I had a recent day when the world’s weight bore heavy and threatened to pull me under. I work as a teacher. I’ve loved teaching others how to sing and make music with their God-given instrument. In one of my research studies, a child called teaching “helping.” Yes, I’ve always Read more…
In suffering, I’m instantly tempted to focus on myself. The pain overtakes my every thought and everything becomes so inward, fixated on my hurting. When it becomes days and years, with no end in sight, it’s easy for me to become self-absorbed. Me, me, me. But Jesus beckons us: “If Read more…
Do you ever talk to your soul? The Psalmists did this a lot, reminding themselves of truth in God’s Word, truths about who God is and what He is doing…even when we can’t see it. Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within Read more…
It’s a week of love. Valentine’s Day celebrated it and the beginning of Lent points us to Love crucified. “But how could I be suffering so much if God loves me?” Sometimes our enemy forces this secret question into our pain. In that same experience of anguish, the blind hymnwriter Read more…
My rings are precious possessions, white and yellow gold blended with diamond sparkles, representing the deep love of my dear husband. He is a treasure from God to me and the gold rings continue to endure after so many years of marriage…and lots of messy cleanups! I Peter reminds me Read more…
Are you waiting for things to improve, hoping for things to become easier? Sometimes, it’s years of waiting. Sometimes, things don’t get better or easier, but worse and harder. What do we do then? What if…our waiting lasts a lifetime? Psalm 69 gives us the words to pray in the Read more…
Suffering feels lonely, doesn’t it? So much suffering causes physical isolation, surviving away from others. How I’m praying for those who are widowed, sick, orphaned, and isolated right now. The list is lengthening daily. Even when people are physically near, we can feel emotionally alone, right? If you’re anything like Read more…
Are you enduring personal suffering right now? Are you afraid as you stare horrified at earthly happenings, wondering about potential suffering to come? Are you surrounded by effects of sin and evil on every side? It seems that we as idol-making humans are worshiping anything and everything other than Jesus Read more…
In Christmas 2020, our world clings to hope for rescue in so many places…vaccines, government power, cultural movements of justice, justice in the court system, human-made organizations. Honestly, my heart has been gripped this year by an overwhelming disbelief in possible rescue through any human system. This pervasive gripping hasn’t Read more…
Merry Christmas, dear friends! Some of you have written to tell me you’re singing “O Holy Night” daily, even though it’s a challenging song to sing! You know, the Lord delights to hear us sing even if we don’t like how we sound. In Song of Solomon 2:14 (ESV), He says, Read more…
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