Good morning... I cannot tell you the number of times someone will say to me, "I loved your post this morning." Way too often my honest response is this: "Really? Remind me. What did I write about today?" In the early morning dawn, I spend hours and hours crafting daily messages, but after I press "send" to you, [...]
Good morning... Every holiday season, the attention of her grandmother was focused on who WAS NOT at the dinner table. "Joe should be with us." "Tonight would be perfect if Katie was here." "Nothing is complete without Angela and the kids." My friend remembers thinking each year, "But, grandma, we ARE here and you are missing the good time [...]
Good morning... Every year I gift words from my school-year blogs to Northside Church, where I am the Women's Ministry Director, and the Creative Arts department creates for our community an online summertime devotional. For June, July, and August my messages are recycled in a new order, given a title, and adorned with beautiful cover art. This year's devotional [...]
Good morning... Today I wake to the perfect "Verse of the Day" from Bible Gateway, the online site that helps me to treasure hunt for companioning Scriptures for each of my morning messages. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one [...]
Good morning... With God we begin each day. God directs. We reflect. We connect. God perfects. He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness” (2 Corinthians [...]
Good morning... Fortunately, I forgot how to spell the name of the garden where Jesus prayed, after the last supper, before he was crucified. I tried typing it a handful of ways, but spellcheck nixed me again and again. I googled "Gathsamany" or "Gathsamane" or "Gethsemany" and finally I found my way to the correct spelling. "Gethsemane." Jesus prayed [...]
Good morning... "When we sit in silence, it’s true, we may not be doing anything. But we are un-doing so much," says blogger Emily P. Freeman. Emily continues: "The soul is made to receive. In the presence of God, we experience a right full-ness. But like a bucket left out in the yard, it will hold anything that comes [...]
Good morning... Each day I write along the tender tightrope spanning transparency and trust. Developing trust in our living LORD, in God's Holy Spirit power, my vulnerable fingers need to listen well for wisdom. Encouraging transparency in myself and other people, I share the raw-real, expanding edge of my imperfect self. On the cusp between my conscious and unconscious [...]
Good morning... Yesterday I made a devastating technological mistake. In the wee hours of the night, I woke feeling convicted to send a follow-up email to my Monday class, encouraging the small group to keep confidential a story of transition God is orchestrating in my daughter's life. "It's her story to share, not mine, not ours," I reminded myself [...]
Good morning... Mistakes. I hate making them. I am leading book discussions on the gifts of imperfection and discovering the other side of chaos, but I never get comfortable with my own imperfections and the chaos they wreak. I made a selfish mistake earlier in the week, unintentional but selfish. The offended person prayed over her response for several [...]
