by Debbie Taylor Williams I will never forget when I was a child and my Sunday School teacher challenged my class to memorize the Christmas story found in Luke 2:1-14. What seemed a daunting task became manageable as my mother helped me memorize one small section at a time. “And it came to pass” “in those days” “there went …
From the outside my Chronological Bible looks worn. Green fabric is frayed around the edges revealing the thick cardboard underneath. The front and back covers are clinging to the spine by a thin piece of tape and the dust cover has long been lost. The letters on the spine are beginning to fade. “Looks pretty beat-up,” my hairdresser noted as I opened it while waiting for my color to set. I smiled and nodded, “I’ve been reading through it for over four years now.” For more than four years I have been reading chronologically through the Bible. That green raggedy …
You know I think it’s a combination of things, both emotionally and spiritually. And it’s okay to take something to stabilize your moods… just for a little while. Tears filled my eyes as relief laced with pride flooded my emotions. For years, I bragged how God had set me free from depression and other mental disorders. So this moment felt like both surrender and defeat. In the last 18 months, I had faced overwhelming challenges as a mom. Instead of grieving, sorting through emotions and taking each moment at a time to God, I struggled with independence and somehow stuffed it all to …
As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say to me, “Where is your God?” When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast. ~ Psalm 42:1-4
Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the LORD is good; His loving-kindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations. -Psalm 100 Today I pray that you and your family will, “serve the LORD with gladness, and come before …
I could hear her calling me from upstairs. I really wanted to finish the article I was writing. I only needed 100 more words and I would be done, but my daughter continued to call for me. I saved my document and grumbled to myself as I walked up the stairs to see what she needed. As I walked up the last step to our gameroom I could see what she wanted. My great grandmother’s little round table was set with plastic dishes and a chair was waiting for me. Gracie has invited me to join her and her dolls …
The Typical 2 I’ve always heard that there are two ways to focus on thankfulness: Keep track of what I’m thankful for (i.e. in a gratitude journal) Share my gratitude with those for whom I’m thankful (i.e. by writing a thank-you note) A New (for Me) #3 But over the last month, I’ve discovered a new way — new for me, at least! — to focus on thankfulness. I’ve been asking people this question throughout the day: “What’s one thing you’re thankful for right now?” And I marvel at the diversity, the depth, the humor, and the honesty of each …
Her words scraped a bloody line down the center of my soul – daughters do that to mothers. My eyes flashed with anger and pain. I swallowed hard, but the knot in my throat didn’t budge. My words flew hard and fast from my mouth and instantly I knew. My words left marks too. “I’m sorry,” I looked her in the eyes. “I should not have been so harsh. Please forgive me.” She nods tears pricking her eyes, but the fire was still burning there. She folds her arms. “I was wrong,” I nod. “But you cannot treat me like …
In Luke 9:23, Jesus says, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Notice Jesus says we must take up our cross daily. Suffering and hardship He guaranteed. In fact, He said in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble.” Each day will provide its own burdens, and each day we must choose how to handle them. Jesus tells us if we desire to follow Him, we must surrender to His plan, difficulties and all. Our burdens bear a purpose, and we must bear them with full …
Has your heart ever “hurt”? Perhaps it hurt for someone who was going through a difficult time. Or, your heart may have ached to the point you thought you were going to die because of what someone did to you; or you unintentionally did to someone. Have you ever noticed that no one can heal your hurting heart? As a matter of fact, sometimes it’s even a puzzle to you why your heart hurts. Things can seem to be in place. Things can appear okay, but deep down, you know they aren’t. As hard as you try to put …
