Journeying with Joy, this tiny companion enriches every corner of my life. I awaken each day wondering which precious lesson Joy has for me. Thanks to my good friend, Lisa Burgess at Lisa Notes; leading our One Word 2021 group, I spent time viewing Joy through relationships this month. Challenging us with three relational questions, I delighted in my exploration…
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Viewing Joy Through Relationships
In Quietness and Trust We Find Strength
Despite every effort in maintaining steady progress, the small logs shifted under the stiff soles of my clogs. Stopping, I steadied my balance, and regaining my confidence, crossed over. The pause helped me avoid a fall, but also stay focused on the task ahead. Much like times of uncertainty when in quietness and trust we find strength for the elusive…
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When Gratitude Becomes a Sacrifice
Every mother longs for her graduation day from mother to “grandmother”. Even now as I fondle the tiny knit booties, I remember the exquisite joy upon opening them that Mother’s Day some years ago. My son and his wife struggled for so long with infertility, the announcement of a little one on the way seemed like a dream. Joy sprung…
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Trusting, Resting, and Praising
As I mentioned in my last post, God spoke to my heart about intentionally incorporating REST into my life this summer in answer to prayer. What I thought seemed an easy lesson turned into a four part series. Even more incredible, God opened my eyes to the relationship between rest and trust. Exploring the relationship between trusting, resting and praising…
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The Garden Grace of the Butterfly
Restless, thoughts darted through my mind intensifying already tense muscles with their persistent implications of unfinished work. My time in the garden usually speaks calm to my racing mind, but tonight the eerie quiet produced the opposite effect. Fidgeting in my seat, a slight movement caught my eye: a butterfly. The garden grace of the butterfly drew me in with…
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When “Be Still” Means Move Forward
Sharing my attitude of rest summary from a recent blog post with someone the other day brought up a perplexing thought. While resting in the Lord culminates in deeper trusting of the Lord; we demonstrate trust when “be still” means move forward. Expressed differently, at times, God calls us to “be still” in our hearts and souls, but [in trust]…
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When My Heart is Overwhelmed
Have you ever felt like the answer to your prayers involved more confusion, complexity and intensity to your already painful circumstances? Navigating these feelings in my current season of life surfaced my growing need for God’s guidance when my heart is overwhelmed. For at times, in His flawless sovereignty, He places me in situations designed to exceed my independent ability…
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Trusting God From a Place of Rest
He asked me a question I knew all too well, and one I had no desire to answer. Yet upon reflection, the requisite chest tightening and nauseous churning of my stomach seemed quiet. Turning the question over in my mind, I realized the calm beating of my heart and relaxed posture spoke peace not dread. Could trusting God from a…
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July Jewels: Share Four Somethings
After thoroughly enjoying many months of “Share Four Somethings” posts by blogging friends, join me as I jump in this month with July Jewels: Share Four Somethings. Heather Gerwing hosts a monthly feature called, Share Four Somethings, where writers share the fourth Saturday of each month something in each of four categories from the previous month. The four categories remain…
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