The Privileged Life: Ways to Honor the Fallen…and Jesus Christ
“You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power….” (Revelation 4:11) Memorial Day frequently comes and goes for many of us without remembrance. We treat it casually, just another holiday to celebrate with cookouts, a day at the park, or shopping sales. This morning, however, the gloom of rain has brought to my mind the real reason for setting this day aside—to remember those who gave their lives to keep America (and so many other nations) free from tyranny.…
The Privileged Life: “No One is So Lost…”
“When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him.” (Mark 5:6) Over the weekend, I learned that Dr. Harry Reeder, senior pastor of Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Ala., had been killed in a tragic car accident. It happened the day before the Lord called Dr. Timothy Keller, founder of Redeemer Church in New York City, home after his three-year battle with cancer. Both of these men were influential preachers/authors, and their words had a profound impact on my…
The Privileged Life: In the Wilderness with God
“Now it happened, when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, ‘Take note! David is in the Wilderness of En Gedi.’” (1 Samuel 24:1) Have you ever taken a personal spiritual retreat? Just you and God in the wilderness? Last week, I joined my good friend Mary Ellen at the Billy Graham Training Center in The Cove near Asheville, N.C.* It was our third retreat together and the best so far. After a stressful day of deadlines, I…
The Privileged Life: The Masterpiece that Captured My Heart
“So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, ‘He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.’” (John 8:7) I stood in the Siberian art gallery and stared. I lost complete track of time, all sense of where I was. I lost myself into the depth of the painting, joining the spectators within it, blending into the brushstrokes. I waited breathlessly, as they did, to see what would happen. It’s been…
The Privileged Life: In the Hands of a Master Potter
“But now, O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8) Alongside the lazy Nolichucky River in our county is an unremarkable field of tomato plants…until you start looking at the dirt. Scattered throughout the fertile loam are small broken pieces of clay pottery, evidence of human civilization from centuries ago. The field was once home to a Cherokee village, perhaps dating to the early 1600s. Over the years, plows crushed much…
The Privileged Life: Are Your Efforts Really Worth It?
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58 Do you ever look back at your work and wonder if it was effective? Did you really accomplish anything? Or was it all in vain? For those of us older folks, getting closer to retirement, these are valid questions. I’ve spent a lot of time writing articles that quickly vanished. Journalism is ephemeral, in the news today and…
The Privileged Life: To Love and Be Loved—Unconditionally
“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” (1 John 4:11) When I accepted an invitation to our community prayer breakfast earlier this month, I didn’t expect to be gobsmacked by a former football player. I figured we were gathering to pray for our local leaders, teachers, healthcare workers, pastors, first responders, etc. And we did. It was great. But when the keynote speaker, Rev. Rickey Bolden, came to the podium, he knocked me off my…
The Privileged Life: When Earthquakes Leave You Shaky
“And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth.” (Revelation 16:18) In 1989, Dr. Iben Browning predicted a major earthquake on the New Madrid fault line along the Mississippi River, to occur around Dec. 3, 1990.1 Remember the massive destruction that day? Well, no…because it never happened. My husband and I were newlyweds living in Memphis at the time, near the fault line.…
The Privileged Life: From Deathly Darkness into Easter Light
“He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” (Matthew 28:6) I spent a very long minute in a tomb. As our tour group moved ahead on the path around the Nazareth Village historic park in Israel, I lingered behind. The others had already entered and exited a family vault carved into the hillside. I wanted to see it alone. The space was cramped, with a very low ceiling that kept…
The Privileged Life: Wave the Palm Branch
“Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ The King of Israel!” (John 12:13b) As Holy Week approaches and we focus on events leading to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, it’s easy to cruise on by Palm Sunday in our eagerness to get to Easter. Sure, we put palm branches in our churches and sometimes even have children parading down the aisle waving the fronds. We’ll sing “Hosanna, Loud Hosanna,” or maybe “The Palms” by Jean-Baptiste Faure. But all…
The Privileged Life: How Thirsty Are You?
