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It Just Means More

In 2016, the Southeastern Conference sought to rebrand itself with an ad campaign touting the ...

Travel On!

Mark Keathley’s painting “Mountain Glory” overlooks our living room. Occasionally, I take a deep breath, ...

Looking for the Good Stuff

https://vimeo.com/1017094595?share=copy#t=0

Our Topsy-Turvy World

I’m glad to see you again. It’s been a while. The last four months have ...

Slow Somedays

John Fogerty wrote Credence Clearwater Revival’s hit song, “Someday Never Comes.” The 70s song begins ...

Experiencing Grace

Ever tried to peel one of those tough onions? You know, the kind that takes ...

God Made a Husband

Last month, Ron and I celebrated 45 years of marriage. Several years ago, I wrote ...

Perpetual Peace

Red flags whipped wildly in the leftover winds of Tropical Storm Ida. Beach authorities posted ...

Just As I Am

The waitress poured us another cup of coffee. Not seeing the bottom of our cups ...

Saving Nicodemus and Me

Whenever I feel the urge to splurge for dinner, my craving often shoves me toward ...

The Greater Miracle

I am taking a page out of Network TV’s playbook this summer. Since I will ...

Sweet Grace

I shouldn’t have tried it, but I did—no need to bother my grandmother when I ...

Wearing the Dust of Surrender

Many of us have difficulty believing how much God loves us because of unhappy circumstances ...

Change Your Water to Wine

A friend recently asked me which of my blogs is my favorite. Without hesitation, I ...

What’s Going On, God?

If only Peter and his six buddies could have fired up the speakers in his ...

Does Your Passion for Jesus Show?

Does your passion for Jesus show? Our prayer team gathered in a small room Sunday ...

Where Do We Start?

Mark Keathley's “Dance of Grace” painting hangs in our living room. It depicts a circle ...

Please Don’t Stop!

If you had been Adam or Eve, how would you have felt seeing the flaming ...

The Grief Bear

If you stop in at a ranger’s station in any national park, you will hear ...

Holy in an Unholy World

Getting a fresh taste of God’s word fills and thrills my soul. Every year, I ...

Holiness 101 in the Checkout Line

We spent this past weekend in Auburn. Since the rain had moved out and our ...

The Push and Pull of Holiness

One man in Scripture hesitated and made a few excuses, but he never said “NEVER” ...

Insignificantly Significant

https://vimeo.com/916937572 The Samaritan woman didn’t know God was setting her up for something good. She woke ...

Following the Breadcrumbs

In Winston Churchill’s 1948 address to the British House of Commons, he declared, “Those who ...

Troubling the Troubler: Defeating Discouragement

What do you do when you feel overwhelmingly discouraged? Do you wrap yourself in solitude? ...

How to Share the Gospel

In Matthew 28:19, we’re told to go out and make disciples of all nations. This ...

Do You Believe in Miracles?

I’m not sure when it first happened, but the word “love” has been diluted. We ...

Why?

Do you have a friend who will sit with you in your pain? One who ...

The Three Parts of You

Stories of incredible transformation inspire change in others. My sweet mother struggled much of her ...

Stories Stick

My friend Kim Whitaker and I talked last week about how much we love a ...

Newborn Hope

Babies exit the womb as tiny, wadded-up miracles of hope. They stretch, kick, and come ...

The Baby is Gone!

When I arrived, the parking lot bulged like Santa’s toy bag on Christmas Eve. I ...

Heroes and Immanuel

If you commanded a drone to fly high above my college town, it wouldn’t look ...

God’s Great Anticipation

Quiet held my ears hostage. They longed to break free just long enough to hear ...

What Will You Give God for Christmas?

In my mind, it was Coke that started it all. Their “Have a Coke and ...

Express Yourself!

The group of ten smelly men shared nothing in common except their disease. Leprosy wrapped ...

Ezekiel? Really?

Don’t you love it when you see something in Scripture you’ve never paid attention to ...

