Feb 06
I had to smile when I read this, considering the incredibly stressful months my husband and I recently have faced with one health crisis after another. How about you? Does it feel as if God may have overestimated your ability to handle problems? Are you pretty sure that what you’re facing is too much? Well, …
Jan 23
For weeks I planned this photo of my grandkids in their new, matching Mickey and Minnie jammies we were giving them for Christmas. I envisioned them sitting in order from 8-year-old Bauer down to 1-year-old Mathis, but knew that wasn’t realistic. So I opted for girls on one side (the three of them are definitely …
Jan 09
It’s often said that there are two kinds of people in life: optimists and pessimists. You probably think I’m going to tell you to be an optimist, but I’m not. And that’s because optimism will not always change the inevitable. Take the case of the optimist who fell out of the twelfth-story window. As he went …
Dec 19
Last week I shared with you my pastor’s thoughts on not being consumed with trying to make all our pain go away, but instead learning how to be invincible to it–“incapable of being conquered, overcome or subdued” by it. Those who accomplish this “are an unstoppable force,” Pastor Brian said. I’ve been trying to be …
Dec 12
Guest blog by Brian Jones Our goal as disciples of Jesus shouldn’t be to eliminate pain. Our goal should be to craft the kind of life that is invincible to pain. Those who learn how to be invincible to pain–“incapable of being conquered, overcome or subdued”–are an unstoppable force. This is what Jesus meant when …
Nov 07
In honor of November being National Family Caregivers Month, I’d like to offer some special encouragement to all the weary folks who faithfully attend to the needs of loved ones. You’re physically tired. Probably emotionally exhausted. Maybe even running on spiritual fumes. Been there…done that. Way too many times. I’ve cared for relatives with dementia, others …
Oct 17
Once upon a time there was a newspaper reporter who simply loved reporting news. She didn’t want to make up stories or even write non-fiction books. She just wanted to stick to the facts and report the news–hopefully someday for the New York Times. But God had other plans. When she was 36, the doctors told her …
Oct 03
In recognition of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I’d like to introduce you to my dear friend Polly, a cancer-free, five-time survivor–including three breast cancers, one of which was stage 4! Polly’s personal cancer journey began more than 15 years ago, although her family’s trek with this dreaded disease stretches back decades. Her mother, several …
Sep 26
The above quote from 20th-century American author/pastor A. W. Tozer is for me a mind-blowing one. What I think about God–who He is, how He acts, what He can and cannot do–is the very most important thing about me. Our view of God shapes our attitude, our emotions, our responses, and our plans in unimaginable …
Sep 19
Sometimes things move very quickly once you or a loved one gets a life-threatening diagnosis. I guess that’s good because you don’t have much time to think about it, but it also makes life feel a little like a surreal out-of-body experience: Can that really be me/us everyone is talking about? My cancer was discovered on …
