brown wooden cross

Jesus, keep me near the cross

It is the holiest of weeks as we look to the cross. As we sigh heavy in our own suffering that overlays this week, we look to our Lord and Savior, grasping His grace in suffering. I chose this hymn because when trials scream and cry loud, its words become Read more

adult affection baby casual

Returning and Resting in Jesus When I’m Weak

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

rainbow on grass field

Your Love Will Never Let Me Go

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

two gold colored rings in selective focus photography

God’s gift of gold to you

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

woman looking at sunset

What do I do as I wait for suffering to end?

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

photo of person holding cherry tomato

Give thanks to God when I don’t feel like it

We sing this hymn at Thanksgiving, but what if the words feel inauthentic to you this Thanksgiving? Do you ever have running thoughts like these when you sing? Come, ye thankful people, come, raise the song of harvest home; Lord, I’m not feeling thankful today, at least not thankful enough to Read more

woman looking towards the sky

Praising Our Sovereign God Into Depression

I wondered about the author of this hymn’s lyrics (God Moves in a Mysterious Way, Cowper, W., 1773). What happened in this believer’s life? His mother died when he was six. He fell in love but wasn’t allowed to marry her. He went to law school but couldn’t handle the Read more

race of endurance

I Praise You in a Kingdom-Focused Race of Endurance

As a choral educator, I know the power of singing rounds. All learn a simple melody, repeat it over and over, and when the round begins, groups of people sing the same song at staggered times. I remember singing this round as a teenager, memorizing Scripture with song: Seek ye Read more

background balance beach boulder

The Lord is My Help and Hope

Going back to school in a pandemic brings up all the feels, doesn’t it? Uncertain, weary, sad, hopeful, scared, excited, overwhelmed…simultaneously. We bravely want to transition well for our kids and health of all. On top of this, we continue to live with our financial, relational, and health challenges. We Read more

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