Do You Need Encouragement Today?
This week I’m in Black Mountain, NC at the Mountainside Novelist Retreat. The beauty of the mountains surrounds Ridgecrest Conference Center, and the beauty of the Christian writing community has surrounded me. Along with large group sessions over the three…
Navajo Ministries
My husband and I spent the past week with our good friends, Roger and Carol Kittle, who have served as missionaries in Farmington, NM the past four years. We’ve learned about Navajo Ministries and Four Corners Home for Children and…
Are You Disappointed With God?
Last weekend my church celebrated our twenty-year anniversary by hosting a free community carnival. We’d planned the event for months and spent thousands of dollars on sending 15,000 mailers inviting our neighbors to attend not only the event, but a…
Learn a Lesson from Fish
Two weeks ago, my husband and I spent four days in Myrtle Beach, SC. He took part in a pastor’s golf tournament every day, and I laid on the beach catching up on reading … and my tan. In the evenings,…
Are You Connected to the Vine?
Last weekend I was blessed to attend a conference for women’s ministry leaders hosted by the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia. The theme for the event was “Connect,” and the focal passage was John 15:5. “I am the vine, you are…
A Visit to the Spiritual Dentist
I have a love/hate relationship with my dentist. How about you? I love leaving his office every six months with clean, smooth teeth, but the process to receive the desired outcome … not so much. And don’t get me started on fillings…
Are You Ready to Move?
‘Tis the season for moving. I’ve seen several posts on Facebook from friends who are moving—some only a mile or two—others across the country. Check out this photo posted by a Facebook friend. Don’t you love the humor in the…
How to Train in Spiritual Martial Arts
On July 13, my granddaughter and I attended a local self-defense class. I have the bruises on my wrists to prove it! The instructor from Savior Martial Arts taught us various moves ranging from how to break a wrist hold, kneeing and…
Do You Run to the Light?
I spent the last week at my parents’ house on the Tennessee River. Almost every year, many of our family members gather there over the Fourth of July and spend a memorable week enjoying boating, jet skis, tubing, and other fun…
Where is God When Tragedy Strikes?
Friday, May 31, 2019, the Hampton Roads region of Virginia experienced a devastating mass shooting at one of the Virginia Beach municipal buildings. The senseless massacre left twelve dead and four others injured. If you’d like to read more about the tragedy…