Merry Christmas!  I am so thankful for each of you. You have so brightened my life and encouraged me with your kind comments and friendship.  May the joy of Christmas fill your hearts with warmth and love! Celebrating the miracle of  Christmas,

On this fourth Sunday in Advent, we are only a few days away from the celebration of Christ’s birth.  It is fitting that we reflect upon God’s great love for us.  Our Maker, the Creator of the heavens and earth, could have left us to our own designs and suffering, but …

Several years ago I had the blessing of being our church’s first receptionist. Prior to me taking the position, we didn’t have a particular person answering the phones and greeting the people who came through the front door. However, as our church grew, the need to del…

“When they saw the star they were filled with great joy!” (Matthew 2:10) The Magi who sought the Messiah rejoiced when they saw the star in the east for they knew that it was a sign from the heavens that would lead them to their Savior. They longed to find the Lord so …

Purpose...  Thirty three years before Jesus walked the dusty road to Calvary, He came to this earth in the body of an infant.  The Creator became the created; wholly Divine and yet wholly human.  In that humble stable 2000 years ago, as angels watched and  a young moth…

I thought I'd re-post a popular post from last year.  As my husband prepare for Christmas this December, we have already enjoyed several of the ideas listed below!  For those of us who are “empty-nesters” Christmastime can be pretty nostalgic. I love Christmas, but…

Even though Thanksgiving is now over, we still have so much to be thankful for, don't we?  On this first Sunday in Advent – the beautiful season when we prepare our hearts for the celebration of the birth of Christ – we are reminded to place our hope in Him. He is …

Christmas was, is and will always be my favorite holiday. I love the festivities, the food, the love and warmth and most importantly, the reason why we celebrate. But, just like many of you, I can feel discouraged as I face another December. Ghosts of Christmases past…

When I first met my husband, I was eager to spend time with him and get to know him more. He was a mystery and everything I learned about him was new and exciting! Then, as the layers of his life and personality were revealed to me, we grew closer and our bond as a cou…

" 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." Ephesians 3:20 To you, Lord, I am turning my eyes.  You hear my prayers and you know my heart.  There is nothing beyond your r…

Have you ever flipped over a tapestry and looked at the back? It’s not very pretty. There are knotted ends, loose strings and haphazard designs. The color is often dull and unappealing and the texture is anything but smooth. But, flip the tapestry back over to the …

I've heard it said that the only constant thing in life is change. At this time of year, as the days become shorter, the morning air is turning crisp making it necessary to pull out our warm sweaters and scarves to fend off the chill. The familiar scent of wood smo…

Last year at about this time, I created a complementing resource for my Praying the Word page on my blog.  As I was looking it over recently, I thought I'd post the link again, just in case you missed it last year. On these prayer cards you'll find 31 of my fav…

Our God is not a distant God. He sees and cares about everything that happens to us in our lives. He comforts us and heals our aching hearts. I know you’ve heard that before . And, if you are like I used to be, believing that is fine and dandy for everyone else. B…

Tuesday morning I had the privilege of sharing some of my story before a group of women at my church. When the large group leader asked me if I would be willing to speak, I was a little bit nervous, but excited at the same time. I had never spoken in front of a large…

As I went through this past year, learning tough lessons on courage, God has shown me so much. One of the things I have learned has me really excited right now! I’ve learned the importance of not letting time slip away without following the inner nudging of the Lord.…

*Note:  The Sharing His Beauty Link Up is found if you scroll below this post.  In addition, today I'm also blessed to be sharing over at Lisa Shaw Cares!  (See below.)  I hope you are encouraged today! This month, my husband and I are blessed to be able to visit …

In the months leading up to January of this year, I chose a word to focus on as I met with God each day. You may remember from an earlier post, that the word I chose was “courage”. If I had known the full extent of what God was going to teach me about courage this ye…

Years ago, when the children of a good friend of mine were very small, they would say a phrase to each other that has stuck with me throughout the years. When one of the children was upset with the others, he would say they were "stealing his joy". I would …

"I had only heard about you before,  but now  I have seen you with my own eyes"  (Job 42:5). Thank you, Father, for your hand on my life.  When I was younger, I didn't truly understand who you were.  But as you have brought me through different seasons in…

For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to make people happy. That desire in itself is not a bad thing. However, when we try to meet someone’s unrealistic expectations and demands we are setting ourselves up for trouble. Creating happiness is actually out of ou…