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Who Is Telling the Truth?
Some days the media drives me crazy. Information on the same topic can have so many angles. It is difficult to determine which content is really the truth, if any of it really is. People are paid big dollars to put a particular spin on things to forward their cause, without a regard for what is true. Frequently things are blown out of proportion and cause havoc and confusion. As I have been researching my health issues I find the same thing. Everybody has their own angle as to what is a good treatment or protocol for a particular ailment. There are so many ideas out there. How does a…
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The Challenges and Joys of Leaving our Comfort Zone
As I sit at my desk, I am working diligently answering phones and tending to all the bits and pieces that make up my receptionist position. As a young woman, working in a bustling youth ministry is invigorating and I am content serving my Lord in this capacity. For the most part the position is one I can handle easily and I am definitely in a safe, secure zone. Things changed when a year later one of the directors leaves the organization and the search begins for a replacement. The job requires strong communication skills and making cold calls to ministry contacts. I certainly don’t consider that to be my…
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How Much Storage do we Really Need?
At one time I lived in an urban community with medium sized houses. Going for walks in my neighbourhood I noticed that all the homes had double car garages yet many people were parking their vehicles on the street. I thought this odd until I started to see that many of these garages were filled to the brim with stuff – some contained normal garage things like bikes, but there were also numerous storage totes and boxes in most of them. Needing storage areas seems to be a thing these days, confirmed by the numerous amounts of storage facilities available to us. There are stores totally devoted to organizers, totes,…
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To Whom Has God Called You to Minister?
I am a people watcher. Whether I am walking down the street, sitting in a waiting room, or standing in line at the grocery story, I am observing those around me. It intrigues me what makes people tick, how they choose to handle various situations, and the types of conversations they have. I ponder what their lives are like and where their journey is taking them. I laugh at silly antics and empathize with those in pain. I puzzle over them and wonder in general what their life is like. Not everyone I observe appeals to me. Some obnoxious, abrasive people do turn me off. It hurts to hear people…
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When Floodwaters Threaten to Overtake You
As I sit and write this morning it is pouring rain outside. That, in itself, should not be problematic – after all a good summer rain should nourish the land and promote growth. The dilemma is that for a number of weeks, heavy rains are creating havoc. We are in a time of unprecedented moisture; so much so that many areas are flooding. We saw this firsthand on a recent trip across the prairies. Crops sitting in high water. Roads washed away. Areas unusable or impassable. Overland flooding drowning out some towns. The moisture that should have been a good thing has destroyed the hopes and dreams of many. For…
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How Are we to Achieve Perfection?
As a young girl I used to look at other families and think how perfect they were. They had dads who encouraged them and who showed up at their school events. Their families did things together, like going on holidays or going to church. And so, my list went on. I would see these families together and wish I were a part of them. I longed for the day when I could have my own family and have things be as ideal as I perceived them to be in the families around me. I even carried this attitude into my own married life thinking how “perfect” other households were compared…
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Calming Our Anxious Thoughts
For the umpteenth time I remind myself to trust in God. He’s got this. I say that in many of my blog posts. My head knows it is true. Why can’t my heart get the message? We can be well grounded in Scripture, be in worship, fellowship with believers – but still have those moments of doubt and uncertainty. The devil loves when he can get his digs in and upset our lives. Some seasons of life just seem to promote anxiety in various forms. For me, it has come with some life changing decisions that need to be made. It has been months of back-and-forth feelings – from relief…
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How To Be on Guard in a World of Chaos
Some days I just don’t want to watch the news anymore. Frequently it seems like society is simply falling apart. Norms that kept us safe are being challenged. Values that helped keep families strong are no longer considered valid. We are encouraged to take care of ourselves and go after what we want, frequently with disregard for the needs of others. I see it in how my students have changed over the years. More so than ever in the past, I have a number of students each year with considerable anxiety. They struggle to process their world. I have also seen a rise in students who insist on their own…
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Our God Carries Us
The experiences of the Israelites as they prepared to and then left Egypt has always been a fascination for me. This group sees mighty miracles that lead to Pharaoh letting them leave Egypt. They walk through the Red Sea as God makes a safe path of escape for them. There is no doubt that it is God at work in this situation. His mighty deeds are recounted to many as they share what the Lord has done for them. Fast forward to when the Israelites get to the edge of the actual Promised Land. What should be a time of hope and delight is not. There is grumbling. There is…
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When Days Feel Bad, God Still Has a Purpose
Can you imagine being a privileged child whose father dotes on you? You have everything you need as your family is prosperous. Blessings abound. This should have been a good start to life – after all you’ve got it made. Old Testament Joseph was such a child; however, his father had a large part in making Joseph a target of disdain by his brothers. His father treated him differently and even had an ornate robe made for him. Scripture tells us of the reaction of Joseph’s brothers: “When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind…
