“A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 (NKJV) Every story has a beginning, middle, and end, referred to as Acts I, II, and III in theater. I’m in ACT III of life. I thought my path was set. I was coasting along. I was happy. I had time for the grandchildren, time to write my ... read more
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Facebook Exploits the Brain’s Attraction to Divisiveness
In May, reports surfaced that Facebook had conducted an internal study to determine if claims were true that the platform polarizes its users. And indeed, the Facebook study concluded that the company’s algorithms “weren’t bringing people together but rather driving them apart.” The study team went on to say that ... read more
Blessed are the Peacemakers
I traveled to Minneapolis last week to visit family—a trip planned long before the riots incited by the pivotal murder of George Floyd. The occasion was a happy one, to meet a new grand baby. In this home filled with peace, love and joy, it was hard to wrap my head around the events that had occurred fifteen short minutes ... read more
He Restores My Soul
On a trip to Florida’s Gulf Coast, I witnessed a beach restoration project. The beach, seriously eroded by high winds and surging waves caused by tropical storms, had all but disappeared. In fact, the coast had washed away to the point that high tide threatened the beachfront properties. The Atlantic Ocean that stole the ... read more
Becoming a Mary
Image by Ronny Overhate from Pixabay We live a fast-paced lifestyle. Our culture is driven to succeed, to acquire, to achieve. With the internet, we learned to rely on instant answers to our questions, instant delivery, and instant gratification. It often seemed the world was spinning faster than ever. And now, due ... read more
Mastering Anxiety During Tough Times
Image by Shift and Sheriff from Pixabay Worry is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained. A.S. Roche Mnemonic (ni-mon-ik) is a term I learned when I studied education. It’s a memory technique that helps us recall important and ... read more
Does the Posture of Our Hands Reflect the Posture of Our Heart?
My poor posture in sixth grade probably had something to do with boys. I towered above them, so I slumped in an effort to conceal my height. “Straighten those shoulders up!” was an admonition I heard from my dad often during my adolescent years. By the last two years of high school though, I’d finally outgrown my ... read more
It’s Not Raining Rain To Me; It’s Raining Daffodils
Gibbs Gardens (Ball Ground, GA) My daffodils bloomed early this year, in the middle of a dreary and wet February. Their sunny yellow color seemed misplaced on the gray, misty day when they first appeared. They were, of course, a welcome sight because daffodils mean spring is near. Where flowers bloom, so does ... read more
The Five Finger Prayer
“If time with God is not on your schedule, you’re not on the path of God.” I cringed at the minister’s words, remembering the early years of motherhood. Marriage, parenting, teaching school, and a myriad of other responsibilities made it difficult to find a set block of time to dedicate to God. Other than the ... read more
Weeding Our Spiritual Garden
“Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy” (Proverbs 28:13). NIV My boxwood scrubs were neatly trimmed. The ugly weeds that had sprouted from the soil underneath them gone, the crawling ivy threatening to choke them ripped away. A fresh layer of pine straw ... read more
