Right now . . . Everything you are going through . . . None of it is a surprise to God! Nothing is a surprise to God. I have said these six words over and over in these first six months of 2023. As this year started, I spent time asking the Lord for […]
Category: Family Life/Caregivers
What in the World Is Jesus Doing?
Some days, or seasons for that matter, can feel like Jesus has gotten too busy to remember you. You have been a faithful, devout prayer warrior and have been relying on His unfailing promise to help you carry your heavy burdens. As of late the burdens are bearing down, and you’re wondering if you really […]
How to Weather Winter’s Blast with Hope
C.S. Lewis penned an unforgettable line in his work The Chronicles of Narnia. Luci, one of the characters, is having hot tea with a faun named Mr. Tumnus, who appeared as Luci was exploring the newly discovered world. It was bitterly cold and covered with snow. Hot tea in his little hovel of a house […]
What’s the Use of Prayer? It’s Getting Me Nowhere . . . Or Is It?
Do you ever feel like God isn’t listening to you? You pray and pray and pray… and NOTHING changes. N O T H I N G. I am profoundly certain that prayer and doubt is one of the enemy’s most effective, tactical weapons in the war for our souls. When we are suffering on any level, when our circumstances are too hard to endure, scripture tells us to pray. So, most of us do; expecting God to relieve us of suffering which renews our hope and provides a perfect church testimony.
Faith: The Rugged Truth about Unrelenting Raw Seasons
“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 The sky has been dreary for days . . . which has felt more like months. It’s winter. Of the four seasons, winter is my least favorite. Winter days can be monotonously gray. Life and growth continues, but it’s underground […]
The Mental Health Pandemic That the Church Must Step Into
An Interview with Dr. Matthew Stanford
The world has seen the growth of mental health issues and concerns skyrocket over the last couple years. Research has shown that currently more than two in five U.S. adults say our communities need mental health assistance more than ever, and 50% of teens have developed a mental health issue during the pandemic. Although the […]
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A Timeless Lesson from Common Kitchen Items
Do you ever feel like you’re playing the game “whack-a-mole” in life? Before you have time to catch your breath from knocking out an obstacle, another shows up . . . . . . and another . . . and another . . . and then three more at the same time. The following story […]
Tools for Those in Need of Mental Health Support
An Interview with Joe Padilla
Few things are more acutely examined than the human body. Of all its organs, the brain is the most complex. No other organ controls human functioning like the brain. However, what makes the brain totally unique is its connection to our overall well-being. The brain affects how we function physically, emotionally, relationally, personally, and also […]
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Permission to “Not Adult” for Every Caregiver
Today, I am “not adulting.” I am closing the door to everything that has led to being exhausted. Since I have been “doing” for so long, I’ve lost me. “Not Adulting” means: I will not wake up at 3:00 am to see if my child is sleeping or check the medical monitor that will continue […]
Calming Truth When Life Is SO Complicated
His hands were gently folded on his lap as he listened to the sermon. Every morning, my son and his caregiver listen to various sermons on his phone; she patiently helps him find the Bible passage written in large letters. As they listened, I watched his fingers, now long and thin and never still. Jon’s […]
Today I’m Giving Up My “Wish-List”
I looked into my son’s eyes wondering what he was thinking. Most people see him as a young man who is “odd” or “different” even though he appears to be a typical young man. I know him as my 23-year-old son with blue eyes and pale skin, whose life has included a treadmill of specialists […]
Unconditional Acceptance
An Interview with Carol Spencer
It’s on all our minds as we age . . . “Will that be me in 5, 10, or 20 years?” Perhaps you know or love someone who can’t ask that question any longer because he or she can’t remember what to ask. The looming fear about the unknown is connected to the dreadful disease […]
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