A Love That Stays

by Gwen Smith | | 2 comments

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I took a few pictures with what I call my “big girl camera.” You know, the old-school kind with a lens that adjusts to things near and far, making objects change from blurry to clear with a simple twist. It’s amazing to look through a viewfinder and watch what is hazy become crisp and clear.

I often feel like I need this feature for my soul.

Have you ever felt that way?

My week has been a bit of a blur and this distracted heart needs a good refocusing. So, I turn to the Word of God and the adjustment begins. Psalm 89 was penned by a man named Ethan. He wrote the psalm to celebrate the throne of king David

Worries and What Ifs

by Suzie Eller | | 1 comment

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When the sale of our home fell through shortly before closing, we were suddenly thrust into a lot of hard decisions. We had already signed a lease on a new place. We had packed our home, deep-cleaned, and were ready to go. The sale was the result of weeks of time, work, and our financial resources and now we were back to square one.

The reason behind the buyer’s change of mind was understandable and we had compassion for that person. Yet that didn’t take away the pressure and stress of trying to figure out our next step.

Have you ever been there?

You think you’ve done everything right. You know exactly what you are going to do next and where

The Best Daddy of All

by Sharon Jaynes | | 10 comments

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I hugged my pink stuffed poodle to my chest. We were about to have a serious conversation, even though I would be the only one talking. My ten-year-old self looked into his black button eyes and confided the empty ache that I dare not admit to anyone. I didn’t say the words out loud. I didn’t need to. We were close like that.

I wish I had a daddy who loved me, I began. I wish I had a daddy who would kiss me on the cheek when he came home from work, tickle my sides after catching me in a game of chase, and carry me piggyback in the park. I wish I had a daddy who liked

For the Weak and the Strong

by Elisa Pulliam | | 6 comments

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I will never make it as a gardener. I simply don’t have the motivation to endure the back-breaking, never-ending work of weeding nor the mindset to trust the process. From the very beginning, I can’t help but sow too many seeds into pods too small for roots to grow deep and strong. As those seedlings burst forth, I stand in awe like a proud momma but dread the inevitable next step . . . thinning out the weak ones.

I can’t stand being the one who chooses which ones have to go.

It’s not surprising, as I’ve been a softy for the underdog forever. Whether it is a seedling, a teen girl struggling to find her way, or a character

Finding Refuge

by Gwen Smith | | 9 comments

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Basketball is a game of hustle, teamwork and strategy, all of which I love. My introduction to the sport, however, was a good bit lame and un-strategic. Not sure why, but my parents signed me up for a rec league team in the fifth grade where I was the only girl on my team. Possibly the only girl in the league.

Now, before you go waving your girl-power pompoms and breaking out in resounding choruses of R-E-S-P-E-C-T, let me assure you it was neither pretty, powerful nor pompom worthy, because at that point I knew more about quantum physics than the game of basketball. Yep. I knew nothing.

Eventually, however, I went on to play for my junior high and

Wake Up and Reach Out

by Kelly Balarie | | 1 comment

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As women, we know what needs to get done. In the morning, the dishwasher needs to be unloaded. Mid-morning on Monday’s, we make a trip to the grocery store. Later, we plan to call a girlfriend. We will go by the bank.

Do you ever, like me, live your days on auto-pilot?

It is easy to do what needs to be done, to go through the motions. It is easy to get lulled by a world that centers around shopping and eating. It is easy to get numb to our own heart and needs. It is easy to meet with God half-heartedly, because so much else needs to get done.

Lately, I feel God calling me to wake up! If I

Mark My Words!

by Mary Southerland | | 5 comments

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I recently received an email from a friend who told me the story of a private school in Washington that faced an unusual problem. Some of the12-year-old girls were beginning to use lipstick and would gather around the mirrors in the bathroom to compare shades and apply their lipstick.

The girls thought it was cute to then press their lips to the bathroom mirrors, leaving dozens of lip prints. The maintenance man did not think it was cute because he had to clean the mirrors – and you know how icky lipstick on a mirror can be.

Every night the maintenance man would remove the lipstick prints only to find that the girls put them back the next day.

The principal

The Great I AM

by Melissa Spoelstra | | 3 comments

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When my youngest child was born, my son was just starting kindergarten and my twin daughters were two years old. To say I was a little overwhelmed in that season would be an understatement. When Rachel’s birth certificate came in the mail, I noticed that it said she was born on the second of the month, but she actually was born on the fifth. I made a mental note to look into getting that changed but got swept up in tantrums, diaper changes, potty-training, and reading lessons.

Years went by and I didn’t think much about it until one day when she was in middle school and wanted to go on a mission trip. Guess what she needed?

It’s Going to Be Okay

by Sharon Jaynes | | 17 comments

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It’s was one of the worst days of my life. Tragedy struck our family in the worst way and I was emotionally paralyzed. That’s when my friend, Mary, stepped in to do what I couldn’t. She made a hotel reservation for me, called the necessary people, and said, “It’s going to be okay.”

“It’s going to be okay” is one of the most hope-filled sentiments I can offer to others, and that I can choose to believe for myself. The writer of Hebrews says: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1 NET). That’s where hope comes from.

Of course, for the Christian, there is the future hope

Tearing Up My “Good” Christian Recipe Card

by Barb Roose | | 10 comments

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For many years, I treated my faith like I was cooking dinner in the kitchen. Here’s what my Christian life recipe looked like for many years:

1 c. weekly church attendance

1 c. daily Bible study

1 c. volunteering (or 2 c. if pressured to do more)

1 c. Bible study group (sometimes a seasonal ingredient)

1 c. offering (or a dash if money is tight)

1 c. prayer (add more if you gossip, lie or occasionally swear)

1 c. good intentions

Directions: Mix together each week on your calendar. Substitute guilt for any missing ingredients. Pour generous amounts of worship music over the top to cover for anything that might be outdated or less than fresh. Finally, serve with a Sunday smile.

For years, I felt