Subscribe to Weekly Blog

Why can’t we all just get along? Walls of hostility surround and separate us. The evening news flashes images of angry faces in protest, cruelty in the streets, countries at war, and crying children caught in the crossfire. Conflict receives far more airtime than loving kindness ever could. Why is that? Does seeing the worst…

Several years ago, I was asked to teach a few health lessons to a group of ladies participating in the Christian Women’s Job Corp. Because this is a faith-based ministry, I delighted in comparing the care of our physical bodies to the care of our spirits. We talked at great length about the love God…

Nestled snugly beneath the warm covers during this winter storm, a flurry of school memories whirled through my mind. I remembered on such days peeling back the covers just enough to slide my hand toward the bedside radio. I had tuned it to WTWX the night before, in case the roads were too icy and…

In junior high, I started playing the trumpet in the band. I wasn’t very good, but I’m glad I learned to read music. That’s a life skill that’s come in handy. By 10th grade, I turned my attention to art and sports and dropped out of the band. Even though I could toot on a…

Just as I hit puberty, a new television show lit up screens across America. My daddy especially enjoyed it. He seemed to connect with all the backwoods humor on a personal level because he had grown up a country boy. Before long, we learned all the characters, their silly skits, and those quirky songs that…

Ask any musician, sequence matters. If we could take all the notes from the song “Amazing Grace,” put them in a bag, shake them up, and pour them onto a blank sheet of paper, no one would recognize one of the most treasured hymns of all time. That sort of haphazard arrangement seems ridiculous. Yet…

Who knew those Christmas pencils we handed out to our fifth-graders could inspire so much! For the last three weeks, we’ve learned that to make a mark on the world effectively, wood and graphite must first undergo a process. Similarly, as we become surrendered pencils in God’s hand, He patiently crafts a delightful story. Achieving…

Ten-year-olds hold a special place in my heart. I guess that’s why I enjoyed teaching fifth graders. My husband often teases that he’s married to a fifth-grader since my sense of humor refuses to grow up. I think he should just be glad I didn’t teach kindergarten. While I love elementary school kids, they have…

If you know me, you know that one of my favorite sayings is, “It’s a process!” Want to make a scrumptious cake, build a fine house, or just tie your shoe? It’s a process. Every process begins with a heartfelt desire for a specific outcome. Then, a methodical series of steps must be planned and…

As Christmastime approached, all of us fifth-grade teachers would order each student a pack of Christmas pencils with their names on them. The kids loved seeing their names on the pencils, and we loved knowing that everyone had one. Having their names on the pencils made it easy to return them to their rightful owner…