This morning as I was getting ready for work I opened a drawer in the bathroom vanity to get my makeup. As I looked in the drawer I saw my reflection in a small handheld mirror and I have to say it was less than flattering. Gravity was in full force as I was leaning down and I was not quite fully awake. I thought, “Wow! There’s a lot of work that needs to be done.” After washing my face and applying wrinkle creams and make up, the reflection improved and I felt much better. Then I sat down to read my bible study. Guess what the verse was? 1…

Last week I read in the church bulletin about a prayer group that meets on Tuesday evenings.  I was excited to see that and knew it was something God wanted me to attend.  The weekly bible studies are done for the summer and will begin again in the fall and since we are out of town on weekends, I wanted something to stay connected with my church family and God answered. When I pulled up to the church it looked deserted and I re-read the bulletin to make sure I had the right day and time.  I did, so I waited.  During the wait my mind was bombarded with thoughts…

Well Memorial Day Weekend turned out to be a bit soggy.  There were rain and thunder showers off and on throughout the weekend. Every time that I prayed, I would pray that we would make the most of the weekend and enjoy our time away. Thankfully God answered those prayers and He did it in a very beautiful way.  On our way to our weekend home I was looking at Facebook posts from friends who were sharing their holiday weekend plans.  It was nice to see so many getting out there and braving the temperamental weather. One post really touched my heart and stayed on my mind throughout the weekend. …

There has been quite a bit of rain this last week. So much that we decided not to go away for the weekend. Although we didn’t get away, the rain made for several other opportunities that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. Not only does it smell great, but everything is getting so green, the trees are filling out and there are flowers and plants blooming everywhere; it’s a beautiful sight. Because we were home, I ran errands that needed to be done and it felt great to take my time and slow down the pace even at home. I was able to have a longer quiet time and not feel like…

I’ve been fascinated and confronted with the study of 1 Samuel over the last few weeks. So many passages have been meant for me right now in my life. There is plenty of correction and that is one of the purposes of God’s word, to correct us. I had ordered several bible studies months ago and they sat in a box waiting to be explored. In packing for our weekend retreats I decided to make a bible bag that would stay there so I didn’t have to transport one every week. As I looked through the bible studies to decide which one to take, 1 Samuel stood out to me.…

I read this post the other day and it made me think of so many people. Your calling is going to crush you. If you’re called to mend the brokenhearted, you’re going to wrestle with broken-heartedness. If you’re called to prophesy, you’re going to struggle to control your mouth. If you’re called to lay hands, you will battle spiritual viruses. If you are called to preach and to teach the gospel, you will be sifted for the wisdom that anoints your message. If you are called to empower, your self-esteem will be attacked, your successes will be hard fought. Your calling will come with cups, thorns and sifting that are…

We have a friend that will often comment that we are his people. It always makes me smile because I know that he means it and we feel the same way about him. He and his wife are friends that we connect with and enjoy spending time with. We all know that in a moment’s notice we would be there for each other. In my studies the other day I came across a verse that reads, “For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own.” (1 Samuel 12:22) God calls us “His people,” and I’m sure it’s for the same reasons; that He…

Did you know that you have Ebenezer stones? That might surprise you and make you wonder what they are. The name Ebenezer means stone of help and it was the name Samuel gave to a stone as a memorial to help the people remember what God had done for them. Samuel used stones as a memorial when God’s people wanted to remember His goodness and faithfulness. First Samuel 7:12 says that when God enabled the Israelites to defeat the Philistines, the Prophet Samuel “took a stone and … named it Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far has the Lord helped us.’” I was speaking with a lady the other day and she…

The other day I was having a conversation with a well known client. We discussed family, work and the usual topics. Then the conversation took a turn and we found ourselves talking and commenting about some drama issues that involved people we knew. Plain and simple, we were gossiping. Most of the time when I’m communicating with someone I ask myself, “If the person I’m discussing was present, would I be having this conversation?” In this situation the answer was no and I felt very convicted about things I said. The next morning in my quiet time I was reading 1 Samuel 3:19, “The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and He…