More than Unbroken

We memorialize people whom we care about after they are gone. Typically, this is done with a headstone at a grave. If the person who passed away had some significant influence, their name may be attached to a building, award, or some other monument as a reminder of what kind of person they were and how their life brought goodness into the world. I remember the days that followed the death of our Pastor Chuck when we clung to each other as a church body. There was such an urgency in many of  us to maintain his work and keep his legacy alive. His passing birthed my writing journey. Others were more fervent about their faith and how they wanted to live. Over time, unfortunately, we tend to return to “normal” and forget the fervor we once may have had. That’s why physical memorials are important in keeping a person’s legacy alive. The Israelites were notorious for setting memorials to remind them of what God had done. “We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future your ch...

Most people don’t mince words when it comes to expressing passionate thoughts and ideas about religion, politics, and even other people. Unfortunately, this can often lead to a mob mentality. The most famous example of this in the Bible is the crowd that welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem and were swayed to cry out for His death before the end of the week. Of course, we know that this occurred to fulfill prophecy, but it’s also a tremendous example of how easily influenced and misguided humanity can be. Meanwhile, the leading priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be put to death. So the governor asked again, “Which of these two do you want me to release to you?” The crowd shouted back, “Barabbas!” Pilate responded, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” They shouted back, “Crucify him!” “Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?” But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!” Pilate saw that he wasn’t...

It had been “one of those days.” Work had left me feeling exhausted and stressed. Severe weather had me and others on edge. In the rush of the day and the pouring rain, I had neglected to plan for supper. I was tired, cranky, and wanted to share my troubles with my family. After all, misery loves company. Company, however, doesn’t care for misery. I was trying to pull together (or throw together) a meal, and in a moment of exasperation I laid my head in my hands and cried out to God. In selfishness. The conversation went something like this: Me: Doesn’t anyone care about my stress and what’s going on with me? God: I do. Me: I know you care. But I spend so much time giving everyone my best. At what point does someone give me their best? God: I already did. I gave you my Son. OUCH. In my selfishness, I wanted to mope and complain. I wanted to wallow in self-pity. I wanted to be heard and seen. Holy Spirit gave me a hard reality check. And a timely one. For God so loved the world that He ...

I am horrible at making decisions. Even small things like what to eat for lunch leave me contemplating. In recent years, I have opted out of making any minor decisions and saving my energy for the bigger things in life that need my attention. There is a Bible story about the master of decisions, King Solomon. He is noted as the wisest king on earth, and in 1 Kings chapter three, we read of one of the greatest examples of his wisdom. Two women had come to the king. They had each had a baby, but one of the babies died in the night. They both claimed that the living child was theirs. Solomon had a sword brought in and ordered that the baby be cut in half. When the baby’s mother protested to his death and the other woman consented to killing the child, Solomon declared the first woman to be the baby’s mother. It amazes me that Solomon could make such a decision with no hard evidence except his trust in God to give him wisdom. King Solomon valued wisdom above all qualities and desired to le...

I've said it before, but it's worth repeating. Spring is my favorite time of year. We have been on spring break this week, and except for one rainy day, the weather has been mild and true spring-like temperatures. This is a luxury we don't often get in Florida. In fact, I'm writing in the windy March weather outside even though I'm "indoorsy." Spring is the ultimate season of renewal. One unfortunate detail about myself is my lack of ability to grow plants. Last year, I decided to try succulents. The frost got them, and I knew I had once again failed. On closer inspection, though, I recognized that new growth was sprouting up. I cut away the dead leaves and planted some new, smaller plants. It's been a few years, but we have baby chicks again at the barn. Our hens have been faithful to provide eggs, but it was time to raise up new production hens to meet our family needs. Baby animals are one of my favorite parts of springtime. Life is everywhere, and ...

It’s been a busy few weeks for our family. There have been birthdays to celebrate, shows to perform, tournaments to compete in, and we have managed to keep moving with daily life. Now, I feel like we have come to a brief pause. And it’s a welcome moment! Busyness in itself is not a bad thing. When you are active as a family, you make a lot of memories together, and that’s wonderful. At some point, however, there must be a reprieve from all of it. Some would call it margin. Making space to restore your mind and body. The fact is that I have become so dependent on this “white space” to function in a healthy way. It’s okay, and actually good, to set aside time to rest. God gave us this in the Sabbath. “You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of complete rest, an official day for holy assembly. It is the Lord’s Sabbath day, and it must be observed wherever you live.” Leviticus‬ ‭23:3‬ ‭NLT‬‬ God created the earth in six days and rested on th...

I’ve procrastinated in writing my blog this week. So as I sit at 8:00 on Sunday night, I feel a tad guilty. At the same time, this week has been particularly busy for me. I teach theatre, and this week was our spring musical. In the moments I’ve had time to think, I haven’t had any inspiration, and I have let time slip away.  So now, it’s 8:03 on Sunday night, and I’m working to form some kind of encouragement to share. All that resounds inside of me is that God meets us in the busyness. Even in my moments of stress and chaos, I am at perfect peace because I know the God of order. When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn. Psalms‬ ‭142:3‬ ‭NLT‬‬ An inspirational message has eluded me. And all I am left with is the peace of God and the confidence that He is with me no matter how I feel. He bends down and meets me where I am to give me what I need in every moment. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath! Psalms‬ ‭116:2‬ ‭NLT‬‬ This week...