Needing A Recovery Weekend

As many of you know, last week was unusually full for me at work.

We hosted our denominational national gathering which required several back-to-back fourteen to fifteen-hour days.

The week went remarkably well considering hosting an event of this magnitude is not what we regularly do.

Thank you for your prayers as I participated in all of this.

In addition to the busy week, I have developed a head cold that is draining me even more.

Thus, the next installment of Why Did They Turn to Idolatry? | Part Three will wait another week.

In the meantime, I want to share how the Lord encouraged me throughout this past week.

Continue reading “Needing A Recovery Weekend”

Why Did They Turn to Idolatry? | Part Two

purpose

Yes, we are getting to part two this week.

Before we do, thank you for your prayers over the last week.

Last Tuesday, a coworker asked about my stress level regarding the upcoming conference we are hosting at my work.

I responded, “Frankly, I couldn’t care less right now.”

Granted, that response stemmed from what I shared with you last Sunday.

But by Wednesday, I realized my attitude had shifted in a positive direction. The new attitude is that this conference is just another work week.

  • Yes, there will be 1500 people on our campus over the next week that typically aren’t there.
  • Yes, I am tasked with things to do that are not a part of my normal work responsibilities that will involve extremely long hours each day.
  • And yes, I still have moments of sadness over the pet losses and some other expected losses that are looming on the horizon.

But, in the end, my purpose for next week does not differ from any other day.

What is that purpose and is it possible to relate it to today’s study?

Continue reading “Why Did They Turn to Idolatry? | Part Two”

Seeking Prayers From You

Yes, I said I would have part two of Why Did They Turn to Idolatry this week.

When I last posted, I knew with a brief trip coupled with a busier-than-usual workload at my day job, I would not have time to post something last Sunday.

Then, last Monday my husband and I said goodbye to our sweet dog of 14 years after having said goodbye to our sweet cat of nineteen years just back in September.

And the next two weeks will be unusually busy at my day job as we host a huge conference.

Continue reading “Seeking Prayers From You”

Why You Want But Don’t Receive

sister argument

If I am remembering correctly, my sister was in high school on a morning we quarreled over a magazine.

I am four years younger than her, so I would have been somewhere between the 5th-8th grade at the time of this argument.

Our fight eventually engaged our mother as a referee between us.

Interestingly, when my mother handed me the magazine I had been fighting so hard for, I recall feeling strangely disappointed.

Why did reading James 4:1-6 prompt this memory?

Continue reading “Why You Want But Don’t Receive”

Taking Some Recovery Time

This past week has not gone as I had originally planned.

I got sick with a head cold while traveling back from visiting family.

And I am still in recovery.

Thus, I have not prepared my intended post for this date.

Instead, I have been taking care of my body by sleeping and drinking plenty of hot tea or brothy soups.

My pets have enjoyed getting to snuggle more with me than usual.

Each day I am making progress and anticipate resuming a more normal routine soon.

Meanwhile, as you prepare for the festivities of this Christmas season, please take some time to ponder the following prayer of Christ to God, found in the gospel of John.

Continue reading “Taking Some Recovery Time”

What Causes You Anxiety?

Resiliency

Our answer to this question is more nuanced in 2022 than five years ago.

In the past five years, humanity has experienced a global pandemic, ongoing political turmoil, supply chain failures, rising inflation, and the list continues.

What other stressors do we struggle against?

There are also more intimate stressors to consider, such as a loss of a loved one, loss of a means of income, infertility, divorce, to spilling water on your computer keyboard (yes, this just happened to me.) 

Any of the above items and others can raise our cortisol, the stress hormone, to various degrees. How we cope with the daily intimate anxieties and the global ones reveals our differences in resilience.

Can we “bloom” like the flower in the picture above, even when we are anxious?

What can we learn about dealing with our anxieties in Genesis 25:21?  

Continue reading “What Causes You Anxiety?”

How Quickly Do You Comply?

rules

I am a terrible tennis player.

But I love watching professional tennis grand slams.

This weekend, the Wimbledon 2022 tournament ended.

Wimbledon, as the birthplace of tennis, holds a special mystique to tennis players and fans alike.

Players are subject to specific rules of dress and conduct at Wimbledon, not present at other grand slams.

Failing to comply with the specific rules of dress and conduct results in significant fines for the players.

Some players exhibit “don’t care” attitudes about the special rules.

Most players comply with respect.

What does this have to do with Genesis 24:66-77?

Continue reading “How Quickly Do You Comply?”

Are You Struggling Today?

look to the hills

I live near the blue ridge mountains.

Frequently, I enjoy a glimpse of the mountain range as I commute to work.

This glimpse always brings a smile to my face.

Yet there are days when rain, fog, or darkness hide their presence from view.

Our emotional states mirror this experience with highs and lows. 

Everyone has good and tough days.

Some days are harder than others.

  • Where do you turn for help when you are struggling?

Join me in looking at Psalm 121 for some encouragement.

Continue reading “Are You Struggling Today?”

SEEKING SIGNS FROM GOD

signs from God

I recently attended the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference in Black Mountain, NC.

My goal in attending this conference was to learn more about the craft of writing and gain constructive criticism on my writing and an upcoming speaking engagement on June 15th for Pendleton St Baptist Church in Greenville, SC.

Before the conference, I elected to take advantage of some paid critiques that helped to prepare and guide me regarding which sessions to attend and which presenters I should try to meet. One of the paid critiques encouraged me to pitch a project we had discussed.

But I did not feel ready to pitch.

Yet, I repeatedly received encouragement from those I met at the conference to talk to publishers or agents about my writing project.

I then prayed to the Lord that if this was a sign from Him, He would help me overcome my fear of pitching my idea.

How does Gen 24:14 support seeking signs from God?

Continue reading “SEEKING SIGNS FROM GOD”

CHANGE OF PLAN

change of plan

I was going to share part 2 of the previous post today.

But I have a change of plan.

This change of plan is inspired from last Thursday evening.

A group of my fellow staff, church members, and myself were returning from attending the Exponential Conference in Orlando.

Our flight had been late to leave the gate so we already knew we would probably miss our connecting flight in Atlanta. We were also spread out throughout the plane so the person who was closest to the front planned to ask the flight crew or first flight attendant after deplaning to call the other gate to request if they could hold the flight for our group of 15 people. Our thinking was that they might not hold the plane for one person but hopefully would for a group of our size.

We began to taxi away from the gate to get in line for flight.

The picture above is what forced another change of plan.

Continue reading “CHANGE OF PLAN”