“…for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters.” (Revelation 7:17a) Water. Such a luxury. When my mom was a toddler in the 1930s Depression, my grandparents had to move to a rustic house in Appalachia…with no running water. But my grandfather knew of a cave/sinkhole just up the hill, and water gurgled somewhere deep inside of it. With a friend’s help, my grandfather lowered himself on a rope through…
The Privileged Life: Looking for the Cross
“But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” (Galatians 6:14) A fellow blogger, Mama Lava, has encouraged her readers to look for heart-shaped images, in nature and elsewhere, as little reminders of God’s love for us.* I’ve found quite a few since then! While my husband and I were in Israel, I decided to keep my eyes open for hearts. Maybe…
ANNOUNCING–A NEW WHODUNNIT MYSTERY SERIES!
Hi, friends! I’m so excited to announce that I’ve joined a band of marvelous Christian authors writing the newest series of Ever After Mysteries—novels based on fairytale plots, set in the 1940s. I’m a new kid on this block, and I’m having a blast getting to know these fine ladies and their work. A Troll Falls by Marji Laine is ready to read, released this month! You can read about it at the end of this blog, and don’t forget to enter the…
The Privileged Life: The Essence of a Good Guide
“For You are my rock and my fortress; therefore, for Your name’s sake, lead me and guide me.” (Psalm 31:3) Are you an independent traveler? I am. My husband and I love exploring new places, looking for curiosities, digging into history, and learning about people in different cultures. We prefer to go off the beaten path, move at our own pace, and make our own arrangements. But…sometimes…we need a really good guide. Such was the case on our recent trip to Israel. We had Christian…
The Privileged Life: Why You Should Go on a Pilgrimage
“Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage….each one appears before God in Zion.” (Psalm 84:5,7b) Ever consider going on a pilgrimage? Dictionaries define it as a long journey to reach a sacred place or achieve a goal, usually to pay homage to someone or something. Actually, that could apply to our hikes around Appalachia where we look for rewards such as waterfalls, spectacular views, caves, etc. But a true pilgrimage is driven by a calling higher than just taking a…
The Privileged Life: When You’re Hankering for a Makeover
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” (Philippians 3:20-21) It’s still February. Even though it’s the shortest month of the year, the gloomy chill-to-the-bone days seem to go on forever. Spring can’t get here soon enough! I didn’t make any significant New Year’s resolutions, using…
The Privileged Life: Practical Tips for Marriage that Lasts (Part 4)
“He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit.” (Proverbs 17:27) It’s Valentine’s Day week! How will you tell your sweetheart, “I love you”? On our first Valentine’s Day together 34 years ago, I hinted at those words to my beloved—I gave him a mug with “I LOVE YOU” emblazoned on the side in a crossword puzzle. Exactly one month later, he pronounced the same words to me, for the first time, as he proposed.…
The Privileged Life: Practical Tips for Marriage that Lasts (Part 3)
“He who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.” (Proverbs 15:15b) Want a marriage that lasts…and also thrives? A simple tip: Have fun. The tricky stuff is in figuring out what’s “fun” for both of you…and making it happen. When my husband and I first met, we discovered several interests in common—going to symphony concerts, taking walks, shopping for antiques, and traveling to historic places. Then, kids happened. Most of our “fun stuff” together vanished as we launched into kid-centered activities—cheering at…
The Privileged Life: Practical Tips for Marriage that Lasts (Part 2)
“His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’” (Matthew 25:23) My grandfather always said, “Money talks…it says good-bye.” So true! Dollar, pound, Euro, peso, rupee, yen, yuan, franc…whatever you call it, money is a big part of marriage. It can make or break a relationship, so handle it wisely. Conflicts arise when one partner is a “saver” and…
The Privileged Life: Practical Tips for Marriage that Lasts (Part 1)
“And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” (Deuteronomy 31:8) Nearly 34 years ago, my sweetheart asked me to marry him…while we were all by ourselves in a beautiful church, surrounded by colorful light dancing through stained-glass windows. We married only four months later, and our whirlwind romance settled into a steady pace. Looking back, we can see we’ve had a “normal” marriage—chock full of ups…
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Nancy C. Williams 