God’s Hidden Arrangement

Blog

I spent this past weekend assembling a detailed 3D book-nook puzzle, one of those miniature architectural scenes made of dozens upon dozens of tiny wooden pieces. Each piece had been precisely cut with notches so small they were nearly invisible, yet every one fit only in a single location. The instructions required an exact order. […]

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A Christ Centered Christmas

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Each year, “Merry Christmas” is spoken more cautiously, if it is spoken at all. In its place, “Happy Holidays” has become the safer greeting, offered under the banner of politeness, neutrality, and inclusiveness. Just last week, after wishing a gentleman “Merry Christmas” over the phone, he replied with a carefully neutral “Happy Holidays.” These exchanges […]

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Sanctified Journaling

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“Record all special favors, mercies, providences, and experiences.Little do you know the advantages that will redound to your souls upon this.” – Thomas Brooks, Smooth Stones Taken from Ancient Brooks I began journaling as a teenager, long before I knew Christ. What began as a class assignment soon became a nightly ritual. I would open my […]

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Cultivating Reverence for the Holiness of God

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Reverence does not grow in the heart by accident. Scripture never treats it as a passing feeling or a heightened emotion that comes and goes with the seasons of the soul. Reverence is the posture formed when the heart sees God as He truly is, and bows beneath the weight of that truth with joy […]

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My Grandmother’s Heart


Devotional

Do you know why I loved my grandmother so much? Because she loved me first! Just as Jesus loved us first! She showed me the unconditional, sacrificial love of Christ! His love was there in her gentle hands. Hands that never harmed me; That touched me and held me with affection and joy. His love […]

11/23/2010

Thanksgiving 1965


Devotional, Wednesday Woman

                                                                                                         Delicious memories are served up in my mind this time of year. Remembering wonderful Thanksgivings at my Memaw’s house cause a warmth to coat my soul and I cannot help but feel the corners of my mouth turn up into a smile as I reflect on those days. When I was seven years old […]

11/23/2010

Elementary Thanksgiving


Devotional, Wednesday Woman

“Let us enter His gates with thanksgiving.” Psalm 100:4 Dear Father, Thanksgiving Day is only a couple of weeks away and somewhere in the recesses of my mind the scene and scent of paste and crayons emerge. Brown paper-sack turkeys plastered to construction paper take me back to third grade. Pilgrims with black buckle hats […]

11/10/2010

Intimacy is not Romantic


Devotional, MorningMeds

Intimacy is really not as romantic and attractive as people make it out to be.  More often then not, it is painful and ugly. If you looked deep inside our hearts, chances are you probably wouldn’t see a lot of deep, beautiful, profound thoughts and memories. Instead you would see a tangled mess. You would […]

11/10/2010

Identity


Devotional, Wednesday Woman

“In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” Ephesians 3:12 Dear Father, Would you just look at all these tags that are supposed to identify who I am! I have three different badges on a lanyard around my neck five days a week that allows access to my […]

11/03/2010

Alongside


Devotional, Wednesday Woman

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” Romans 12:15 Heavenly Father, How I praise you for the privilege of prayer and the joy of standing before you on the behalf of others. Today I have stood before you rejoicing over the wonderful new place you have brought one of my friends. You […]

11/01/2010

I Want to Dance


MorningMeds

 Giving up on ballroom dancing was easy. Trying to count, stay in rhythm, remember new steps, maintain frame and differentiate between my left and my right at the same time, [yes, I still struggle with this] was difficult. But the hardest thing for me to learn in ballroom dancing was allowing my husband to take […]

10/22/2010

Fear Not


Devotional, Wednesday Woman

“Fear not for I am with thee.” Isaiah 43:5 Dear Father,   There is power in your word.  Preachers have pounded the pulpit through the ages with that point.  Books have been written about it, hymns have been sung, poems recited, but you used a little girl and her boo-boo to carve that scripture into […]

10/18/2010

A Diary of Private Prayer


Book Reviews

I recently ran across and bought this old classic devotional called A Diary of Private Prayer by John Baillie. I had never heard of this little gem before. It is divided by 31 chapters for each of the 31 days of the month and has two pages for each day, one entitled Morning and the […]

10/17/2010

Two Mountains


MorningMeds

We are as close to God as we want to be. I can’t remember where I first saw or heard that statement, but there is a lot of truth in it. It is quite convicting. God is always present.  He doesn’t change positions on us. We are the variable, not him. Our coming closer to […]

10/09/2010