When Jesus was on the cross He was surrounded by scoffers, soldiers and a few followers. The first mentioned was Mary, His mother. Even while He suffered excruciating pain He was taking care of her. As the oldest son it was His responsibility to look after her and that’s exactly what He did. Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene.  When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.”  And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home.…

As the holidays approach my job has become more and more busy. People are excited to be seeing family that they missed with the lock down a year ago and they are planning their winter get-a-ways more with each passing snow storm. One day last week it felt as though I was struggling to keep my head above water when I moved some files from my desk and a note card fell out on the floor. The note read, “Whenever you feel overwhelmed, remember whose daughter you are and straighten your crown! Thank you Lord!! That perfectly timed message put a huge smile on my face and reminded me that…

I attended a meeting a few weeks ago and was completely in awe of a young woman’s heart and devotion to God. She shared about the struggles she endures with bi-polar disorder. For many years she prayed that she would be healed, but the healing never came. She resolved in her heart that God was bigger than the disorder and that where she is weak, He is strong. His presence and provision in her life are more than sufficient to deal with the trial she endures. She has even come to the point of thanking Him for it because it increases her dependence on Him. What a beautiful testimony! It…

Whenever I take my car through the automatic car wash I try to remember to give out a “You Matter” card and a nice tip to the people who prep the car. Their work is making my life easier and I appreciate their efforts. The other day I gave the attendant on the driver’s side a card and a tip. He was surprised and said thank you. A few moments later I felt I was to also give the attendant on the passenger’s side the same thing. I motioned at the window to get his attention and when I gave him the card and the tip he said, “Me too?…

On Thanksgiving morning I participated in a 5K Turkey Trot. The start of the race was delayed because of the incredible turn out of runners on that very cold (20 degrees) morning. As I waited I found out a little more about the young man who organized the event. The run was his senior project and the proceeds from the event would go to families who have kids at Primary Children’s hospital. That is what first caught my attention when I saw the post on Facebook advertising the event. While talking to a friend at the race I found out that the young man was well acquainted with the financial…

Last week I went shopping for a turkey for Thanksgiving. While I was gathering all the items to make the traditional dinner I kept getting the prompting that I was to buy two of everything so I did. As the days passed I wondered who was to receive the extra meal. Then last night I was unable to sleep and spent some time in my prayer room. I was then lead to contact a friend of ours who is a leader in a local motorcycle club. They often have charity rides to help out others and it was an avenue that I hadn’t thought of previously. This morning I sent…

Yesterday I was thinking through the events of my week so I could choose a Divine Encounter to write about. There were a few that stood out in my mind, but for whatever reason I didn’t feel lead to share them. Then this morning I knew why and what to share. Last night I was having one of those moments where I felt angry about some comments that my husband had made. Rather than thinking through the situation and letting go of words that in the long run didn’t really matter, I chose to marinate them over and over in my mind. I say marinate because I was soaking in…

Earlier this week I was blessed to host a Surviving the Holidays event with the Grief Share program. As the topic of Christmas was presented in the video, one of the counselors commented that Christmas is the sufferer’s holiday. It’s the season that reminds us that God understands our hurts and heartaches at the loss of a loved one. It’s why He sent His Son…..to end suffering, sin and pain. It’s why we can look at this season with hope in the promise that one day, He will wipe away every tear and there will be no more death. Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise and His birth is…

Last week I had the privilege of sharing my testimony, my story, with a group of people and I cannot accurately describe the feelings of joy and thankfulness that filled my soul. It wasn’t just speaking the words, but also hearing them again for myself that rejuvinated my passion for the Lord and all that He has done for me. It reminded me of the lengths that God has gone to redeem me and give me a new life in Him. It reminded me of the love that He has for me and the love that I have for Him. For those moments of retelling my story, the world and…

I recently was on a business trip to Universal Studios in Florida and was blessed in many ways by my sister being able to travel with me. Part of my job was to experience the Theme Parks so that I would better understand all that they had to offer and could then guide my clients to make the choices that would best fit their travel needs. I had decided that I would ride every ride my sister wanted to because she has never been to a theme park before and I didn’t want to hold her back from all the possible experiences just because I was fearful of roller coasters.…