You were on my mind when I created this. I’ve just finished a brand-new freebie called Reignite Your Spirit: A Jumpstart to Anticipating God’s Goodness, and I wanted you to have it right away … …before the laundry buzzes, the microwave beeps, and your to-do list notices you’ve been ignoring it. Because here’s the deal. Encouragement for your heart and nourishment for your soul matter just as much as anything else on your list. This short, hope-filled guide is for the days when your spirit feels a little sluggish and your to-do Continue Reading
Turning Down the Worry Volume
I have a love / not-so-much love relationship with certain verses in the Bible. I love the ones that remind me God knows my name. That He loves me. That He’s faithful — always. And then there are the others. The ones that gently (or not-so-gently) tug away my perceived right to whine, grumble, and fret. Like Matthew 6:34: …do not worry about tomorrow… Now part of me wishes Matthew had slipped in a little footnote: “Do not worry about tomorrow … unless things are extra messy right now and you're one stubbed toe away from Continue Reading
Today. Change the Ending.
This has got to be the most extreme case of procrastination ever recorded. I mean, really. The “Plague of the Frogs” story in the Bible is almost too much to comprehend (Exodus 8). Check this out… Pharaoh is the new king in Egypt, and he really does not care for God’s people, the Israelites. He’s worried about the growing size of their group and potential strength. So, he “put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor.” (Exodus 1:11) Then Moses is born. (And if you haven’t read this guy’s story in a while, it’s a Continue Reading
What are You Watching For?
Dorothy was a hoot! I met her at a women’s retreat. She was wearing a beautiful cobalt blue blouse while she told me about her grandchildren. When I complimented her on her blouse, she said, “Well, my hair color changed this month and I had to find something to wear that would match it. I usually use different hair colors, but this month I ran out of all of them. So, I just mixed what was left of everything I had. Now my hair color changes every day!” And then…she laughed. And shook her beautiful blue locks of hair. Dorothy’s joy Continue Reading
As Surely as the Sun Rises
We gathered in a church basement in Hopkins, Minnesota, reminding each other of God’s promises. We laughed and dug into God’s Word and celebrated the gift we receive just by being with other women – Sisters in Spirit, each of us in different places on our journey to know God better. The lovely faces of these women reminded me of God’s extraordinary ability to create exquisite beauty. Their hearts reminded me of God’s faithfulness. When we moved to the sanctuary for worship, we were reminded of God’s presence in every part of our Continue Reading
Around Midnight and 5:00 AM
We read this in Acts 16:25 … “Around midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God [from prison], and the other prisoners were listening.” Here’s what my version might look like … “Around 5:00 am, Gaye was fretting and whining her worries to God [from the comfort of her cozy chair], and the people were not listening because he was still sleeping.” Yeah. You’ve had one of those mornings too, right? When I wake up with a heavy heart and swirling chaos on my mind, the reason is usually behind one of these Continue Reading
You are Bringing It!
He was one of the happiest guys I’ve ever seen. He bounced into Culver’s Restaurant with a broad smile and eyes that said, Today is awesome! This guy ordered a sandwich and fries and the ice cream of the day. Before his order was up, he was already savoring his ice cream treat. He leaned against the counter, clearly enjoying every lick and spoonful of that Snickers Swirl. Fully engaged in the moment. He didn’t have earbuds in, but he obviously had some good tunes playing in his head! Everything about him said he knew how to enjoy Continue Reading
Speak Truth to Yourself
Ok. Let's review. (She says to herself first.) Here are phrases that do not show up in The Good Book; words that are never said by God, The Great Promise Keeper... You've got a big load of stuff to do today. Good luck with that. Sure wish today was over. It just keeps getting worse. You always mess up. Can't you just get your act together? You've been struggling with that situation for years. It's not going to change. It's never going to end, you know. Bad stuff happens. Never. Said. God does not walk around wringing his Continue Reading
God is Able
I wonder what God’s voice sounds like. It must be a blend of strength, gentleness, immense power, vibrant spirit, hearty laughter, and sweet kindness. I’ve never heard it audibly, but the Holy Spirit has whispered into my heart at times. Sometimes it’s a few words of encouragement. Other times, He’ll remind me to get my act together. He’s like that you know. Tender and direct. This morning as I settled into my Bible study time, the Holy Spirit nudged me with this reminder: God is able. How timely and encouraging. I’ve been working on Continue Reading
Dental Drama and Gratitude
What am I thankful for today? Dentists and oral surgeons who wake up in the morning excited to poke around in people’s mouths. It’s been 40+ years since I had a disastrous dental procedure that went horribly wrong and completely changed the way I would view future dentist visits. They were no longer an opportunity to sit back with my feet up and get a minty-fresh cleaning and a new tube of toothpaste. The check-ups became a too-long moment of high anxiety that included instruments of torture and the absolute assuredness that the local Continue Reading
Get Out There and Dance!
