Beautiful Bible Passage Plus May Blogging Break

May 15, 2018 by 1 Comment

Hey friends, my last-half-of-May blogging break tradition is on again this year! As I’ve said in the past, since for most of us May proves to be the second busiest month of the year after December, wisdom tells me to slow things down where I can. And blogging is one place where I can do that.

I’ll be back with regular weekly posts on June 5, but in the meantime, let me leave you with a beautiful passage from the Word of God. Think of these words this spring and summer when you look up at the skies or gaze at mountain views or take a dip in the ocean. Remember, God’s love is vast. It cannot be measured. And best of all, it’s for all of us!

“Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the skies.
Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
your justice like the great deep.
You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.
How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house;
you give them drink from your river of delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.” Psalm 36:5-9 NIV

*How has God shown you his love this month?

*The new issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, came out earlier this month. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is free and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.)

*My photo

Filed Under: balance, blogs, faithfulness, love, rest, righteousness, simplify, tradition, wisdom, Word of God Tagged With: , , , , ,

A Grandmother’s Prayer

May 8, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Since we often think about both mothers and grandmothers during the Mother’s Day season, I’d like to share a bit of my heart as a grandmother with you today.

I became a grandmother a little over three years ago, first to a set of twin boys and then nineteen months later to another set of twin boys. Yes, you heard right. And yes, we are incredibly blessed!

As with any grandmother, my joy-factor skyrocketed to a new level when our little loves were born. I’ve thoroughly embraced my new status and want to be the best grandma I can be. And the best way to express my heart’s desires as a grandmother is to share what I’d like to say to the Lord about the new role he’s entrusted to me.

And so I give you “A Grandmother’s Prayer.” It’s not so much a prayer for grandmothers to pray for their grandchildren, rather it’s a prayer for grandmothers to pray for themselves. I hope it will bless you—and that even if you are not a grandmother, you will be able to make it your own in some way. May it inspire prayers from your own heart’s desires!

A Grandmother’s Prayer

Oh Lord, what a gift you’ve given to me, what a trust. The chance to be a loving grandmother to precious and dearly loved grandchildren. My heart leaps and sings for joy just thinking about it. Thank you for this awesome privilege.

I pray, Lord, that my sweet grandsons will never question my love for them. May they always know how crazy I am about them and that I’m in their corner. And more than that, I pray that my love for them will be a picture of your unconditional and unfailing love. May my love and presence in their lives be one of the things that draws them each one to faith in you.

Help me, Lord, to be a winsome example of how to live a life that honors you and encourages others. Whatever happens in my life, help me conduct myself in a manner worthy of you. (Philippians 1:27) And from that, Lord, may my grandsons see traits and qualities they adopt and develop in their own lives.

Finally, Lord, remind me continually that time is short and that these little ones will grow up in a flash. Help me to be an involved grandmother who invests my time, attention, and affection in the precious grandchildren you’ve given to me. Please bless me, Lord, with year upon year of making memories with them and with watching them become men who love and honor you.

All this I pray in your name, Lord. May it be so!

“I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.” Psalm 89:1 NIV

*How can you pray for one of your heart’s desires?

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride and also my Wedding Inspiration cards, check out my Books/My Work page.

*The new issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, came out last week. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is free and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.)

*My daughter Kristin’s photo

Filed Under: blessing, faith, faithfulness, family, joy, leadership, life, love, memories, prayer, time, trust Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Rock-Solid Words of Hope

September 12, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Many around the world are in need of hope today. Their situations look bleak if not impossible. They are struggling to hang on to hope.

Right here in our country, countless folks in Florida and Texas are dealing with the aftermath of hurricane force winds, tornadoes, and the floodwaters that came with Irma and Harvey. Some may feel that all hope slipped away with the winds and waters that wreaked such havoc on their lives. And in yet other parts of the country, people are battling wildfires.

Others of us may be in need of hope right now for different reasons. If you fall into that group, this post is for you as well as for all of those struggling to regain their footing after their foundations literally got blown or washed or burned away.

