More than Unbroken

With so much negative news, every now and then we need to remind ourselves of how blessed we are. I was reminded this week that God is still moving and working in my life and the lives of those I care about. One of my cousins had major surgery. It could have altered her life if something had gone wrong. And there were a lot of things that could have gone wrong. But they didn’t. God is so good. Life is full of highs and lows. We can’t change the circumstances around us, but we can adjust our response. David understood this. He had been anointed as the next king of Israel, but first, he had to survive the jealousy and wrath of Saul. The future king spent a lot of time running for his life. Even as his life was on the line, he found a reason to praise. “ But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress.”  (Psalms‬ ‭59:16‬ ‭NLT‬‬) It’s not always easy to praise....

I love classic American literature. One poem that I always enjoyed speaks of what happens to dreams when they are postponed. I'm not talking about temporary material things. This is about life and career choices, family matters, and Kingdom work. But why would a loving God hold off on giving us our desires? Here's what I've discovered about myself over the years: I am fickle. I think I know what I want, but I usually talk myself out of it it before that "dream" ever comes to fruition. Now, I have also discovered something about God. He created me and therefore knows the true desires of my heart. His timing may not be like mine. He wants to bless me with good things. But my priorities have to be in order. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Psalm 37:4 When my focus is on God, He blesses me according to what He wants for my life. And usually, His dreams for me are better than my own. If someone had told me five years ago th...

It's January and time to purge the house of things we don't use, need, or want anymore. This is a particular challenge for me. My sentimentality usually gets the best of me, and I end up keeping most of what I should rid myself of. My mom and sister have perfected the art of decluttering, but I have a tendency to find new places, or in some cases create new spots, to store items that I just can't part with.  The start of a new year is also a great time to rid ourselves of things we are holding onto mentally, emotionally, and sometimes, physically. “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,” (Philippians‬ ‭3:13‬ ‭NLT‬‬) Paul's words to the church at Philippi were an encouragement for them to rejoice in any circumstance. He tells about his own past when he believed certain traditions and teachings of the law were the only way to reach God. However, because of Christ, no...

It’s no secret that I believe in divine healing. God has proven time and again that He still performs miracles and heals in various ways. This post may seem controversial because I have decided to share personal opinions along with my own experiences to talk about how God can heal us in different ways. Please understand that these are my own opinions after reading, prayer, and much consideration of what I’ve seen and experienced. If you feel differently, I understand. This post is in no way meant to criticize anyone, especially those in the medical community who fight for our lives and safety every day. This past week, my husband and I tested positive for Covid. The week before, my grandmother tested positive, and we are blessed that she received treatment that helped her recover. I am so grateful for the medical professionals that are doing all they can to help those affected by this ongoing illness. But I was also struck by something one of the doctors remarked. He first made a comme...

January is always a time to evaluate where we are in life and things we may want to change. Over the years, I have carefully pondered my New Year Resolutions to make them simplistic and manageable. It’s easy to feel ten feet tall and bulletproof at the start of the year. New beginnings. A new leaf. A fresh start. I’ve spoken of this before, and I would like to address it again. Life is not a series of good years and bad years. It is seasons. Winter inevitably hits us all, but guess what? Spring comes after winter and brings newness of life in such a beautiful way. 2021 came with its own challenges just as 2022 likely will. But, oh, the blessings we have seen in 2021. God has poured out his love and favor on our family, and we give Him thanks for every good and perfect gift. Our 2021 didn’t start as a fresh, new beginning. It was simply survival of another year. I had no idea what spring would bring into my life. One word: restoration.  For years, I have prayed to be reconciled with...