Choosing Joy

I spend a lot of time cradling, rocking and singing hymns in the dark, and one of my very favorite lullabies is “Come Thou Fount.”  The tune is soothing, the words are rich, and I feel the peace of the Holy Spirit each time it comes to mind...

Monday morning at work is always terribly hectic.  It seems like as soon as I hit the door, life is non-stop until lunch time.  So I try to get there as early as I can so that I can be sure to get everything accomplished. Well, one recent morning I was struggling...

This is a story from God’s Word told in my own words. A drought had fallen upon the land of Israel because of the evil, stubborn heart of King Ahab.  The prophet, Elijah, was living in the wilderness and being cared for by ravens through provisions from God...

“I’m sorry!” my son cried, “Please let me go to Grandma’s after school tomorrow.” Thursdays are special at our house because these are the afternoons when Grandma lets the kids ride the bus to her house to play for a couple hours...

This is a story from God’s Word retold in my own words. While David was king of Judah, the prophet Nathan came in the Name of the Lord to confront King David about his sin.  God was angry that David had not been satisfied with the riches and the wives that God had provided for him...

Last week I retold a story from the book of Acts chapter 12 where Peter is miraculously freed from prison and returns to a group of prayerful Christians who have trouble believing that he is free.  While I enjoy the imagery of an angel going into the prison and releasing Peter from chains, guards, and iron gates, the part of this story that I most relate to is the reaction of the group of believer

It will come as no surprise that I enjoy studying the Bible.  However, with the internet at ready access, in recent years, I have fallen into the habit of searching for key words from the Bible to answer my questions about life.  You can google “what does the Bible say about worry… motherhood… stress… joy” and instantly you will find lists of verses that apply to the search query...

Ever notice how babies grab onto things and won't let go, even when it's in their best interest to just let the item go? Sometimes we hold on to things that keep us from experiencing happiness. In order to choose joy in your life, you have to learn to make like Elsa and let it go...

In our yard we have several large, old maple trees. I love to sit in their shade and read or just listen to the birds. For the longest time I have wanted a double glider swing to put under those maples. I envisioned neighbors stopping to chat and watching the kids chase the fireflies as we rock in the breeze...

Does God really care about how much I eat? ABSOLUTELY!