Committing to counseling is not easy. Even after the mental hurdle of deciding to get counseling is cleared, many other obstacles might stand in our way. Some people will struggle with navigating insurance coverage and funding, while others can be held up by pride and fear. Those were true for […]
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This week my backyard set the scene for a contest of character. In one corner the black and gray squirrels raced across the lawn and up the trees, busily scrounging and securing their sustenance. In the other corner were a variety of birds, not racing, scrounging, or securing. No, they […]
January 16, 2019 by Linda Maynard She was a pagan redeemed; they were a redeemed drawn to paganism. She loved selflessly; they lusted selfishly. She was covered by the garment of her redeemer; they removed their garment covering. A deeper dive into the Biblical stories of Ruth and the Israelites of […]
Overcoming the Language Gap We named our son “Whine.” At least that’s what our new friends in Russia believed. His name is Noah, a beautiful, Biblical moniker meaning “rest” to us. But to the people of his birth country, the word sounded like “noy,” which means “whine or sulk.” Yikes! […]
My new vacuum cleaner taught me a Bible lesson. We had just purchased the complicated machine, featuring different brushes for different surfaces, multiple cleaning solutions for various needs, and a restoration process that would clean the appliance and prepare it for the next job. As I stood staring at all […]
July 17, 2019 by Amy Shatrick Freedom is the final reward of discipline.-Elisabeth Elliot Tick, tock, tick, sigh.TICK, TOCK, TICK, SIGH.Stand up, roam around, get a drink of water.Sit back down, stare at pages.Watercolor words become leaping frogs in a pond.Tick, tock, tick, sigh.Go clean the kitchen.I’ll try later. A few […]
July 11, 2019 by Linda Maynard Have you taken time to consider your hands lately? I know it sounds silly, but stay with me. Hands have many positions and many functions. They can hang at our sides or be lifted high. They can be closed tight or opened wide. They can […]
June 12, 2019 by Linda Maynard I once heard the story of a young woman who was preparing her first Easter dinner. As she prepped the ham to go into the oven, she quickly sliced each end off of the shank. Curious about her culinary technique, her husband asked, “Honey, why […]
May 15, 2019 by Amy Shatrick He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”Matthew 16:15-16 It is not uncommon to hear people express a desire to change their name. Some may think their name […]
May 8, 2019 by Linda Maynard “Linda, get a job!” Ouch! As our guest’s words penetrated my ears, I nearly dropped the coffee I was serving her. Our family member had stopped in for a brief visit in the midst of an unsettled season for our family. My husband was facing […]
May 8, 2019 by Linda Maynard I had no inkling where the group had gone. All I knew was that I had to stay put. I had to capture the thoughts ricocheting around my head. My God had just opened my eyes to an important truth, and I could not lose […]
May 1, 2019 by Katy Epling Not long ago, my entire family came down with a stomach bug. My entire family. All five of us. What a vision: four of us sprawled out on various couches and chairs, covered in blankets, watching 1990s family movies, offering each other millions of non-existent dollars to […]