When life kicks you in the gut, and the darkness of your hard path feels suffocating, though you long for the comfort of a loved one or friend, what is the one thing you need most? This isn’t a trick question, but the thing you need most is often the thing you lose first: HOPE. Sometimes in your pain, disappointment or…
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The One Thing You Need
Impatient for Change
Among the many enjoyable and fun filled activities of Autumn, watching the stunning foliage changes captivates me every year. Almost as soon as September arrives, I eagerly anticipate the miraculous transformation, which seems to happen overnight. As I thought about my restlessness in waiting for Autumn’s gift of color, God reminded me how often I am impatient for change in…
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Lost Blooms Are Not Lost Growth
Perhaps the only downside to Autumn for me is fewer blooms in my garden. Small groups of summer blooms linger until the first hard frost; mums and Autumn Joy pop up here and there, but by and large, the profuse color of spring and summer has ceased. But lost blooms are not lost growth! While showy blooms capture our delight,…
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Welcoming a New Season
It feels fresh, tinged with the excitement of the new. Yet welcoming a new season also brings those latent feelings of uncertainty. After the initial joy of embracing our favorite parts of the new season, life reminds us change often sparks anxiety. Of course, not all change is bad, but navigating any change in a healthy way presents a challenge….
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If You Held the Pen
If you held the pen, how would you write your story? Urged into owning and telling your story by popular culture today, may excite feelings of regret or shame. Conversely, slipping into a bit of pride over achievements may unleash a one-dimensional exposé. Whether we choose telling our story or simply holding it, our perspective on its value determines whether…
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Autumn Acorns Speak of God’s Love
Celebrating the official arrival of my favorite season, I marveled at the activity in the garden. Goldfinches gathering seeds, cardinals fluffing their nests, and squirrels, the busiest of all, gathering hickory nuts and acorns! As I gathered a handful or two, a story from long ago of autumn acorns speaking God’s love brought a smile to my face. Autumn’s flamboyance…
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How Hope Heals Your Heart
So much in this world seeks to wound us. And in the wounding steals our Hope. At times, awash in grief, or simply noting the tragedy in the headlines, we wonder if Hope even has value anymore. But true, biblical Hope offers the most powerful answer to life’s sufferings. This month my One Word Friend revealed an important truth; Hope…
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What Are You Missing?
FOMO, it’s a thing. In fact, Psych Central recognizes it as a valid mental disorder requiring therapy. While predominately connected to social media addiction, it seems its tentacles reach into other areas such as social gatherings, events, even the latest gossip or news. The constant question, “What Are You Missing?” drives most people to literal distraction. In all of our…
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Recapturing the Art of Wonder
Walking life’s hard paths after a while challenges your resilience, steals your Joy and mocks your Hope. Burdens weigh heavier and placing one foot in front of the other becomes the theme song of most days. But what if instead of continuing to carry weighted sorrows, you chose exchanging the dreary for delight, recapturing the art wonder? When life’s sorrows…
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