Good morning... Betty Skinner walked slowly from the rugged valley of clinical depression up toward the mountaintop of joyful oneness with God. How did she do it? Betty took one healing step at a time. Solitude. Silence. Contemplative prayer. Eating well. Journaling thoughts. Creating art and poetry. Focusing on life's positives. Talking honestly with others. Enjoying long walks outside [...]
Good morning... In seven short Bible verses, we move from the freedom of our true self, Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame, (Genesis 2:25) to the covering of our false self, Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and [...]
Good morning... I am not sure we have ever had a more meaningful discussion than yesterday's talk in our young moms' class. We talked about prayer. About praying earnestly and not always getting what we want. How do we sort out what God is up to? When do we arrive at our tipping point, where our personal will is [...]
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… If you know me, you know I love the first edition of Crenshaw and Snapp's The Hidden Life, an inspiring book chronicling Betty Skinner's holy journey from the depths of debilitating depression, which landed her in a psychiatric ward in the 1960's, to the joy of being reshaped, recreated, reborn, surrendered daily to God's transformational power. Aside [...]
Good morning... I happen upon Psalm 145:17 in the Message translation. Everything God does is right—the trademark on all his works is love. My mind wanders and wonders: "What is the definition of trademark?" Researching I learn, a trademark is a distinctive characteristic by which a person or thing comes to be known. A stamp or seal. A trait [...]
Good morning... Continuing yesterday's conversation, God drew me to an article entitled 40 things to give up for Lent and beyond, a list published in 2015 by Phil Ressler. Might we pick one inner quality to reflect upon during each of the forty days in Lent? There are forty days between Ash Wednesday and the Saturday before Easter, minus [...]
Good morning... During our Listening Group yesterday, we placed our base on this truth: God is love (1 John 4:8b). God is patient. God is kind. God does not envy. He does not boast, is not proud. God does not dishonor others, is not self-seeking. He is not easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs. God does not [...]
Good morning... "I guess I view Lent as a season of shaking," I said as I stepped to the microphone to end our Women's Lenten Communion Service. I explained that one of my favorite Christmas traditions is cutting down a fresh Virginia pine from a nearby tree farm. We go together as a family, circling around and around to [...]
Good morning... Every morning, I try to discern a truth God is teaching. "...he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat [for nourishment]?” says the Lord. Is not My word like fire [that consumes all that cannot endure the test]?” says the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks [...]
