Choose to Live an Abundant Life

by Mary Southerland | | 30 comments

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I have discovered some wonderful advantages of growing older. Honestly, I can get away with so much more than I could when I was younger – and I love it!

Like many of you, I have paid some heavy life dues. I am enjoying a refreshing freedom in what I say and do – as long as I say and do it in love and with integrity before God.

I am flat-out amazed by the fact that people value my advice. They actually think I know what I am doing. Hilarious! I know!

But I am thrilled to share some of the God-truths I have learned along the way. I’m also free to occasionally respond with a hearty “I don’t have

God Sees What You’re Going Through

by Sharon Jaynes | | 16 comments

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Let’s face it. People let us down. They disappoint us. And sometimes it seems God does too. Often our experiences fall short of our expectations for God to meet all our needs the way we think He should, and like a lover who has been wronged, we tend to guard our hearts against future disappointment by lowering our expectations and trust. But make no mistake about it, God sees. God understands. He is not aloof.

One day I was sitting on the patio with my stepfather, Pete, waiting for the grill to heat up before cooking our dinner. My mom opened the door and gave Pete his orders—telling him what to do and how to do it. When she

A Beautiful Bride

by Gwen Smith | | 5 comments

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Rarely do I see more beauty on the face of a woman than on the day of her wedding. She’s the belle of the ball and she knows it. Her eyes twinkle as she walks down the aisle toward her groom and her smile speaks to the confidence she feels.

Brides are often consumed with wedding planning. They dream of details with best friends, family, co-workers and loved ones. They invite others to share in the big day.

There are showers and parties and cake-tastings.

There are presents to buy and dresses to try on, menus to peruse, and tuxes to rent.

Brides know their wedding day is special. They know this is their day for the spotlight. Their day to shine.

A

Passionate Commitment

by Melissa Spoelstra | | 2 comments

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I hurriedly pulled the clothes out of the dryer until I noticed a huge streak of blue on one of my favorite shirts. Upon closer inspection I found that most of the articles in the load had similar marks. After rummaging around in the basket, I found a blue ink pen fully emptied of its contents. This incident happened several years before Google provided instantaneous advice in these types of situations. I had heard that hairspray could remove ink, so I repeatedly sprayed, rubbed, and rinsed until the Aqua net fumes were more than I could handle. Finally, I surrendered to the permanence of the stains and threw out the entire load.

While the loss of those clothes

Help Me See

by Suzie Eller | | 5 comments

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I rested on the concrete driveway with two sweet boys, staring into the inky night sky. As we talked, I asked them to look up and describe what they could see.

“I see the dark,” one replied.

“A star,” said another, pointing to a lone star at a distance.

I pulled out my phone and opened an app. As I pointed my phone at the night sky, constellations appeared on the screen. The boys excitedly took turns holding my phone this way and that, calling out the names of the constellations and planets. When I shut the app and put my phone in my pocket, one slid his hand in mine and looked into the dark sky.

“Whoa, Gaga, to think that

What’s Wrong with Me?

by Kelly Balarie | | 3 comments

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Have you ever started a recipe only to find you’re missing that one ingredient?

Perhaps, you begin, convinced that you have everything you need. Then you follow the recipe, adding the proper ingredients. Half-way through the process, you open the refrigerator to get an egg, when you realize you are “eggless!” Not an egg to be had!

You’re missing an important ingredient, and you’re stuck. The cooking stops!

Some of us feel this same frustration in the recipe called “us.” We feel like we’re missing something–like God left something out of the recipe. Maybe He was all out of one particular ingredient or another on the day He fashioned us in our mother’s womb.

For a long time, I felt like I

Too Deep for Words

by Rachel Wojo | | 24 comments

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She, too, had lost her daughter, though her circumstances were completely different than my own. Her note began: “I know you are a praying woman.”

Wow. I felt honored to receive her prayer request, but my heart sank as I read the desperate details. I whispered, “Jesus, have mercy. I don’t know how to pray for this new friend. I can’t wrap my head around her situation.”

The grief washed over me on her behalf, triggering a fresh flood of personal sorrow. I found myself weeping and wishing the world wasn’t filled with suffering and despair. I dried the tears with the backs of my hands, and a sigh escaped. Then a groan.

Perhaps you’ve experienced that same kind of groan.

The Contagiousness of Grumpy and Grateful

by Sharon Jaynes | | 41 comments

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A few months ago, I was in the airport headed to New Jersey. It was a typical rush, rush, rush morning. Grab the bags, trudge through traffic, hunt for a parking space, follow the herd, wade through security, dash to the gate.

Folks aren’t usually very friendly in airports. Eyes look straight ahead. Purposed feet slap the floor. Overstuffed bags roll behind. It’s not that people are grumpy. They’re just “flatish.” (That’s a new word for today.)

On this particular morning, I looked just like everyone else: “flatish.” Before settling in at my gate, I decided to make one last trip to the restroom. I’m so glad I did. It was one of the most joy-filled places I had been in

Treasures in Darkness

by Mary Southerland | | 3 comments

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God doesn’t waste any experience in our lives. Some experiences come by His design while others come as consequences of our actions, but they all come with His permission and are filtered through His fingers of love.

While vacationing in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina, our family developed several traditions. One of those traditions was mining for gold.

The routine was always the same. After buying a bucket of muddy rocks, we were handed a mesh-bottomed tray and seated on a mud-covered stool in front of a wooden trough. Cold water rushed down from the mountain above, spilling over the trough’s sides all over us and our clothes.

Lovely!

We slowly filtered the bucket’s contents into the tray, placed the tray

Showers of Gratitude (When You Don’t Even Feel Like Taking a Shower)

by Kathi Lipp | | 8 comments

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I hate taking showers.

I know, that’s not something I should admit in polite company. Let me explain…

I love to get up in the morning and curl up next to the fire with a cup of coffee and my Bible, our dog Moose beside me. It’s the perfect way to go from cozy bed to cozy couch, with the addition of caffeine and canine company.

But when it’s time to shower, everything else must be put into action: go get the clothes, take the shower, get dressed, do my hair and makeup, make breakfast, and finally sit at my desk. The shower signifies a shift to the less cozy part of my day. Admittedly, it’s a small thing, but