If I Had To Do It All Over Again …

If I had it to do all over again … I’ve heard that sentiment more ...

Hold On!

My pride stung when our teammate/coach wanted to move me from second base to catcher. ...

That You May Be Healed

I was saved at 13. For two reasons, the book of James was the first ...

How Can Anxious Be a Good Word?

Learning a new language can be frustrating and quite time-consuming. I remember going on a ...

Justice for the Bad Guy

Sometimes I can’t help myself; I want the bad guy to get what he deserves. ...

Seeking God’s Fire

https://vimeo.com/854431619?share=copy

When God Takes Us Back to School

There’s an air of anticipation wrapped around a new school year. Elementary kids grin with ...

You Are Not the Only One

It’s easy to think our whole world has gone haywire and turned its back on ...

Shifting Our Perspective

Our eleven-month old grandson Chapel, whom I affectionately refer to as Chappy, finally put his ...

Changing Our View of Marriage

Most who enter into marriage make the same kind of tenacious promise; leaving will never ...

Nothing Left to Lose

Kris Kristofferson co-wrote it. Roger Miller first recorded it. Then versions by Gordon Lightfoot, Charlie ...

No Good Reason to Love

“I love you.” It’s such an easy thing to say. We utter the words with ...

To Hell in a Handbasket?

For centuries, Christians have been portrayed as the bad guys.  During Jesus’ day, religious leaders ...

Let’s Get to the Roof!

As Ron and I made our way back to our car Sunday morning, I remarked, ...

Pay Attention! Something Needs Changing

If you are a mountain lover, you may not understand my affection for the beach. ...

Life Between the Songs

Since I frequently tell my grandchildren that it’s always a good day when they learn ...

Time-Released Fear

When it came to matters of the heart, each of the women in my family ...

When the Music Plays

Recently, while storm clouds hung low in Tuscaloosa, softball fans enjoyed a scene you don’t ...

It’s Time to Let Go

Don’t judge me, but I’ve seen the movie Top Gun: Maverick at least three times ...

Hope Uncomplicated

Learning to read takes time in any language. However, learning to read in English wins ...

People Who Feel Like Sunshine

While my weary muscles drowned in a tub full of salt water, I asked Siri ...

Rebound!

This past weekend I watched most of the Women’s Final Four basketball tournament. I witnessed ...

More Than We Seem

Blog-inspiring analogies and metaphors manifest themselves in all sorts of ways - even in Winnie ...

Things to Do, Places to Go

We began 2023 talking about “Beginnings”. Then in February, we explored “Relationships”. You might not ...

Choices Lead Feelings Follow

What snapshots make it into your photo albums? Maybe yours are filled with weddings, births, ...

Reverse the Curse

I walked off the stage Saturday, and I just knew. The curse had been supernaturally ...

The Jesus Revolution and Me

A spark from the Jesus Revolution drifted across the country in the early 70’s and ...

It’s a Process!

Learning of any kind is a process.  Before Ron and I married, he had taken ...

Remarkable Relationships

Happy Valentines Day! Relationships take center stage this month on Perfection Road. Last week, messy ...

Can Your Messy Relationship Make an About-face?

Messy relationships happen. Sometimes, our romantic relationships slip and slide into the mud. Other times, ...

A Beginning That Has No End

In the late 70’s, I thought I could learn to play the guitar like Joni ...

Constantly Beginning Again

Maybe you remember that 80’s TV show “The A-Team”. It depicted the antics of a ...

Beginning Again and Again

Growing up, some called me a tomboy. I didn’t particularly like that label, but I ...

Beginning Again

As a new teenager, thoughts of driving a car often spurred my imagination. I couldn’t ...

Beginnings

Going anywhere with my granddaddy Russie (his real name was Russell) painted a big smile ...

Life on Instant Replay

I was reminded a couple of weeks ago that I shouldn’t be so hesitant about ...

Touched

Surely, he felt more and more lonely and rejected as the days crawled by. After ...

Wringing Out the Good

My grandchildren will tell you that whenever you learn something new it has been a ...