The truest and most powerful words of hope I can share with you come straight from the Word of God. God’s Word is a firm foundation. His promises are rock-solid. May the following scriptures inspire fresh hope and strengthen your faith today, my friends!

“. . . I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed.” Isaiah 49:23

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

“‘There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the valley of Achor [trouble] a door of hope.’” Hosea 2:15

“As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.” Psalm 71:14

“Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.” Zechariah 9:12

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him . . .” Romans 15:13

Praise God for the hope we have in him!

*Which of these verses speak to you most powerfully today?

*Since September is an exceptionally busy month for me this year, I’m taking a short break and will be back on the 26th. Maybe you can take a look at my list of Favorite Posts (sidebar) and read some posts from there. Blessings!

*Flickr photo by Our Enchanted Gardens, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: burden, disaster, faith, faithfulness, hope, strength, trial, trust, Word of God Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

What Will I Do When a Storm Descends

May 9, 2017 by Leave a Comment

*I pray this encore post from April 2011 blesses you today!

A potential health crisis threatened our family a few weeks ago. A cancer scare. Like storm clouds hovering overhead, thoughts of “what if” cast their shadow for days. We deliberately tried to shove them aside, but they were still there, hiding just beyond the surface.

I won’t go into specifics of who and what, but the scare did not involve an extended family member, but one within our immediate family. Yes, that’s right. It hit close. Too close. And too unthinkable — though I had to remind myself, like so many others have had to do, not to ask “Why us?” but “Why not us?”

Thank God, benign test results relieved our fears, but those days of waiting gave rise to countless thoughts, feelings, and ultimately a few overarching questions: If it proves to be cancer, what will we do with our faith in God? Will we stay faithful and continue to trust him even if the news is devastating? Or will we pull away — and stay away — from him, losing faith that he is good and that he loves us? In other words, will we run to him or away from him?

Mercifully, God spared us from having to live out the answers to those questions in full, but we tried to prepare ourselves for the worst. We remembered the truths of God’s love for us and of how he can bring something good out of a heartbreaking situation. We reminded ourselves that he would be with us every step of the way. You might say we were preparing ourselves to be faithful, preparing ourselves to trust him, no matter the outcome.

One day a similar life test will go differently. One day we’ll have to live out the answers to these faith questions in full. Some of us reading this today have, in fact, already faced such a crisis, but even so, will we be ready for the next one? Join me today in considering, “What will I do with my faith when the unthinkable happens? What will I do when the storm descends?”

“But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign LORD; in you I take refuge…” Psalm 141:8a

*What helps you stay faithful to your faith in God when times of heartbreak come?

*The new issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, came out last week. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is free and to the right!

*My photo

Filed Under: disaster, faith, faithfulness, family, grief, preparation, trial, trust Tagged With: , , , ,

Never Give Up in Prayer

February 7, 2017 by Leave a Comment

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“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

Have you ever felt like giving up in your prayers for a certain person or about a particular issue? Maybe his or her heart seems too hard to ever desire a change or maybe that issue seems impossible and beyond all reasonable hope. You may feel like your prayers aren’t making a difference at all.

We’ve probably all experienced discouraging thoughts like these at some point or other. When we grow discouraged, when we grow weary in our prayers, let’s remember that “…nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:47)

The next time we lose heart, let’s be honest with the Lord and ask him to refresh us. Let’s share our burdens with one another and encourage each other. Let’s determine to keep looking for the harvest. Let’s determine to never give up.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV

*Is there something or someone I can join you in prayer for today? Please feel free to share in the comments.

*The new issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter which includes a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, came out last week. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is free and to the right!

*I hope this slightly revised encore post from January 2011 was a blessing to you today!

*Flickr photo by ^@^ina (Irina Patrascu Gheorghita ), Creative Commons License

Filed Under: burden, determination, encouragement, faith, faithfulness, hope, perseverance, prayer, refresh, wait Tagged With: , , , ,
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