Category Archives: Faith

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LIFE CAN BE HARD

Put your Hope in God

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“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23.  

“Life Sucks” as our son often remarked when younger. I don’t know about you but some days just feels that way. God has been reminding me lately again that His mercies are new each morning and His love is steadfast and never ceasing. God is faithful!

He is not only faithful but gentle!  If He can be gentle with me I can be gentle with myself.    

I’ve been wondering how many of us have quoted Lamentations 3:22 and 23, yet never taken time to look at the verses around it?

My pastor sometime back walked us through this passage and now these words have taken on new meaning. Just what is the context of which these verses were written, and why were they written?  

A story of a man named Jeremiah author of Lamentations 3, tells us that God’s mercies are new each day and His steadfast love never ceases, yet he had great trials, and was currently going through great affliction. If anyone could say “life sucks” it would be Jeremiah.   

The whole chapter leading up to Lamentations 3:22 and 23 tells us that Jeremiah experienced a bleak life of darkness, where he was often left to die. He found himself in all kinds of tribulations becoming even bitter at life. He would, at those moments, often cry out to God, yet feeling as if God was ignoring him and didn’t hear him.    

Maybe you feel (or have felt) that God isn’t answering your prayers? Maybe life is bleak and dark right now and you have no answers? (more…)

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WHY WRITE DOWN YOUR STORIES?

Pass on the Good Work of God through Stories to the Next Generation

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“Older women ….so train the young women to ….so that the word of God may not be reviled” (Titus 2:3-5) 

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Do you often feel like no one cares or is listening? You think what you are doing is not that important?  Do you see certain needs, and want others to come around you to help but somehow feel you are the only one with the vision?

In 2000, I was interviewing a leader from an International Organization. She had been the President’s wife of that company for many years. She was a counterpart of mine at that time but she was considered one of those “older women who could teach younger women” like myself.  

I was just starting out as a corporate leader’s wife at that time, and had a desire for reaching out to our women around the world. I liked what I saw in her experience and spirit and wanted to learn from her as I went forward. (more…)

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CAN GOD USE EVEN ME?

God uses ordinary people

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Job 23:10, “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold”

Do you ever get discouraged when you keep making the same mistakes over and over and you just can’t, “ahh” , “be perfect”? Do you ever wonder if something is wrong with you?  

When I was in college I thought: “Why am I having all these insecurities still? Why don’t I have it all together? Why am I having all these silly emotions and why aren’t I able to control all my emotions faster than I am?   I am saved. I love Jesus. Maybe I don’t love Jesus as much as I think I do. Shouldn’t I be moving towards being able to fight these emotions off? 

Maybe I have sinned and I need to make it right, or maybe something isn’t just right with me. Maybe God can’t love me as much as He can love someone else.  Maybe I need to do more, or learn more, then I’ll be good enough.”

Do you ever have these kinds of conversations with yourself? I did. I still talk to myself with questions and emotions I often don’t understand.  I still haven’t arrived but I am a lot further along than I was in college.  God’s Word gives me God’s Truth about who I truly am and gives me guidance on which directions to take in the midst of my turbulence.   (more…)

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What is your Story?

God, our Heavenly Father's providential hand is guiding your story

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February is the month of “Happy Valentines“!   This blog is one of God’s love stories to me.   Maybe you can relate in some way.

Psalm 27:10 “Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.” (NIV)    

Maybe when you think of your life you may feel, it is one big waste or perhaps you feel unsettled, dissatisfied, or  living in pain. Are you experiencing another transition? Are you looking for that day when life will feel normal again? You scream, “Will I ever feel settled again?” or  “Will this pain ever go away?” Maybe not, but there is one place you can go.

MEMORIES: 

I have this early memory as a little girl of one of my safest, most secure and restful moments with my earthly father. I would climb up into my parent’s bed, dragging my favorite book with me (at the time it was Black Beauty) and plopping myself next to my dad. (more…)