This little note of encouragement has had its fair share of fits and starts this week. The words I was stringing together just couldn’t get settled on that white sheet of paper on my computer screen. And my cursor blinked, frozen in one place, more often than it moved across the page. So, I stopped working so hard at it. What do I really want to say this week? The answer came so quickly that I knew my message needed to shift. So I shifted! Perhaps this shift is a result of having a blast at my nephew’s wedding this weekend. Continue Reading
He is an Open Arms God
God is not a finger pointing God. He is an open arms God. It’s easy to get caught up in the “should-haves,” isn’t it? “I should have tried harder… Should have spent more time with family… Should have saved more money… Should have been kinder… Should have taken better care of myself…” Ugh. These should haves usually send us down a slippery water slide into a pool of regrets and sadness. And the more time we dwell on what we think we should have done, or wished we would have done differently, the deeper we plunge into the deep Continue Reading
Back to the Basics
So then this happened. Last week my pancreas got real ornery and decided it was just tired of working like it should. So, I spent several days in the hospital treating it with very loving care. Convincing it to just calm down. To take a rest. I sure didn’t see that coming. If you’ve had trouble with this enzyme-producing gland, you know that it has a big deal effect on your digestion process. The doctors couldn’t identify why it was acting up, so the most important thing I could do was just give it a break. They took tests and Continue Reading
Stuff and Struggles – God Knows
From my heart to yours … If circumstances feel really tough right now … If life feels overwhelming ... If you’re wondering if God moved and didn’t leave a forwarding address … You are not alone. We’ve all been there – or are there now. And this season will pass. (Maybe not on your timeline, but it will pass.) God has good things in store for you. While we wait for things to change, here’s a little note of encouragement for you: God knows. Yes, those two little words … God knows. God knows your disappointment with how Continue Reading
You’ve Got What Someone Needs
Awe-struck probably best describes my reaction. A few years ago, I was watching Fixer-Upper. This was the episode when they developed their new restaurant, the Magnolia Table. What can Joanna Gaines NOT do? She was designing the floor mural, creating the flow of the space, picking out the perfect palette of colors, deciding on the table shapes, and creating special decorating touches that made it look ... like Joanna Gaines did it. And then. Then she started developing the menu. Aaaand creating the recipes. And deciding how to Continue Reading
Rewriting Psalm 23
At some point in my adult life, I decided to rewrite Psalm 23. Not my best decision. Or even a good decision. In fact, it’s one of my worst decisions. David was its original author. You remember David, right? He killed a giant by slinging a stone at his forehead. He was the King of Israel, a skillful musician, a shepherd, a warrior, and the author of 71 books in the Bible. And although David certainly messed up in big ways, he was called “a man after God’s own heart.” Yeah, he is kind of a big deal. I should have never Continue Reading
A Prayer for These Days
Lord, our hearts ache, our questions are so numerous, and our anger and frustrations run deep. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. For the people in Haiti, we ask for protection. Give divine wisdom to the leaders that results in smart decisions and responses for the people impacted by the devastating earthquake. You who stopped the squalling winds and torrential rains, we ask that you still the ground. Keep boulders and roofs and rocks in place. For the precious children in orphanages, wrap your loving arms around their little hearts Continue Reading
How Small is Your God?