Used Up and Refilled

For these next few weeks leading up to Christmas we’ll focus on a few of ...

I’m Sorry

Those who know me best know my love for movie quotes. Since Ron loves me, ...

Don’t Lose Heart

“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall ...

Fussing with God

When my friend Kim’s text popped up, I opened it with a quick click. Staring ...

Emotional Spaghetti

The woman I spoke to when booking our trip to Italy had been there several ...

Rejected

After the construction of the Florence Cathedral was completed in 1436, overseers commissioned Agostino di ...

Feeling Stuck

After flying nine hours from Italy, our plane neared New York so we could make ...
Picture Of Nature With Saying Beneath The Tuscan Sun

Beneath the Tuscan Sun

When she walked out wearing an apron with a towel flung over her shoulder I ...
God Made A Marriage Cover Image

God Made a Marriage

This week let’s pray for the marriages of those we love and for our own. ...
What If Is and If Only Is Poster Image

What If’s and If Only’s

It was twilight, and he needed to be alone. God calling his father home had ...
Aesthetic Picture Of A Girl With The Good Life Quote

The Good Life

My grandparents lived in my college town long before I became a student. They made ...
When An Alligator Is Under Your Armpit

When An Alligator Is Under Your Armpit

Nine months ago, our daughter and son-in-law welcomed a five-year-old little boy from Taiwan into ...
Going Back to Kindergarten Written In White Text

Going Back to Kindergarten

Year after year, a reserved spot on my fifth-grade classroom wall displayed the same laminated ...
We Interrupt This Program For A Special Announcement

We Interrupt This Program for a Special Announcement

At 1:11 pm yesterday, our seventh grandchild arrived kicking and screaming. While I might have ...
Chef Holding Fresh Hot Bread In The Image

BREAD!

Between church services Sunday morning I took a few minutes to do one of my ...
A Beautiful View Of The Jungle With Quote Subtle Obedience

Subtle Obedience

What hints help you identify someone as a fellow believer? What causes you to inquire ...
What Teachers Need From You Cover Image

What Teachers Need From You

As a first-year teacher, I soaked up every tidbit of advice my veteran cohorts floated ...

Slip Sliding Away

Maybe they just don’t see where you’re coming from. Or, maybe you’re looking at it ...
A Picture Describing A Quote One Team

One Team

What seems like decades ago, (Oh, wait, it was decades ago.) I coached my daughter’s ...
God Was Not Surprised Cover Image

God Was Not Surprised

I learned the hard way that being negative can have adverse effects.  Maybe I should clarify ...
Old Dog Learns New Trick Cover Image

Old Dog Learns New Trick

My mother’s humor could paint smiles on the saddest of faces. If it’s true that ...
Finding More In Marriage Cover Image

Finding More in Marriage

With our errands checked off, we headed toward home when Ron broke the silence by ...
My God Story Ella Van Deusen Cover Image

My God Story – Ella Van Deusen

I've waited weeks now to introduce you to my sweet friend Ella Van Deusen! We ...
One Of The good Ones Cover Image

One of the Good Ones

You may call me shameless, and that’s okay.  However, I have someone who deserves a pat ...
Weary and Discouraged Cover Image

Weary and Discouraged

As the iconic movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” opens, we meet George Bailey, a banker ...
Your Story Written On A Blue Background

Your Story

Have you ever wondered how your life’s story would read if it were part of ...
I Do Not Want To Written On A Black Background

I Don’t Want To

For several years, our small tribe of women met for Bible study with female inmates ...
No Time To Play Games Cover Image

No Time to Play Games

Last Monday rubbed my patience about as raw as sushi. And I hate sushi. Everything ...
A Life That Matters Cover Image

A Life That Matters

The motley tribe of seven disciples sat quietly beside the sea trying to understand the ...
a poster with text saying “You May Argue, But…”

You May Argue, But …

Whenever my brain waves begin to lay flat and my mind becomes exhausted from a ...
A Painting What Do You Want for the Children in Your Life

What Do You Want for the Children in Your Life?

