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God’s Son, Our Sacrifice
In numerous ways, my mother sacrificed to make my life better. She frequently went without things herself so I could gain an education and a better future. These sacrifices were driven by deep love and care. I have done the same as a parent. Our loving Savior made a sacrifice that cannot compare to anything we can do. While my mother made sacrifices by giving up things in life, Jesus gave up His very life for us. From the beginning God’s plan included Jesus dying for mankind’s sins. It is interesting that God allowed a brutal Roman crucifixion as the instrument for His wonderful plan of salvation.This centuries old practice…
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When God Hammers a Point in Your Life Circumstances
Recently we said goodbye to my dear mother-in-law. It has been a time to reflect on her life and her ministry to others. She had immense impact on those around her. Our pastor chose to preach her funeral sermon on her confirmation verse: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10 NIV) As I listened to these familiar words, the thoughts running through my mind centered on how I know these Scripture words to be true, but I seem to easily forget…
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Finding Your Purpose in a World Full of Options
He is a man of great curiosity. Rather than hang out in the town square, he prefers the solace of the wilderness. His wardrobe is something out of a caveman movie. There are no glamorous meals or fancy parties in his life. He only wants a simple existence with one purpose – to proclaim the news of the coming Messiah and the salvation He will bring to all mankind. His role is foretold in Scripture: “See, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me.” (Malachi 3:1 NIV) In reading the Gospel of Mark, I am struck by John the Baptist’s narrow focus – to preach about…
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What is my Destiny?
The term “destiny” is discussed lots but do we really know what it means? The media would like to tell us that we need to find our perfect “destiny” – that we were built for a specific destiny and we should go after it. When I searched online, Google’s summary suggests the following: Finding your destiny involves aligning your daily actions with your core values, passions, and authentic self to create a fulfilling life. It requires introspection to identify your unique, natural talents, followed by consistent action, overcoming obstacles, and trusting the flow of life. Key steps include identifying what excites you, setting goals, and cultivating a supportive environment. That’s…
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How Can I Possibly Try Again?
For three years the disciples followed Jesus as He ministered and taught to many. Their lives were full – busy with tasks their Lord gave them and travelling many miles. So, you can imagine the emptiness they must feel after Jesus’ death. What purpose do their lives serve? What do they need to do? In their frustration one night, a group of the disciples went back to what they knew well – fishing. I am sure this must have seemed anticlimactic after all they had been doing with Jesus, but they didn’t really have any other directive as of yet. As was the practice in those days, they fished at…
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Those Who Shape Us
This week would have been my mother’s birthday. This first year of not celebrating with her seems weird, sad, and unnatural. My mother was an integral part of my life for many reasons. Her faith, her joy, her contentment, her nurturing, and so much more have been impactful in my own life and as I reach out to care for others as wife, mother, and teacher. I came across a post I wrote for her birthday a few years ago. I hope that you can enjoy it with me as I remember her. She’s always there for me. Whether I am sharing my joys or my hurts, she listens without…
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When Life Goes on Auto Pilot
While living out in the country has many advantages, one downfall is the extra time spent driving to get anywhere. It’s a 45 minute drive to work. I have a 25 minute drive to church, to medical facilities, and to do major shopping. As I drive my winding country road to get to the main highway, I often find myself going for miles without really thinking about it. It is truly amazing how the brain operates. What an intricate design God made that allows me to drive my vehicle on a familiar road without consciously doing it. Yet it scares me at times to think about how far I drive…
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When the Saviour Calls
As a new year begins many of us are looking for new paths and opportunities but how do we decide? There are pressures from many avenues for our time – family, home, work, charitable, community and so on. There are a multitude of things I could be doing with my time. I have the abilities to do many things, but should I be doing them all? Yes, God gives us different gifts and abilities and He designed us with ways to use them. What is significant is how we approach them. Do we go blindly ahead, choosing ways to fill our time at a whim, or do we carefully consider…
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Tried and True Words to Remember
Recent weeks have been a time of much reflection. Maybe it’s the winter days holed up in my home with a cozy blanket and a good book that inspire reflective thought. Perhaps it is also the fact that I have had some major decisions to make – ones that greatly impact my future. Have you ever been in a spot where you have so many things to consider you feel like your brain is going to blow up? It’s hard to gain perspective with so much bombarding us. Some days I wish God would just give me a straight answer. It is easy to get caught on the treadmill of…
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Gaining Empathy
I walked into the large gym with great trepidation. I didn’t know anyone. I didn’t know where to sit or what to do. I didn’t like feeling so lost, but that had been common in recent days. My quiet nature didn’t help either as it made it daunting to try to start conversations with staff I didn’t know. I had been thrust into a large public school after teaching for years in a small private Christian school where I knew everybody. Everything was overwhelming – the number of staff to get to know, all the new procedures, and many other new requirements. All I wanted to do was feel like…
