He Still Came. One recent December Sunday, as I stood in worship with my church family, I became overwhelmed with the incredible steadfast love of our God. The words resounded within me over and over as stories throughout the Bible flipped through my mind.  He still came! In the very beginning of time, God created this world and its inhabitants of all kinds. From that very first moment, He desired a relationship with his creation. In fact, He walked with the first two people, Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden. But they turned away from Him. They believed the lies of the snake instead ..read more

I read a book recently which describes our life with Jesus as an adventure through a familiar forest with our old, trusted walking stick. Sometimes we journey on the well-worn, well-known path. Other times we strike out to find a new adventure. And still other times we sit by the stream and remember treasured moments from past trips. Through it all, the walking stick points out things of interest, holds our hand, and catches us when we nearly fall. Now, the image is etched in my mind. I think it was God’s gift to my soul this season. It’s November. I’ve walked this part of the journey 18 ..read more

I received an unexpected small package in the mail this week. The return address told me that a sweet, thoughtful friend had been thinking about me. I wondered what could be in the bulky envelope. I looked inside and found a simply beautiful necklace. Smiling, I looked at the tag. When I read it, my heart instantly ached – and yet paused in amazement: “In Ethiopia, we partner with Artisan Businesses bringing hope and dignified work to women emerging from vulnerable situations. The Artisans utilize recycled metal melted down from artillery shells to transform objects of violence into objects of ..read more

Last weekend I enjoyed a delightful reunion with a group of people I treasure. We stayed at an Airbnb with an outdoor pool – and a firepit. I LOVE a campfire, especially on a chilly October evening. So, of course, we kindled a fire every night and enjoyed its warmth. Someone dug a napkin out of the trashcan, sent the children to find small sticks, and with the help of a lighter, we began the slow process of going from a tiny flame to a fire capable of cooking our supper. This morning in my devotional, I read Leviticus 6:12-13. “The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Ev ..read more