What do you want for the children in your life? That was the question I ...
a book cover for Why Travel PERFECTION Road

Why Travel Perfection Road?

On the outside my grandmother Josephine looked like any other grandmother. She wore glasses, gray ...
When A Rock Cranks Your Tractor Cover Image

When a Rock Cranks Your Tractor

Looking at rocks at 7:00 in the morning cranked my tractor about as much as ...
a photo of a field with text saying How Can It Be

How Can It Be?

The annual K-LOVE Fan Awards is all grown up now. However, it began with a ...
a photo of a triangular ruler and a compass

Let’s Start Over

I hated math, but I loved my 10th grade geometry teacher. Her many years in the ...
With His Hands On Mine Cover Image

With His Hands on Mine

It usually takes a couple of Sunday morning songs for me to get my worship ...
a photo of a lady kissing a baby

Hold You?

Human touch comforts the brokenhearted, electrifies lovers, encourages the defeated, soothes the restless, and cements ...
a photo of pies with text saying Literal Love

Literal Love

Ron and I still smile toothy grins when we think about his first visit to ...
Ready To Reset Full Cover Picture

Ready to Reset

Jesus made making peace with God a simple process. Yet, when it comes to making ...
Holding On To A Holy Moment Image

Holding On To a Holy Moment

Our mountainside home overlooks beautiful Lake Guntersville. Some mornings, I stand at my back door ...
The Hardest Part Of The Journey Image

The Hardest Part of the Journey

Thankfully, making peace with God is a simple process. He makes it simple because He ...
a poster saying with text saying SQUEEZED

Squeezed

If you stood a Christian and a non-Christian side by side, it might be impossible ...
a sunset with text saying ON A SCALE FROM 1 TO 10

On a Scale from 1 to 10 …

It was a simple question: On a scale from 1 to 10, how peaceful are ...
a snowy mountain with text saying New Years Blanket

A New Year’s Blanket

If snow blanketed our world every day in a glistening shimmer we might take its ...

2021

There's a new year coming! Some will be glad to see it go while others hate ...
Simply Jesus Cover Image With A Star Behind

Simply Jesus

The classic Christmas movie The Polar Express delivers a trainload of insightful spiritual comparisons. Last week, I used ...
a photo of a measuring cup with text saying HOW MUCH Love

How Much Love

Who doesn't love a friend who looks for the best in you and then makes it ...
A Long Line Of Love Cover Image

A Long Line of Love

Truly, there is no greater joy than knowing your children and their children are walking ...
My Thanksgiving Song cover Image

My Thanksgiving Song

Do you underline things in your Bible? I do. I want the ones reading behind ...

A Swirl of Thoughts and Emotions

https://vimeo.com/646143385
book cover of Kim Kings THERE Is always room FOR MORE

There’s Always Room for More

Friends often fill the chambers of our hearts much like the Jews filled the Tabernacle. ...
a photo of a Church pew with text saying Church Lepers

Church Lepers

Desperation shoved her through the doors of the drug rehab facility. Counselors and teachers there ...
the book cover of Saving Nicodemus by Donna Jackson

Saving Nicodemus

Whenever I feel the urge to splurge for dinner, my craving often shoves me toward ...
I Was But God and Now Text Written On A Photo With Cake

I Was … But God … And Now …

Yesterday, my doctor friend casually asked how old Ron and I were. I’m sure that ...
A Letter To My Child Cover Image

A Letter to My Child

Dear Child of Mine, In times like these, maybe you could use a reminder of ...
Photo of a tropical storm with text saying Perpetual Peace

Perpetual Peace

Red flags whipped wildly in the leftover winds of Tropical Storm Ida. Orange Beach authorities ...
Do Not Let The Golden Rule Rub You The Wrong Way

Don’t Let the Golden Rule Rub You the Wrong Way

My elementary school pencil boxes were made exactly like my granddaddy’s cigar boxes. But rather ...
A Poster Saying Regrets I Have A Few

Regrets, I Have a Few …

… but then again, too few to mention.” If you’re old enough to remember the ...
A Night Sky With Text Saying Wishing and Hoping

Wishing and Hoping

Star light, star brightFirst star I see tonightI wish I mayI wish I mightHave the ...
a poster saying IT'S OVER with tiny hearts in the background

It’s Over!

