“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing,in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Prayer is a huge privilege for me...especially when I share prayer time with friends. This week, I joined my praying-mom friends seated around a porch table in the presence of our King, Jesus. After... Continue Reading →

“And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” (Ephesians 5:2) In the United States, May 15 is “National Chocolate Chip Day.” And, World Cookie Day is August 4.  But as far as I'm concerned, every day is “Chocolate Chip Cookie... Continue Reading →

“I am the Lord, and there is no other; I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.” (Isaiah 45:6b-7) We’ve discovered an intruder in our house—the four-legged variety that likes cheese and chaos. This is no ordinary field mouse, however. This one has had ninja training. Despite our best efforts to ensnare it overnight, it... Continue Reading →

“Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown...." (Revelation 14:14) The official royal crown worn by the monarch of Great Britain—made of platinum, gold, silver, purple velvet, and ermine—contains 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, hundreds of pearls and the “Black... Continue Reading →

“Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14b) As Great Britain gears up for Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee—celebrating the longest reign, 70 years, for any monarch in English history—let’s take a look at the shortest reign, by the 16th-century noblewoman who lasted only nine days on the... Continue Reading →

“...let those who love Him be like the sun when it comes out in full strength.” (Judges 5:31b) I have a personal letter from Queen Elizabeth.  I’m not kidding. Okay, it’s from her lady-in-waiting. But it’s on royal stationery, and I’ll still claim it as a real letter from the Queen herself (see below).  Several years ago, my little book group... Continue Reading →

“But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.” (Luke 24:2) This Easter morning has been...profound and glorious. It began with a breathtaking view from the hill above our church at daybreak—the first “sunrise service” I’ve ever attended. There was something mysterious, promising, and enthralling about meeting our Savior there to worship Him. As we listened to... Continue Reading →

“The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: ‘Hosanna! “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” The King of Israel!’” (John 12:12-13) Even though our country hasn’t... Continue Reading →

“By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen.” (Job 37:10) We stood on the thick ice, just beyond the lake’s shore. Much further out from us, cars and people wandered aimlessly across the surface—an unfathomable danger to us Southerners who might see only an inch or so of ice on... Continue Reading →

“...for in Him we live and move and have our being....” (Acts 17:28a) The latest media news cycles have been chock full of devastating events. After more than two years of pandemic headlines, we now watch the unfolding of a catastrophic war in Ukraine.* Economic turbulence and woes assail us. Political parties blast each other. If... Continue Reading →