There was a man named Jabez who was more honorable than any of his brothers. His mother named him Jabez because his birth had been so painful. He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all […]
America. Land of opportunity. Land of plenty. America. Land of excess. Land of consumption. I am an American. I love my country, very grateful for the endless opportunities before me. I am blessed with an education, freedom, and unlimited earning potential. I am blessed with a home and a car and a job and grocery […]
Last week, I watched in horror as terror unfolded in Paris, France. Bombings. Hostages. Shootings. Innocent people targeted. My heart broke for the people of Paris. For lives lost. For lives shattered, forever changed. As I watched the non-stop news coverage, I began to wonder what kind of world my kids will inherit from us. […]
Have you ever had a pity party with God? You know what I’m talking about. “Why, God?’ we whine. “Why did this have to happen? Why? Why? Why?” I know I’ve been there. To be honest, I still find myself there frequently. When things just aren’t going right and life is falling apart, I begin […]
I promise that I have heard it all. Nothing shocks me any more. But, here is a story told by a very brave survivor, one fighting for her faith and her future. Keep my sweet friend in your prayers as she walks courageously forward. ************************ I was the kid in school that everyone knew as […]
Today is September 9. Mean anything to you? Probably not. But to me, September 9 is the anniversary of the day my life changed forever. September 9, 2008, is the day my husband was caught in an affair. Seven full years ago. September 9, 2009, is the day of our first court proceedings in the […]
The Ashley Madison scandal has been heavy on my mind in recent days. It hits so close to home because I’ve been the spouse on the other side, the spouse horrified to discover her husband on an online dating site. I suppose we could at least point out that these spouses weren’t hiding the fact […]
I rarely comment on current events. I prefer to simply stick with the basics of scripture—loving God, loving others as we love ourselves. I don’t want to be guilty of throwing gas on a fire, stirring up division in the body. But this time is somewhat different. We’ve been inundated with the hack on the […]
Have you ever played with a glow stick? You know, the ones that kids love. You pull them out of the package, and they are rather plain, ordinary. But then… You bend the stick. You hear it break inside. You begin to shake it up. As you break it and shake it, it begins to […]
Many of you are aware that I recently had the privilege of speaking at the Survive ‘n’ Thrive Single Mom Conference in Oklahoma City. I wanted to share a very brief recap of what I shared with the ladies. I should be recording my session soon, and it will be posted on the Arise Ministries […]
