Healed by God’s Word

June 4, 2024 by Leave a Comment

“He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.” Psalm 107:20 NIV

Our celebration of Easter each spring reminds us that Jesus “was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5 NIV) Praise God for the healing that comes from his wounds! For the price he paid for our sins.

But not only are we healed by his wounds, the verse above from Psalm 107 points out that we are healed by his word as well. When the pain is great, when defeat looms large, when confusion rules, our precious Father sends his word to heal us and to minister to us.

He’s done if for me time and again when my need has been great. He’s sent the healing touch of his word in a variety of ways—everything from my daily Bible reading to a scripture I see posted on social media or to reassurance he whispers to my spirit. The avenue can vary but his word stands the same. And his word heals.

Praise God for the healing that comes from his word!

“When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name LORD God Almighty.” Jeremiah 15:16 NIV

*How has God sent his healing word to you?

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, will come out in early August. Sign-up is FREE. *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride check out my Books/My Work page.

*My photo

Filed Under: blessing, comfort, encouragement, faith, faithfulness, heal, help, holidays, joy, life, miracle, praise, provision, refresh, salvation, sin, variety, word, Word of God Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Fun Nail Polish Gift from the Bride to Her Maids

June 4, 2024 by Leave a Comment

Mother of the Bride, at some point in the days or weeks preceding the wedding, here’s a fun gift idea for the bride to give her bridesmaids—nail polish! And not just any nail polish, but nail polish in the color of their dresses or bouquets. Fun and pretty, too, huh?

Not only will your daughter’s maids appreciate this special treat, but it will help their overall wedding day look come together as well. Variety can look fun and festive on the big day, but uniformity has a special beauty too.

And just think of the great photos that might result if their nails are all done in the same color. The photographer could actually take a few shots with their hands in mind. Pretty shots with their bouquets, pops of the same color as they help the bride get into her gown, and even a shot specifically showing off their hands. And if they use the polish on their toes as well, you’ve got more cute photo possibilities ahead!

You or the bride might even want to take the gift of nail polish a step further and surprise the bridesmaids with a professional manicure and have them take their polish to the salon (would probably be a good idea to have purchased the polish there.) This extra treat is entirely optional, of course, but it could be a fun outing for all the girls—bride included—a couple of days before the wedding.

Worth suggesting to the bride, MOB? I think so! And why not get your nails done at the same time? Go ahead—have some fun and treat yourself!

*You might also like to read Bridesmaids’ Manicure: Polka Dots and More.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride check out my Books/My Work page.

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, will come out in early August. Sign-up is FREE. *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*Flickr photo by Upupa4me, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: accessories, beauty, bride, bridesmaids, celebrate, color, decorate, Friend, fun, Gift, joy, memories, Mother of the Bride, photo fun, preparation, surprise, wedding Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wedding Day Photo: Black and White Bubble Shot

April 16, 2024 by Leave a Comment

Mother of the Bride, I’ve got a great wedding day photo idea for you today. I hope you and the happy couple are keeping a list of must-have shots to share with your photographer. If so, you might want to add this to your list pronto.

If your daughter and her groom have decided to use bubbles during their send-off from the church or reception site, why not ask the photographer to use a black and white photo finish.

As you can see in the photo above, this shot done in black and white really causes the bubbles to stand out. I love how it almost makes them look like snow falling. I also love how the couple is kissing in the shot above. The perfect touch, right? If you ask your sweet couple to do the same, I’m sure they’ll be happy to oblige!

Show this photo to your daughter and her beloved, MOB, and see what they think. If they haven’t decided on what to use during the send-off, they may decide to go with bubbles just to get a shot like this!

*You might also like to read Engagement Photo Idea: Show Off the Ring, Bridal Portraits: Include Some Artsy Shots, and Engagement Photo Idea: Playground Fun.

