Still Working
“Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.” Genesis 45:8 HCSB From a pit To a prison To the palace It wasn’t an easy path for Joseph but God knew where he was going ... and was with him every step of the way. Maybe your life hasn’t turned out how you thought it would. I’ve had some stops on my journey that I probably wouldn’t have chosen for myself. Thankfully, we serve the God of
From the Edge of Death
It was September 19, 2016. I am a planner, and my plan for the day was to take our youngest son to the doctor. He had a small cyst on the back of his neck which needed to be removed (thankfully, it was nothing too serious). My husband had rescheduled his morning work meetings & I had taken the day off. We were almost out the door, when my husband received a phone call. It was a care flight nurse. His parents were involved in a serious car accident. At that moment, not only did our plans for the day
Our Family Tree
This past weekend, I was able to partake in a unique experience. A video chat had been organized for my father’s paternal cousins and their children all over the world. What a joy to connect with many after years of not seeing one another. One of the most special parts of the call was a slideshow of my grandfather and his nine siblings. Each sibling was featured with their spouse and the names of their children were listed. For someone who loves history, this had me excited beyond belief! In fact, I was so thrilled that later in the evening,
My Home Sweet Home
He was kind, probably in his upper teens, but seemed wiser than his years. We were driving through the dirt roads of Guatemala, and he sat in the row behind me, staring out the window. We were part of a group, eager to be in this country to share our stories and our faith. I was taking in the scenery, the stray dogs roaming the streets, the small huts in desperate need of repair, the children playing outside with household items. Life here seemed so different. I turned around to him and said, "I feel sorry for the people here...",
Waiting
Waiting. It can feel like the worst. Just yesterday, I happened to pick the “slow” lane at the grocery store. As most of you probably do, I try my best to anticipate which will go the fastest. By all accounts, I had picked the right one. But it wasn’t so. I could feel myself getting anxious as I saw the people in the other lane who came after me finish paying and leave, while my lane hadn’t moved at all. The struggle was real. But in all seriousness, I’ve spent a lot of time waiting for more important things. I
The Battle Belongs to the Lord
I’ll be honest with you Friend. I’m at a loss for words in our present times. It’s easy to drown in scrolling through social media and watching one news report after the other, leaving us anxious and confused. As I turned to the Bible, I found myself in 2 Chronicles 20. We meet Jehosophat, who was ruling as king of Judah, doing what was right in God’s eyes. He received news that enemies were on the way to wage war with him and the nation. How overwhelming and frightening! What does one do?? Jehosophat resolved to inquire of the Lord.He
A Lesson from Moses
This week, as I was driving to the grocery store, the national anthem began playing on the radio. As I heard it's familiar tune, I felt my eyes sting with tears and a lump form in my throat. I don't usually react this way. In fact, the last time I reacted like that was when I heard the national anthem play for the first time after the 9/11 attacks. Our country was broken and people were grieving. As I watch life unfold around me, I have often prayed- God where are you? I found some comfort in the Bible that
Welcome Home
When our church doors reopened late last summer, my family couldn’t get inside fast enough. We knew things would be different...We’d wear masks, sit every other row, the water fountains would be shut off. There would be no more coffee in the lobby, no handshakes, and no hugs....but that’s okay. We were THRILLED to be back in the house of God. It’s where we get to experience corporate worship and gather as one. It’s where we find inspiration, not only from the pulpit or the worship team, but from one another... Speaking of finding inspiration, I’d like you to meet
There’s More
Even if we read scripture every day, listen to all the sermons on YouTube and go to church every time the doors are open ... there’s more. Even if we grew up in a Christian home, got saved at a young age and memorized John 3:16 ... there’s more. Even if we have read the entire Bible, sing on a church stage or teach behind a pulpit ... there’s more. No matter how much we think we know God - keep asking, keep knocking, keep seeking...There’s more. “And these are but the outer fringe of his works; how faint the
Laments
These last twenty-four hours have been heartbreaking and mind-boggling. We never expected our year to start this way. We're left feeling hurt, confused, frustrated, sad, and helpless. Can anyone relate? When we look into the Bible, Jeremiah is someone who could probably relate. As a prophet, he was called by God to denounce sin and warn the Israelites that judgement and destruction was coming, if they didn't change their ways. Nebuchadnezzar was a ruler in Babylon, and as Jeremiah prophesied, this king attacked Jerusalem and destroyed the city along with the temple. This changed the course of Jerusalem's history. Because
