Category: Loving Others
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Standing Out and Standing On His Promises
No vacation will ever beat our honeymoon in my memories. I’d just turned 21. He was fresh out of college and I had one semester left. The two pennies we had to rub together reflected our motto the day we said I do: In God we trust. Generous loved ones let us stay in a…
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One Kind of Love I Want to Emulate
7 ½ years ago, a goofy guy made an ice cream cone man using spinach leaves and other veggies. He walked up and introduced me to his frozen friend. Ever unable to keep a straight face, I tried to hold a serious conversation with the melting monster. I don’t know if he knew I needed…
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Are You Acting Like a Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing?
One of the questions we often ask when reading Scripture is “how does this apply?” We’re usually thinking in terms of what the Word means for our lives or what promises it holds. Sometimes we ask how it might comfort or exhort us. Scripture can also warn us about our own nature. Do you know…
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If You Love to Read or Write…
I’m not a spotlight person. My happy place is the softly lit corner with a book and a friend to share it with. Or the light of my laptop as words pour out… So, I’m thankful, bashful, and humbled to share that I’ve been nominated for the Blogger Recognition Award by a sweet woman whose writing…
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Where Love and Freedom Meet
Love and freedom are inextricably connected. That’s the way God designed it, and the implications are many: Because He loved us, we are free “The truth will set you free.” But what is the truth? “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall…
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4 Things to Ask Yourself Before You Give That Advice
I had a problem. I called up a friend and in the midst of our chatting I determined to act on the words of Proverbs 12:15: “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.” I asked for her advice. But her words took me by…
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Stop Apologizing for Your Joy
I was eating chocolate, wiggling around, singing out loud, and beaming early that morning. A simple answered prayer had me celebrating with the Lord, bursting with joy. Eventually my routine brought me to social media, a place where I delight in encouraging others in the Lord. Guess where my makes-me-want-to-shout joy went? Tail between its…
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3 Biblical Responses to Others’ Struggles
Jesus’ words are clear: “in this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). Often, harder than facing our own troubles is watching those we love struggle. We don’t always know how to help. 1. “Weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15 NLT) When Lazarus died and his sisters mourned, Jesus wept. Standing with His friends,…
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Untangled in Love
I never thought I’d be one for mushy stuff. Anyone who’s heard my commentary during chick flicks knows I’m not a romantic. But there’s this guy. The one I moved seats to be near the first day of class. The one whose shenanigans had my head and finger wagging from the start. The one who…
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Motivation for Long Days at Work
When I’m exhausted by the thought of putting one more second of time into producing something for someone else, to someone else’s standards, according to someone else’s timeline, I find encouragement in these verses. I hope you do too. 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 “Aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands,…