Last week’s blog The Miracle of the Rescue highlighted Mary Magdalene’s deliverance from demon possession as portrayed ...
A poster saying The Miracle of the Rescue with a lake in the background

The Miracle of the Rescue

Most likely, you’ve either seen or heard about The Chosen, a new series based on the ...
a picture of a boy with text saying What Jesus Means to Me

What Jesus Means to Me

My fourteen-year-old grandson Camden has a passion for writing. Because his career goal is to ...
a poster asking What to Do with Careless Words?

What to Do with Careless Words

I had been teaching long enough to know better, but I said it anyway.  I’ve ...
a photo of a tree with text saying what JESUS needed

What Jesus Needed

Who are the friends you want beside you in a crisis? Who prays for you ...
a picture of a crowd with text asking WHAT CAN ONE PERSON DO?

What Can One Person Do?

What can one person do to help change the direction of our country? I’ve struggled ...
a photo of empty breakfast dishes with text saying TAKE ME as I am

Take Me as I Am

The waitress poured us another cup of coffee. Not seeing the bottom of our cups ...
PERFECTION ROAD

What a Sweet, Sweet Spirit!

Does any of this sound familiar? Your emotions are pushing you in one direction, but ...
a poster saying PROPS FOR THE DROOPING with flowers in the background

Props for the Drooping

Street corners, window boxes, and yards are filled with beautiful flowers this season! Newest plants ...
PERFECTION ROAD

Keeping the Light On and Staying Out of the Darkness

https://vimeo.com/568614011 What Won't Help Someone Struggling with Depression Trying HarderCriticizing DisbelievingComparingOver SpiritualizingDismissingDeflectingRedirectingMinimizingReducingTaken from Out of ...
a picture of burning coal with text saying A SOLID LUMP OF BURNING fire

A Solid Lump of Burning Fire

Our house sits perched on the edge of Gunter Mountain. From our deck, you can ...
the book cover for Martha and Mary’s Hidden Gem by Donna Jackson

Martha and Mary’s Hidden Gem

If you listen to playing children for very long, you’ll most likely hear the words, ...
a photo of a city sky with text saying REFLECTIONS OF YOU AND ME

Reflections of You and Me

Mountains or beach? Most of us develop an intense preference for one or the other ...
the book cover of The One Jesus LOVES by Charlene Miller

The One Jesus Loves

Happy Tuesday! I've taken the week off, but I'm happy to say that you have ...
a poster saying Sweat, Grass, and Sam Cooke with a couple in the background

Sweat, Grass, and Sam Cooke

Last summer, the swelter of the hot southern day forced my skin to do more ...
a poster asking Can You Answer One Question?

Can You Answer One Question?

The message for ladies struggling with drug and alcohol addiction rested quietly in my notebook. ...
a poster saying CATFISH AND DEAD BODIES with a catfish in the background

Catfish and Dead Bodies

It seemed like we were scuba diving in chocolate milk. My coworker John and I ...
a poster saying YOUR LIFE ON THE BIG SCREEN

Your Life on the Big Screen

Whenever I get to linger with my grandchildren, one of them will usually pop out ...
a poster saying UNREQUITED LOVE with a window in the background

Unrequited Love

Whether it’s romance or friendship, nothing stings as sharply, nor as long, as unrequited love. ...
the book cover of Is There Fire In Your Bones by Donna Jackson

Is There Fire in Your Bones?

When the Spirit wants to remind you of something, He often causes the oddest verses ...
a poster saying DEALING WITH A SLOW SOMEDAY

Dealing With A Slow Someday

John Fogerty’s song from the 70’s starts out, “First thing I remember was asking Papa, ...
PERFECTION ROAD

Just for Fun Today

Three years ago today my mother went to be with Jesus. However, I'm choosing to ...
a poster asking WHO WOULD YOU BE IF YOU WEREN’T YOU?

