Fearing the Lord

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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The Story in the Scars

It was the Saturday before my first day of middle school. I was scheduled to babysit for a family from our church.  When I arrived, the couple was finishing up a few last minute details.  Their youngest son looked up at me and asked, “Do you want to see my dog?”

Without thinking twice, I said, “Sure.  Let’s go.”

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A Tale of Two Christmases

It happened every year.  Two Christmases.  Two days that were as stark a contrast as could be.  Two Christmases  – one meager, one abundant.  One Christmas, simple, sacrificial, full of significance and hope.  The other, extravagant, a balm to soothe the guilty soul, void of meaning.

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Easter: His Finished Work is My New Beginning

“It is finished.”

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God Wastes Nothing

During our church’s Christmas cantata, I was struck with one small phrase:  “God wastes nothing.”  The words on the screen seemed to penetrate my heart.  I kept repeating them and repeating them in my mind;  I didn’t want to forget those three small words.

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Being Still

Several weeks ago our family was blessed with a much needed vacation.  Our destination was, what I called, “The Middle of Nowhere,” Tennessee.  It was a glorious place, a place where cell phones, WiFi, and GPS were obsolete and unavailable.  I imagine for some, that may seem like a frightening place, but for my husband and I, it was exactly what we had hoped for.

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