What God Has Prepared
Circumstances beyond our control usually leave us impatient, antsy, and sometimes, downright irritable. Those things out of our control can also lead us to take things into our own hands.
The Gift of Friendship
“Sweet friendships refresh the soul and awaken our hearts with joy, for good friends are like the anointing oil that yields the fragrant incense of God’s presence”—Proverbs 27:9 (TPT). “What are we celebrating today, ladies?” When our waitress asked this question, I immediately said, “Our friendship.” “That’s a good thing to celebrate,” she replied. For over 12 years, I’ve been friends with a woman whom I call my soul sister. We are not related by human blood, but by the blood of Jesus Christ. I met Clarice in 2005 when she was a newspaper editor and I was seeking freelance …
Keep Sharing Your Story
“And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation’”—Mark 16:15(ESV). A recent conversation with a friend started me thinking about how we can be a beacon of light for Jesus. I asked myself the following questions as I pondered our conversation: 1. How can we lead others to Christ if we don’t let His light shine through us? 2. How can we let Jesus minister to others through us if we don’t surrender to Him? 3. If we walk through life with a scowl on …
Your Impact on the World
“Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others”—Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV). The daily newspaper is still a staple in my life. While some have switched to digital, I love the feel of the paper in my hands. Although I sometimes skip over or briefly scan the depressing news, I love reading positive stories about people who are making a difference in our world. I don’t consider myself a Pollyanna wearing rose-colored glasses, but I refuse to …
Finding Joy in a Chaotic World
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” –John 16:33 (NIV). Stepping outside recently, I listened as cicadas played their dusk-time tune and fireflies lit up the near dark. It reminded me of bygone days when life was simpler. If not for the heat and the mosquitoes, I would have made myself a bed on my backyard deck and let those insects sing me to sleep. Their singing reminded me of my childhood. Growing up in Louisiana, I recall …
“As Is,” Flaws and All
“Christ accepted you, so you should accept each other. This will bring honor to God”—Romans 15:7 (ERV). Have you ever purchased a product labeled “as is?” We trust the lowered price of the item we’ve bought will be worth whatever hidden flaws might emerge later on. On her 50th wedding anniversary, a woman revealed the secret of her long and happy marriage. She said, “On my wedding day, I decided to make a list of 10 of my husband’s faults which, for the sake of the marriage, I would overlook.” One of her guests asked her what some of the …
Finding Power in the Silence
“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him”—Psalm 62:5 (ESV). For some time now, I’ve been bothered by the increasing level of noise in our world. While I used to turn on the TV just to fill the sounds of silence in my house, I no longer do so. Preparing to leave in my car meant pumping up the volume of my favorite radio station before I even buckled my seat belt. Lately, in spite of the heat, I’ve enjoyed listening to the wind whistle through my lowered car window, instead of turning …
Are you clinging to your faith?
A recent discussion with my two oldest grandchildren was an opportunity to encourage them in their faith. I don’t recall how the conversation began but we were discussing world events and what it means “to be in the world, but not of it.” “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen since what is …
Are You on a Mission?
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him”—Colossians 3:17 (NIV). More than once in my lifetime, I’ve heard people say, “You must be a woman on a mission.” They were referring to my hurried pace, whether walking down the school halls where I taught for 30 years, or through the halls of some other institution where I’ve served. Others, including my now deceased father, would say, “Carol, you need to slow down.” Serious, I would reply, “I will slow down when …