When I was just a kid, I got a bellyache that wouldn’t go away. It hurt so bad I couldn’t stand up straight or sit down without increasing the pain. Finally, my folks hauled me over to a big house in West Houston where a surgeon lived. He had turned the back section of his […]
Category: Grief/Encouragement
God Chooses Those He Uses
David began his life as a nobody—an ordinary shepherd boy—chosen by God to become a somebody—an extraordinary king over God’s own people. Yet, before David wore his crown, God shaped his character by allowing pain to be his close companion for over a decade. The presence of suffering made no sense to David at the […]
The Source of Hope and Strength
What happens when the bottom drops out of your life? When you experience a great calamity like the loss of your home through a fire or a flood? Or suffer through an unwanted divorce, or worse, the death of a loved one who meant the world to you? What happens when you must undergo lingering, […]
Mr. America of the Second Grade
A few years back, my son Austin came home from the first day of second grade with a sparkle in his eye. Before I could ask how his day had been, words about his new friend began to tumble out. Mind you, my son has never had a hard time making friends, but this one […]
And Justice for All
The brutal, unbearable details ignited the ruthless investigation. The young victim had made an outcry (the victim’s voice telling what has happened which must be reported by one who hears); his story was dreadfully horrifying. The family acted immediately, believing the justice system would be exceptionally cautious, especially because the victim was a disabled, intellectually […]
Four Refreshing Words
Sometimes I wish life would offer a little heads-up: “STORMS AHEAD!” I’m not saying I need all the details, but wouldn’t it be helpful to have a five-minute warning like the meteorologist gives when a tornado or storm is on the rise? This summer, it would’ve been helpful to know my husband’s herniated disk treatments […]
Where to Find That Peaceable Place
It was supposed to be the typical Sunday afternoon lunch with friends—kids on one end of the restaurant table, adults on the other. Except, it wasn’t. What is it about Sunday mornings? It’s like all of our good intentions get sucked into a vortex of chaos, anger, and tardiness. Sunday mornings support the quip, “Confession […]
Revealing Reflections about Releasing Control
Back-to-school time! I’m guessing some parents (including me) are delighted, and most kids are disappointed. Kids tend to ask lots of questions before school begins: “Will I be riding the bus?” “Who is my teacher?” “Do I wear regular clothes or a uniform?” “Are the kids nice?” But kids don’t ask questions just about school. […]
7 Staples: Soul Food for Stressful Seasons
Strained, stressed, and sweaty, I was standing on the August-hot sidewalk, trying to maintain a cell connection with the doctor. The call had already dropped twice . . . this was the straw that broke the camel’s back. The events of that summer were not what we’d expected! Expectations vs. Reality Sometimes our expectations and […]
Three Essential Questions on Our Quest for Acceptance
Fear can be such a driving force—crippling, compromising, and, at times, crushing. How many times have I second-guessed my decisions, wondered if anything I said or did mattered, and struggled to measure up? The truth is, we long to be loved and accepted and to live without the fear of inadequacy. Blessed Re-assurance The other […]
Words
Sorting through a stack of stuff, I tried to pull a note from the bottom. When I did, the pile came apart. Short on time and shorter on patience, I attempted to bundle it all up until . . . until the photographs slipped out from an old scrapbook binder buried in the stack. Suddenly, I was 20 years […]
Think Grace
A young couple in their 40s strolled through the grocery store, picking up some things they needed. They were holding hands, walking slowly as if they were in a romantic park. Yet, most of the customers who encountered them in the store were terribly bothered that this slow-moving husband and wife wouldn’t just hurry up […]