We were sitting around in a circle at our little church’s summer mid-week picnic service, balancing the song sheets with our napkins on our knees. My friend, Dar, and I chatted and chuckled about the weather and other friends we’d recently seen. We listened to Leah tune up her guitar while we swatted the gnats and mosquitoes, crumpled up Arby’s sandwich wrappers, slurped the very last of our ice-cold drinks, and got up to add more plastic chairs as others joined. While heavy trucks and cars without mufflers rumbled past on the street Continue Reading
Find the Fun Now!
Several ideas for this little note zipped around in my brain, but none of them were really landing. They felt like moths who would fly right up to the bright bulb but then dash away, looking perhaps for a brighter bulb? I kept going back to my post from a year ago: Find the Fun! That message still just feels so right for this week in July, and when I circle it up to the light bulb, it just keeps circling! And doesn’t the image of the tap dancing ladies make you smile! So, enjoy this favorite from the past. New post next time! Stay Continue Reading
Swirling and Settling
It’s too bad that I wasn’t in a “Who can walk the most steps?” contest. I would have brought home the trophy. My goodness. I was up and down and in and out of my chair like a mama of four toddlers at the supper table. I wandered around the kitchen, looked at my bookshelves, checked to see if the mail had come, opened and closed the dishwasher, and just … wandered. Aimlessly. What was I trying to do? Write. Ooftah. That thin, little black cursor just kept blinking on the white sheet of paper on my computer screen. The words Continue Reading
Settle Into Your Season
The triathlon racers swam a ½ mile. Then they biked 15 miles. And then they ran 3.1 miles. And it was timed. How cool is that! Let me just say … those racers are impressive. (My favorite oldest nephew heard our loudest “You’ve got this!” yells of encouragement, and I was so very proud of him!) And you know which racers inspired me the most? The brave and determined participants who were finishing their swim at the same time some of the fastest were sprinting through the finish line. As the fastest whizzed past them, barely out of Continue Reading
It’s a Great Day for a Fresh Start
Girlfriend. Let’s talk. Your life? It’s a big deal. Your age? Yes, the numbers are moving up. That tiny voice somewhere in the back of your head that’s telling you it might be too late? Stop listening to it. It’s never too late to live a rich and full and joy-filled life. We can choose how we want to live, right? Feeling tired and frumpy and settling in there because it’s comfortable usually takes us to the pity party. (Don’t go there. It’s not much fun. The food will give you a stomach ache, the company is boring, there aren’t Continue Reading
You are a Big Deal
Consider this little note your Personal Service Announcement for the week … You are a big deal. Right now, just as you are. You have talents and gifts that make the world a better place, even if those gifts are hard for you to see these days. You have a way of showing up in conversations and situations that make life more interesting and enjoyable for those around you, even if your current reactions aren’t always reflecting that. Your heart was created for hope and love and joy, even if discouragement has covered those Continue Reading
Fill ‘er Up!
Does this sound familiar? You’re driving down the freeway with one eye on the car in front of you and one eye on the fuel gauge that says, “9 miles until empty … 8 miles until empty … 7 miles until empty …” Running on fumes has never felt so real. Best case scenario, a Holiday station will magically appear on the other side of the underpass and you can get that tank filled. But if not, you are willing to give away your last piece of chocolate – or give up chocolate forever – if you can just reach the next off ramp so you can stall Continue Reading
So Many Books. So Little Time.
It’s once again time to clear out some space. So, I’m tackling my book collection. I’m not sure what I’m clearing the space out for – to add new or other things? What would I want instead of books? I can’t imagine. However, I will concede that fewer objects in a room seem to make it easier to breathe. And move. Going through my bookshelves and piles of books on nightstands, tables, and desks has been an exercise of great consternation and frustration. I mean, really. How do you choose who gets to stay and who has to go? Sigh. Some Continue Reading
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 7
- Next Page »