Who Would You Be If You Weren’t You?

Years ago, our youth minister plastered the youth group’s meeting place with teen photo mashups. ...
PERFECTION ROAD

The Best Thing to Teach the Kids in Your Life

Last Wednesday night, the leaders of our church's children's ministry allowed me to present my ...
a poster saying LETTING GO OF SAMENESS with a kitchen in the background

Letting Go of Sameness

Cooking breakfast used to be so simple. Back when my man went to work at ...
a poster saying SIGNIFICANTLY INSIGNIFICANT

Significantly Insignificant

The Samaritan woman didn’t know she was being set up by God. She woke up that ...
a poster saying toddler LOVE with a toddler in the background

Toddler Love

When an old dog needs to learn new tricks, sometimes it’s the puppies who lead ...
a poster saying THE LOOK OF LOVE with an eye as a background

The Look of Love

Valentine’s Day offers the opportunity for tokens of love to slip from even the shyest ...
a poster saying IT’S A PROCESS with an empty space as a background

It’s a Process

Today's post appeared Sunday on Lean into Jesus Ministries' website. It's always an honor to ...
a photo of a person jumping off sand in joy

Indescribable Joy

Do you recognize the name Peter Halajian? At 26, Peter moved to Naugatuck, Connecticut from ...
a poster saying FEAR AND TREMBLING

Fear and Trembling

“What does fear and trembling mean to you in this verse?” That was the question ...
a dandelion with text beside it saying WHEN GOD MOVES YOU TO A DIFFERENT CHURCH

When God Moves You to a Different Church

Have you ever seen a movie that began by dropping you right into the middle ...
a poster saying LEARNING FROM MESSY FRIENDSHIPS

Learning from Messy Friendships

Relationships are messy, aren’t they?  Friendships help nurture us, but they can also be the ...
an assortment of crayons with text above saying A WORD FOR 2021

A Word for 2021

A new year is like the brand-new box of crayons you opened on the first ...
a poster saying BABY LOVE with baby hands in the background

Baby Love

Have you ever wondered why God sent Jesus to earth as a baby? Before we ...
a poster saying A DIFFERENT KIND OF CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

A Different Kind of Christmas Message

The summer of 2014, while I peddled my latest book at a Christian conference vendor ...
a poster saying DOES THIS FIG LEAF MAKE ME LOOK FAT?

Does This Fig Leaf Make Me Look Fat?

Truth never changes.  Yet, the way we perceive, receive, and internalize truth should naturally change ...
PERFECTION ROAD

Nobodies to Somebodies

You can SEE and HEAR today's Perfection Road! https://vimeo.com/488291738 https://vimeo.com/488291738
a poster saying CHANGING THE WAY WE THINK with X-rays in the background

Changing the Way We Think

In our desire for Finding More, you and I traveled with Saul on the road to ...
a poster saying EXPERIENCING GRACE with a pealed onion in the background

Experiencing Grace

Ever tried to peel one of those tough onions? You know, the kind that takes ...
a poster that says Looking for Love with nature background

Looking for Love

If you knew that an outrageously large sum of money sat in an unknown account ...
a poster saying “IT”S A NEW DAY!”

It’s a New Day!

It’s been eight weeks, and Perfection Road finally has a fresh online presence. More importantly, ...
PERFECTION ROAD

Sweet, Sticky Grace

I shouldn’t have even tried it, but I did. No need to bother my grandmother ...
a poster saying “WE NEED A NEW SONG”

We Need a New Song

I’m ready to sing a new song. How about you?  In a few weeks Perfection ...
PERFECTION ROAD

Chasing Sleep?

A few nights not so long ago, as sleep slipped slowly away in the soft ...
PERFECTION ROAD

Even Jesus Got Discouraged

“For we do not have a high priest [Jesus] who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, ...