Live Boldly
-
Something to Hold On To
Security; we all like to feel safe and secure. There is peace in knowing the details and what to expect. In 1 Samuel 2, Hannah offers a prayer where she mentions “The Lord is my horn.” The meaning is that the Lord is her strength. She could hold on to Him and His promises. She goes on to say, “There is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.” That is where she found her security, her confidence and the ability to move forward. She had learned to be completely dependent upon Him and rest in Him. Isn’t that what we want? To be at peace with…
-
Speak Lord! I’m Listening
Think about how nice it is to hear from someone that you haven’t heard from in a long time. The sound of their voice makes you smile and your mind fills with memories of how they look and sound. I have a short video on Brock’s website of him singing. It is precious to me because I can hear his voice. That is a fear I have; that over time I will forget what he sounds like. In 1 Samuel 3 is says that the word of the Lord was rare. The nation had been wandering further and further from God and because they were out of relationship with Him,…
-
Pray With Zeal & Intention
This week was the first time I was able to spend my morning quiet time on the deck. The weather is just perfect, not to cold and yet just right for a comfy sweater and hot cup of coffee. Birds are singing and a grass was just freshly mowed the night before. A hanging basket of flowers added a colorful touch and beautiful scent. Thank you Lord for this place. I began a new study of 1 & 2 Samuel this week and the timing is spot on. The first chapter is about a woman named Hannah whose example teaches about praying with zeal and intention. As I read the…
-
Happy Mother’s Day
What a beautiful day! Gorgeous weather, colorful flowers, sunshine and time with our families. That’s what Mother’s Day is all about. A time to celebrate family. This holiday is a tough one for many people. Some have been praying for children and are still waiting. Others have their children all around them while some haven’t seen their children in years. Still others are missing loved ones due to many different circumstances. I have some sweet friends who will be experiencing this holiday for the first time without one of their kids. It is such a difficult play on your emotions. On one hand you are excited to be with your…
-
Humor
My son Mitch and I went to lunch this week for Mother’s Day. It was a time for just the two of us and I like having my Mitch moments. As I was driving him back to work we stopped at a stop light and were talking. A car pulled up next to us and the driver was holding a small dog who was enjoying the sunshine with his head out the window. While they were waiting at the light the dog turned and started licking the driver’s face. In return the driver stuck out his tongue and they began licking each other’s tongues. My son and I looked at…
-
Lights Out
Yesterday I went to the store to purchase a new coffee maker. Even after a bottle of descaling solution, my old one was finished. I went to a store that is going out of business and will only be open for 5 more days. There were several shoppers mulling around looking for treasures and bargains. I found a nice option and was getting ready to head toward the checkout line when the lights flickered and went off. They came back on for a moment and then went off again. It was surprising how quiet it was without the hum of the lights. Pretty soon people were using their cell phone…
-
Descaling
This morning the alarm clock went off right on schedule. I was so comfortable as the scent of a light spring rain was drifting through the room from the open window. The comforter was just right and I did not want to move. Finally after hitting the snooze button a few times I finally sat up and decided to face the day. It’s only Tuesday, but I’m dragging and the thought of a nice hot cup of coffee made me smile and get moving. Unfortunately my coffee maker was not feeling up to working either. The red light was on indicating that it needed to descale. That means no coffee…
-
Wintered Well
Over the weekend I witnessed many people reuniting after a long winter. All throughout the campground resort area, snowbirds were reconnecting and sharing their winter experiences. Our 81 year old neighbor Warren arrived after a long drive from Arizona to begin settling in for a new season. Even his dog Charlie and our dog Missy were rubbing noses and getting reacquainted. Several times as we walked through the golf course we heard, “Hello neighbor,” and saw handshakes and hugs. It was exciting to see how many of the staff members were also back for another season. My heart was very grateful for the atmosphere of fellowship, friendship and feeling like…
-
Strangers
Two times this week I have had encounters with strangers that were very uplifting and took me by surprise. The first was a man that was looking at the pictures in the office window. I was reading a message on my computer that made me smile and he saw me and walked in the office. He said that my smile made him smile and he wanted to say thank you. It had made his day to see me smiling. I think it was the opposite; it made my day that he would take the time to come in the office and say something. Many people walk by the office and…
-
You Are Valuable
I was looking at one of the “You Matter” cards this morning and the first tab reads, “You are Valuable.” Do you believe that? In my Personalized Prayer Bible there is a section about our identity in Christ that is specifically for understanding our value. Look at the words of God below that express just how valuable you are! Insert your name in the blanks below: ________________________Is Valuable. ____________ is God’s son/daughter (John 1:12) ____________is a part of the true vine, and a channel of Christ’s life.(John 15:5) ____________is a friend of Christ. (John 15:15) ____________is a joint heir with Christ, he/she shares Christ’s inheritance with Him. (Romans 8:17) ____________is…