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

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, will come out in early May. One lucky subscriber (new or current) will receive a $15 gift card to Barnes & Noble and a signed copy of my book to use personally, give as a gift, or donate to a library. *Sign-up is FREE! *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*Flickr photo by Corey Ann, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: bride, celebrate, fun, groom, joy, keepsake, memories, Mother of the Bride, photo fun, preparation, tradition, wedding Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Let’s Cause Others to Rejoice

March 19, 2024 by Leave a Comment

“May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in your word.” Psalm 119:74 NIV

Do people rejoice when they see us coming? Does it make them happy to get to spend time with us?

If so, why? If you’re like me, it might be because you carry chocolate at all times. Ha! Hopefully, though, it’s something more meaningful than that. Maybe we always have a smile for others and freely share encouraging words. Or perhaps we’re good listeners. Think about yourself for a moment. Why do people rejoice when they see you?

On the other hand, if people don’t rejoice when they see us, why not? Could it be that we tend to have a negative attitude or are always criticizing others? Are they afraid we’ll slam them with a sarcastic remark or perhaps pass them by, treating them like they’re invisible?

None of us want to become a person that others dread interaction with or try to avoid. Instead I think we all hope to be someone that others are drawn to and want to be around. We all want to be liked.

The verse above from Psalm 119 holds one of the keys to being a source of joy for others. It tells us that if we put our hope in God, people may indeed rejoice when they see us.

This could be true for a variety of reasons. If we’re trusting in God and his Word, we may radiate a sense of peace and joy that naturally spills out onto others. We may have a reputation for honesty and dependability or inspire confidence and hope in others. We may have the wisdom of God’s Word stored up in our hearts, making us a welcome source of encouragement and advice.

I don’t know about you, but I want others to rejoice when they see me. I want others to see the love, the peace, the power, the wisdom, and the hope of God when they look at me. And the only way that can happen is to stay very close to him.

I bet you’d like others to see glimpses of the Lord in you as well. To be honest, we’ll fail at times, but that’s no reason not to try. Let’s surrender our hearts to him each day and let him fill us. Let’s cause others to rejoice when they see us coming!

How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?” 1 Thessalonians 3:9 NIV

*What do you want others to see in you?

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, will come out in early May. Sign-up is FREE! *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

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

*Photo by Hannah Busing on Unsplash

Filed Under: blessing, cheer, encouragement, family, Friend, hope, joy, kindness, life, love, neighbor, peace, refresh, variety, wisdom Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Take Time to Get Energized

February 20, 2024 by Leave a Comment

You know the feeling. The lift in your spirit, the yes in your heart, the light in your eyes. You’re doing something you love to do. And you get a little rush of joy. You’re energized.

Sometimes this burst of happiness happens in the midst of our regular work—and how fortunate we are if our work does this for us. Not everyone is so lucky.

For writers like me, many times we have to just plod along, laying down one sentence after another while stopping frequently to agonize over the right word choice. We’re not sure the piece is working and then bam—the right word, the right phrase, the right rhythm flashes through our minds and everything comes together. We feel exhilarated. Our hearts say yes!

More often, though, I would guess that such rushes of joy come as we engage in interests or passions that are not work-related. For me, I’ve found that taking photos—especially capturing something unusual or beautiful in nature—also makes my heart say yes and sparks a happy burst of fresh energy.

When this kind of satisfying joy and excitement pays us a visit, let’s soak it up and enjoy it to the fullest. Let’s pay attention to it and pinpoint the things that make our spirits take wing.

Once we’ve identified the things that energize us, wouldn’t it make sense to engage in those activities regularly? Those infusions of happiness will benefit not only our sense of well-being but our relationships and work as well.

After all, the lift in our spirits, the yes in our hearts, the light in our eyes are all worth the time we take to get that little rush of joy. So let’s do it. Let’s get energized!

“My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.” Psalm 28:7 NIV

*What energizes you?

*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! Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

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

*Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

Filed Under: balance, creation/creative/creator, encouragement, fun, joy, life, light, love, passion, photo fun, refresh, variety, work, writing Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
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