Author: Kim

What Songs Should We Sing in Church?

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For as long as I can remember, I always loved music.  Instrumental.  Vocal.  It all resounded so deeply within me.  Growing up, I listened to a lot of music. I’d sit in my room, pop in a cassette into my stereo, and then record myself singing onto a cassette player. I’d play that cassette over and over again critiquing myself.  I think my mother was concerned about my music choices as I listened to a lot of George Michael, Janet Jackson, and Michael Jackson.  I distinctly remember that she had a book titled something like, The Devil’s Music.  I knew she was reading it because of me, and frankly at that time, it made me chuckle.

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Can I Wear Jeans to Church?

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My brother never wanted to come to church.  Even though both he and I had attended church regularly in our childhood, he quickly abandoned the notion of ever returning to church when he became an adult.  Despite us gently inviting him on holidays or special occasions, his answer was always no, and we respected that.

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high cliff with man at edge

Fearing the Lord

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I have spent nearly all of my 50 years as part of the church.  I first began attending church when I was quite young.  My mother was saved after my dad had left her, and we began attending a local Baptist church in the area.  I remember spending a significant amount of time there.  It became a home and place of solace for our broken family.  We met many friends who truly became like family to us.  They showed us the love of Christ in very practical ways.  They met physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. They opened their homes and hearts and have influenced me for the good even as an adult.

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Rushing Past Thanksgiving

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There has always been the banter back and forth about when to put up a Christmas tree.  Only in December.  The day after Thanksgiving.  A few weeks before Thanksgiving.  And anywhere in between. I am a first week of December kind of gal.  But the purpose of this post is not about staking claim to the right time.  It’s about rushing past both Thanksgiving and thanksgiving.

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rain storm

Weathering the Storms

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My area has seen a fair amount of rain over the past week.  Rain is normal and needed especially during the hot, humid days of summer.  But the intensity, ferocity, and duration with which the rain fell was far from normal.  Day after day, night after night, the rain deluged the area.  With floods, mud, compromised basements, impassable roads, intense lightning, and downed trees many were left asking, “When is this barrage going to end?  There is only so much more the ground can hold.”

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Will God Meet My Needs?

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The Lord promises that He will meet our needs.  So, why is it that we often wonder whether He will be true to uphold His promise to us? Continue reading “Will God Meet My Needs?” →

Growth

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I am not a skilled gardener, but with each new growing season I invest a bit more time to educate myself about the process. I’ve begun to study which plants grow well in certain zones (which began with me actually figuring out what growing zone I live in). I’ve actually begun to read and heed the instructions on each packet of seed. I’ve attended online seminars to learn about the pests that are prevalent in my area and have been equipped with strategies to control them and stop their growth. I’ve learned about compost and other natural ingredients that feed and build up the soil. But most importantly, I have learned that the only way to have a successful garden that yields growth and a harvest is to actually spend time in the garden working and nourishing it.

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Is this God’s Will – A Christmas Reflection

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Preparing to relocate was truly an experience. There was the deep lamenting over leaving our family and dear friends, but yet there was excitement in knowing that the Lord was going to do great things in the coming months and years in our new location. I felt it deep into my core. Like never before the Lord continued to impress upon me that He was facilitating this move, that He was at work, that He was taking us to the exact place of His choosing.  It was in His perfect time and for His purpose. In the midst of so much angst and upheaval, these thoughts and promises provided such comfort to me as we prepared to leave our home.

The Simplicity of Salvation

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To say that we are living in unprecedented times is an understatement. As we all navigate life these days, I sense the frustration among people is beginning to reach new heights.  It seems that the dawn of each new day is greeted with more regulations, new mandates,  additional recommendations, and restrictions.  Regardless of where you fall on the spectrum regarding rights and safety, it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to know what we are supposed to do.  The path seems convoluted, confusing, and uncertain.  

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Longing for Home

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My family and I took a pre-Christmas trip back home to New Jersey recently.  It was not the first trip back home since moving, but it was the most emotional and thought-provoking trip to date.  As we drove through Virginia, Maryland, and finally, Pennsylvania, like a small child, I anticipated the “Welcome to New Jersey” sign that awaited me at the state line.

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