Do you ever feel overwhelmed? Of course! That’s kind of like asking, “Is the Pope Catholic?” Feeling overwhelmed is a normal part of being human. But something about this particular stretch of the calendar—from mid-November until the New Year—seems to magnify the pressure. Expectations rise, responsibilities multiply, and the demands (both spoken and unspoken) pile up…

I’m writing from the beach. Though the ocean is familiar to me now, I didn’t grow up close to the shore (my early childhood was spent in Tennessee) and I still remember my first impressions of the ocean when I was about five. From the accounts I heard from others who’d seen the sea, I…

I backed out of my driveway, passionately recounting a stressful moment of the day to my hubby when—BAM!—I hit one of our trees. The moment it happened, I realized the car’s safety feature had been blaring “beep, beep, beep,” to help me avoid the impending crash, but I was too engrossed in my story to…

If you walk through my house you’ll notice a variety of crosses scattered throughout. Not a ton–just enough that a casual observer would realize we are Christians. Like most items we possess, the crosses have become so familiar to me that I hardly notice they are there. But this morning I walked through our quiet…

My five-year-old granddaughter sat contented, working intently on the art project in front of her. Crayon in hand, she colored furiously before discarding one shade for another, coloring over the hue she’d chosen before. The smile on her face told me she was pleased with her work. “What are you making?” my friend asked her.…

A few days ago a memory of a true story I heard years ago flooded my mind: A six-year-old boy, who could only best be described as awkward, desperately wanted to make Valentine’s cards for every member of his first-grade class. His concerned mom feared her son might not receive any cards from the other…

Happy New Year, friend! 2024 has come to a close and 2025 is open before us, like a freshly bought journal with pages yet to be filled. You, like me, have likely received roughly 10 billion emails telling you what you “need” to do in 2025 to have a great year: Get fit. Lose weight.…

Years ago, we stayed at a relative’s home for an extended family gathering. On the morning of our departure, I washed our sheets to remake our bed, hoping to lessen the work a houseful of guests creates. While transferring the sheets from the washer to the dryer a relative–not the hostess–entered the laundry room, her…

Recently, a longtime friend shared some of her elderly client’s unfiltered statements. We laughed at some, shook our heads in disbelief at others, but generally agreed that being totally unfiltered, no matter our age is not a desirable trait. We don’t have to be old to struggle with an unfiltered mouth. If you’re like me,…

I enjoy reading your articles regularly.

In reply to temp mail. So glad to hear it made your day! 🙂

In reply to Deb Stinar. Thank you for your comment, Deb. I’m the same way–I share His love for others and sometimes forget He loves me, too! May god richly bless you with His love! 🙂

I should look at this webpage, as my brother advised, and he was entirely right. You have no idea how much time I spent looking for this information, but this post made my day.

I so enjoyed what you said about proclaiming His love in the morning, because I so eagerly share Gods love for others and not for myself. Thank you for sharing Gods wisdom with me.

I stumbled upon an old prayer journal yesterday. Of course, I opened it; I had to see what I’d been praying about 2 ½ years ago! Earlier in my faith journey I started writing out my prayers, not because I’m super spiritual, but honesty, because I’m not. I needed a way to keep my mind…

Hey Friend! I’m writing from the dermatologist’s office; I’m in the middle of Moh’s surgery to remove skin cancer from my forehead. And, despite the lone photo of a paddle boarder on a calm sea (an obvious attempt to settle anxious patients), the grey walls and sterile white furniture serve as a reminder that this…

Early this morning my neighbor knocked lightly, opened our door, and shouted a warm, “Hello!” Although the knock on the door was unexpected, her arrival didn’t fluster me; over the years, my neighbor has been in every room of my house. She even has a key! But, like all good relationships, it didn’t start that…

Not long ago I was enjoying a smooth flight when-BAM!-unexpected turbulence rocked the plane. Panic replaced peace—you could see it in the passenger’s eyes. Even when the flight settled down and people returned to their books, movies, and laptops, emotional turbulence lingered. Everyone seemed to share the same concern: are we going to be OK?…

She felt embarrassed the minute the words left her lips. Her well-put-together exterior–cute outfit, hair, and make-up–proclaimed,  “I have it all together” but her words and facial expression told us otherwise. Did I really just say that out loud?  she wondered. There was no need for embarrassment, though. Every woman around her table had experienced…

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cry.” The sweet gal sitting across from me wiped the tear from her cheek, embarrassed, and a little surprised her tears made an appearance at all. “I don’t want you to think I’m not trusting God,” she continued. After decades of working with women, I’ve noticed that many of…

Not long ago I ran into a gal who confessed, “Right now, in the midst of raising two small children and struggling to figure out how to keep our marriage happy, I’m desperate for some hope, and most of my friends are, too.” Hope. We all need it, don’t we? Lack of hope causes women (and…

That relationship. Yeah, that one. When you began the relationship, you didn’t sign up for heartache or headaches, did you? Oh sure, you know conflict is part of life. Everyone knows. What you didn’t know was how deeply the spouse, child, friend, coworker, or church would wound you. But here you are. The conflict happened.…