Terror at Night

The sound of the phone startled me awake. “Hello,” I managed, struggling to wake from a deep sleep. “Something’s wrong with Cassie,” came the frightened voice on the other end of the phone. I bolted from my bed and rushed to her room. There sat Cassie’s friend who was spending the night, terrified. And there […]

Portrait of a Spiritual Leader

Life is funny sometimes. I’ve been waiting for years for God to give me permission to enter the dating scene, and—at what seems the most inopportune and unlikely time of my life—I have found myself tip-toeing into a relationship. As I enter this new season of life, I am asking many questions: What am I […]

Be On Guard!

In Oklahoma, few things are more certain than the uncertainty of the weather. Thunderstorms are simply a way of life for us. Many of us love the sound of the thunder and the flash of lightning. There’s no better sleeping weather than right in the heart of storm season. We are even growing accustomed to […]

I’m Desperate

O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. Psalm 63:1 I received a message from a friend recently. “What do you do when the bad stuff just keeps coming? Not […]

To Trust…or Not to Trust

2016. It is definitely a year I won’t forget. Death. Illness. Surgery. Financial struggles. New relationship. And kittens. Yes, kittens. Several months ago, I told you about our cat, Tigresse. She was one of a kind. She was our gopher hunting, mouse killing, door opening four-year-old cat. But, I use the term “was.” Back in […]

You Have Permission

Being a parent is hard. Being a single parent is extremely hard. Single Mom or single Dad. Never married. Divorced. Widowed. One child. Two children. Eight children. No matter the reason you are a single parent, the struggles are real. The struggles are often overwhelming. The struggles are often similar. When you are divorced and […]

Shhh! I Have a Secret

I have been keeping a secret from you all. Please forgive me for not being completely open. It’s a tough secret to keep, but it’s one I needed to savor myself for a while. It’s funny. I am a very quiet and private person. I’m not one to put my personal life on display for […]

Desires and Delight

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Psalm 37:4 “God,” I cried out as the tears streamed down my face and my feet pounded the pavement, “I want to desire you. I want to delight in you. But, honestly, I really just want a husband.” I had escaped the […]

Be the One…

My friend told me of a conversation he had recently. Recently, a small group from high had an impromptu gathering, men and women. It seems, however, that most of the participants had recently walked through divorces. As they talked, the conversation came around to what men are looking for in women. “We want Dena Johnson,” […]

I Can’t Handle It!!

Have you heard the saying, “God won’t give you more than you can handle?” That is an outright lie! The Sunday after I learned of my husband’s affair, we went to a new church. The pastor was preaching a series on, “You Can’t Handle It.” He spoke of the trials of this life and how […]