphrased version: A man noticed two other men digging in the ground. Both were very hard at work, at opposite sides from each other. The first man went up to one of the workers and asked, “What are you doing?” The worker threw his shovel down in disgust and answered angrily, “What do you think I’m doing? I’m digging a ditch, you moron!” The first man left and went to see what ..read more

Today is my birthday. I am 51 years old today. 51. Back in my younger days, the idea of being 51 terrified me. That number represented being old, over the hill, no longer experiencing life but merely existing, assuming I would pass away into ancient insignificance. Oh, how wrong I was! How arrogant. How self-pitying. How STUPID!!! 51 is a great place to be! I may not be young anymore but I don’t need to be put out to pasture quite yet. Thanks to some great choices I’ve made in the last year, I am healthier than I was, even in my 20’s! I am (mostly) comfortable in my own skin and in who God for ..read more

It’s an old platitude that when you put God in His proper place, everything else goes into its’ proper place. I feel that’s true, today more than ever. I feel…empowered, enlivened, enjoyable, lighter, loved, cherished, possible, encouraged, excited, hopeful, and..at long last…peaceful. Yes, after many years of struggling and questioning and doubting, I have found peace. I will never relinquish it. I have fought for this reward, this gift. It is precious, it will not be squandered or taken for granted. I forgive those who have hurt me in the past and acknowledge the hurt I have caused in return ..read more