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Covering Your Child in Prayer
Sometimes parents, mothers especially, are like bears with cubs about their children. We’ll do just about anything to protect them. When something happens to one of our kids, our hearts drop and those protective instincts can go into overdrive. Some of us go a little overboard and find it difficult to pull back. We try…
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Reprioritize, Revitalize, and Optimize Your Agenda
Can you believe we’re almost six-months into the new year already? This year is whipping right past us. Do you remember how you started it? Can you recall where you were or what you promised yourself you’d do or stop doing? When we’re making those New Year’s resolutions, sometimes we forget that they can be…
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Train Your Mind for Victory!
Have you ever lost something of value or had it stolen or taken from you? If you have, you’ll probably take measures to ensure it will never happen again. At the very least, you’ll become more appreciative of what you have and be mindful of its care. This is how precious we should regard God’s…
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You’re Stronger Than You Think
The pain of a broken heart is no joke. Whether it’s because of the death of a loved one or because the person you love has chosen to move forward in the journey of life without you, it’s a hurtful and difficult thing. Emotionally, situations can be further complicated by the fact that sometimes we’re…
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Revved Up Emotions Can Be Costly
Feelings of betrayal cut deep to the core, there’s no question about it. Whether the hurt came from your husband, special person in your life, friend, or your own child, the betrayal can be devastating; all you think about is the pain. Usually, this emotional tornado is brought about by an event or action that…
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The Yardstick Lesson
My daughter asked me the other day, “Mom, when people grow up, do they live by themselves?” I said, “Well, yes, sometimes they do. Some grow up, get married, and have families.” She replied, “No, not me. When I grow up, I want to stay at home with you.” As the old saying goes, “When…
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“I Don’t Think I Will Ever Get Married”
There may be areas of your life where the challenge is too great and you feel like giving up. Perhaps you feel as though your resources are too limited, it’s too emotionally exhausting, or you’ve expended too much time. It’s good to know your limits, and it’s wise to recognize when all the signs are…
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Be Aware of the Small Foxes
It’s the small foxes that spoil the vine, says Song of Solomon 2:15. When we think of foxes, words like stealth and sly come to mind. Most of us would not entertain a mature or large fox because we are well aware of the damage they can cause. Small ones might be unsuspecting, but they…
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This Is No Walk in the Park
What do you do when you find yourself in a place in life that you never expected? Ephesians 1:3 tells us that God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings, so He’s given us everything we need to be equipped for anything the enemy throws our way. Still, life has a way of delivering some…
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So What’s It Going to Be?
Deuteronomy 30:16(NLT) “For I command you this day to love the LORD your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy.” In…
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After the Fall
God tells us in 1Corinthians 4:20 (NLT), “For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.” Heavenly Father has to remind us of a few things in His Word, because sometimes we allow life to get in the way. We forget that He’s given us access…
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The Source of Our Strength
2 Chronicles 16:9(NLT) tells us, “The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” This scripture in the Old Testament speaks to the vacillating hearts of men and women when it comes to their commitment to God. King Asa was the third King…
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No Point in the Look-Back
I was going through some of my old emails over the weekend and came across a few that made me chuckle and reminisce about the old days. In one of them, a classmate had forwarded a picture he kept from our high school days. Here it is, over twenty-five years later, and he still has…
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Watch out for Mind and Body Manipulation
In 1Corinthians 6:12(NLT), through the Apostle Paul the Lord tells us, “You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything.” It’s clear in this verse that, as it pertains to how we live…
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Return to Sender!
If you were to receive a letter or package in the mail that doesn’t belong to you, normally, the postal service will allow you to write “return to sender” on it; they will return it to the original sender at no cost. This is an antidote for life. When it comes to receiving anything that…
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Desire Is What You Need
Isaiah 57:10 (NLT) “You grew weary in your search, but you never gave up. Desire gave you renewed strength and you did not grow weary.” How many Christians do you know today that are tired of life and are constantly feeling like there’s no good left in the world? I know quite a few of…
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Right Shoe, Wrong Fit
They’ve got videos now that supposedly teach you how to walk in five and six inch heels. Every time I hear about one of them, I chuckle to myself. Used to be that I could cut a stride with the best of ‘em back in the day, but now…what? Staying vertical is extremely important, and…
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Foolish Decisions that Look Smart
“Common sense is not so common.” I chuckle to myself every time I hear this wise old saying. There is so much truth in those words. Common sense is the good sound judgment that is presumed most people will possess. Each of us come to the table with our own uniqueness, and our brains might…
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Ouch…This Hurts Too Much
From sun up to sun down, you can tell a person all day long that you love them, but if your actions don’t prove your love, it will be difficult for them to believe what you say. I had an up close and personal view of this when I saw my friend, Josh, the other…
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Training in Godliness
Like many others, I have been glued to the television watching athletes from around the world compete for the gold in the Olympics. I happened to see a segment the other day on what it takes to be an Olympian. Three female athletes were interviewed. They explained the grueling, yet rewarding, preparation and training for…
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God’s Contagious, Ever-Abiding Love
I’m sure you’ve heard people make the statement, “You can’t help who you love” or “The heart does what it wants to do.” It’s true that the heart can be untamed in its desires, but God has given us something called free-will. He has also given us the responsibility to exercise the gift of free-will…
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Not Mine, But Your Will Be Done!
Whether we witness it now or later, there will soon come a time in all our lives when we’ll face a crucial decision. It will either solidify the foundation on which the rest of our lives will be firmly anchored in Christ, or it will send us spiraling down into the camouflaged darkness that the…
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When Heaven over Our Heads is Brass
In 2Corinthians 4:18 (NIV), through the Apostle Paul, God gives us an incredible piece of wisdom that is fundamental to living a life of abundance and peace. This verse says, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen…
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A Strong and Stable Union
Call me old fashion, but I still believe that adhering to the virtuous standards God has set in His Word are the absolute best chance any of us have for a successful relationship. Staples like good communication, mutual respect, and a willingness to be vulnerable are necessary, but there’s one particular standard that is an…
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Be the Change You Want to See
A distant relative has been having issues in her marriage for a long time. The situation is complicated, and would make it extremely challenging for any woman to stay. She’s gone through stages of tremendous anger about it, but surprisingly hasn’t ended the marriage although she’s threatened to do it many times. Every now and…
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The Greater the Challenge, The Greater the Reward
One of the commitments that we made to Heavenly Father when we started this ministry many years ago for our exquisite sisters in Christ was to continually put those reminders out there about the dangers of sexual sin. It can be tough business to do this. Some think we’re off our rockers to expect that,…
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When God Reroutes You
The other day, I woke up early to go pick up a new table that I’d been wanting for a while. Since it was Saturday, I figured if I got up early enough I could beat the weekend traffic to the stores. Got on the road and was making good time until I saw flashing…
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The Pay-Off of Sacrifice
One of the things that we learn very early in Christian life is that we can’t just do anything we like. There are disciplines to the faith, and there are sacrifices that we need to make in the present that are required for our long-term benefit. In other words, we most definitely have to…
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A Little Something for Yourself
A friend of mine told me a story about something funny that happened with her over the holidays. She moved to New England some years ago, but her roots are in the south, and she typically ships gifts to her family there. Admittedly, shopping during the holidays can be a little hectic, but mailing gifts…
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‘RING’ in the New Year?
Some of the urban vernacular we hear these days is so cryptic that it could literally become a second language. Words like ‘ratchet’, ‘shade’, ‘filthy’, ‘lit’, and ‘baddie’ meant something completely different just a short time ago. Today they’ve taken on a whole new meaning. I have a feeling that ten years from now, they’ll…