I pray you find strength and hope through this concluding post in “A Better Story” series, written and shared by a guest blogger: A Fork in the Road: Entrusting my story to the Ultimate Storyteller Where do I go now that I have been forced to this fork in the road? How will I ever forgive ...
Week 15: Gym Scales & Trials
I tentatively opened my summer box. It required an extra dose of courage to yank the first pair of shorts over my hips. Certainly, they shrunk in the dryer last fall (along with the next ten articles after them). In a state of defiance, I marched to the gym scale the next day. Denial melted into ...
Day 12: A Strong Wind for Faltering Sails
I’m not very fond of the wind—It does a number on my hair, lifts my skirt at embarrassing times, and bats a thousand at blowing painful material into my eyes. Recently, I ventured outside for a run. Winds were bucking and almost convinced me to curl up with a good book instead. Yet, I was so ...
Day 10: An Unfinished Life
I enjoy garage sales, believing genuine treasures can be unearthed with a little vision and some TLC. Recently, however, I assessed a number of these unfinished purchases: Would I ever reupholster those eight unique dining room chairs—or mat and frame the incredible puzzle my daughter and I ...
Day 9: Enjoy & Share
I had an apple tree and an idea: I’d make apple butter from the harvest. It turned out so tasty, I decided to can it. I’d never canned preserves, so I asked help from a friend who assured me of the ease of canning: Fill the jars, screw on the lids, and run them through a cycle in your dishwasher. ...
Day 8: The Invitation
Psalm 28:8 My heart has heard you say, come and talk with Me. And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” I love receiving an invitation from a friend. It says, “I enjoy your company. I care about your life and invite you into mine. I relish the contents of your heart.” It’s one thing to ...
Day 7: Offering the Gift of Our Imperfections
“Stretch out your hand,” Jesus whispered to the man whose hand was withered. I’m sure the man quickly responded by offering his good hand, thinking to himself, “This one, the Master should be able to use.” But Jesus observed the lump carefully tucked into the man’s cloak, “The other one,” He ...
Day 6: Why Should We Pray for One Another
2 May God send you help—and strengthen you... [a] 4 May he grant your heart’s desires and make all your plans succeed. 5 We shout for joy when we hear of your victory... May the LORD answer all your prayers. 7 Some nations boast of their chariots and horses, but we boast in the ...
Day 5: The Beauty in the Broken
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes. They inherit a throne of honor. 1 Samuel 2:8 Have you ever attempted to repair a cracked vase? A favorite trinket? I have—a few times. My finished product lacks beauty and usefulness, but with ...
Day 4: The Irrational Boast of a Self-Made Man
Day 4 – Forty Days in the Shade of God’s Care The Irrational Boast of a Self-Made Man Towering proudly in Boulder, Colorado stands a bronze statue, The Self-Made Man. Bobbie Carlyle’s carving portrays humanity, creating himself from a chunk of stone: hammer raised in one hand—a chisel in the ...