“There’s no journey like a shared one.” ~ When Hope Calls Christmas         According to Merriam-Webster, a journey is an act or instance of traveling from one place to another. I don’t know about you but I like to travel and I enjoy sharing the experience with my family and friends.  I’m not talking about a vacation, for instance though; I’m talking about the journey we call life. Our journey begins the day we are born and ends when... Read more

 I’ve been preparing room in my heart for Jesus this season. Today, as I was reading my devotional, my thoughts shifted from Jesus’ birth to the animal thought to carry Mary to Bethlehem and Jesus to Jerusalem. Yes, I’m talking about the donkey. I couldn’t help but think about Donkey from Shrek when I pictured the donkey, but after a quick giggle, my thoughts returned to Mary, Joseph, and their journey to Bethlehem. Donkeys are supposedly very stubborn, so why... Read more

          I’m not sure if there is anything sweeter than hearing a baby belly laugh. Their laughter instantly puts a smile on my face and puts me in a better mood. How many times a day do we laugh as adults? When was the last time you had a good laugh? You know, the laugh that has tears rolling down your cheeks, and you’re about to pee your pants. For most people, I would be willing to bet... Read more

    Growing up I loved this time of year with the holiday cheer. We had half the week off from school for Thanksgiving and two weeks at Christmas. I enjoyed being around my family, especially my cousins. I loved the magic that seemed to be in the air. I loved the music and the lights. I loved going to my grandparents’ house and helping them decorate for Christmas. I loved the crackle of the fire in the fireplace, the hot... Read more

I looked up and saw hurt in my daughter’s eyes, it was then that I realized she had been talking to me for a while and was waiting for me to respond. I had no clue what she said to me, so I couldn’t respond except to apologize for not hearing what she had just said. After seeing the hurt in her eyes I told myself I would put my phone away when anyone was talking to me. I get... Read more

 Acceptance: The action or process of being received as adequate or suitable, typically to be admitted into a group. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “You have to love yourself before you can truly love others”, and if you’re like me when I first heard this I had two thoughts. One, I can love others without loving myself. I’m doing it right now. My second thought was, how am I supposed to love myself when I’m not good enough?  At... Read more

 “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” 1 Peter 5:7 Jesus, do you even care about me? Jesus, are you there? Jesus, do you hear my prayers or see my tears?     The hurt we feel when we lose a loved one can cut so deep that not even a sliver of light can penetrate the darkness that clouds our minds. “They’re in a better place” or “They’re no longer in pain” are said... Read more

Tired?  Overwhelmed? Stressed? Me too! It’s just the “busy” time of year, at least that is what I keep telling myself. I’ve had several friends ask me recently to pray that they are able to focus on what’s most important in their lives and not get caught up in the rush of life, or the things that can distract them from the important things in their lives. We all tend to take on more than we should, and when we... Read more

 “Do not rejoice over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will stand up; though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.” Micah 7:8 40… It’s just a number yet it has some sort of hold on me. It’s scary and exciting. It is knocking at my door, and I’m not quite sure how I want to greet it when I open the door to enter a new decade of my life. Over the past year,... Read more