trusting God through difficult times
January 7, 2023
Isaiah 49 “But Zion said, ‘The LORD has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.’ (v. 14) Because of their captivity in Babylon, the Israelites […]
December 20, 2022
Some seasons are long and dark. They can leave us disoriented and confused, making it difficult at times to reconcile our core beliefs with what seems […]
November 20, 2022
The holidays are upon us. Some have already started playing Christmas music and sipping spiced lattes while gleefully checking off items from their to-do lists. […]
September 4, 2022
“I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out–plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you […]
July 6, 2022
Matthew 7: 7 – 11 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. […]
May 12, 2022
Grief is fluid and unpredictable. We work through the stages and then find ourselves knocked backwards. This life is hard. Our grief is deep. It pounds […]
April 6, 2022
Life has taught me that it does not always play out according to the script I have written and always expected my life to follow. I […]
March 13, 2022
My dad was a humble man. He never wanted to be the center of attention, instead he was the one serving in the background. He was […]
March 12, 2022
“We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but […]
March 9, 2022
An Old Pair of Sneakers There are many different kinds of memories. Some you can almost smell as you close your eyes and breathe deeply, taking […]
January 29, 2022
I was reading the lyrics of an old hymn, How Firm a Foundation, when the phrase “your troubles to bless” jumped off the page. Have you […]
January 15, 2022
For many, the start of a new year means setting new goals and challenges, choosing a new word to represent the upcoming year, or establishing new […]
November 13, 2021
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in You. In God, whose word I praise; in God, I trust. I shall not be afraid. What […]
October 24, 2021
Psalm 46: 1 – 3 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives […]
October 9, 2021
In the dictionary, wait is used to “indicate that one is eagerly impatient to do something or for something to happen.” I find it interesting that […]
August 13, 2021
Not too many of us like waiting. It’s hard to pause when we want to be on the move, and to delay getting something when […]
July 2, 2021
I have experienced God’s joy–truly unexpected and inexplicable–in the midst of the deepest of sorrows. I have been able to shout authentic hurrahs at the harvest […]
May 31, 2021
Many of David’s Psalms were written while experiencing troubles. I am not sure in which trauma-packed set of circumstances Psalm 27 was written, but it reflects […]
April 17, 2021
There are some stories in the Bible that beckon me to read them over and over again. The story of The Three in the Fiery Furnace […]
April 3, 2021
Yesterday was Good Friday. Tomorrow is Easter Resurrection Sunday. Today is the in-between. Yesterday was marked by confusion, despair, and the worst kind of bad. Tomorrow […]
March 28, 2021
Mark 15:21 “And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his […]
January 30, 2021
But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, His mercies never come to an end, […]
December 12, 2020
Luke 2:6-7 “And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped Him […]
November 25, 2020
I admit that lately, I have had to work a little harder than usual to keep my brave face on. Honestly, some days I feel more […]
November 7, 2020
Life doesn’t always play out the way we dreamed it would. We expect the happily-ever-after to stay indefinitely, but sometimes we find ourselves in circumstances we […]
October 24, 2020
Bad things happen. We don’t get to opt out of difficult days that try our patience and challenge our faith. And yet, when bad things happen […]
October 4, 2020
Remember the TV show 24? Our family used to gather together each week to watch the latest episode together. Inevitably, there was a scene that took […]
September 21, 2020
If you’re like me, you pray. A lot! My day is peppered with quick prayers. “Lord, help me find a parking spot!” “Help me understand this […]
August 22, 2020
When my kids were little, there was a shiny, new luxury car in the parent drop-off at school each morning whose license plate read, “4U2NV”. I […]
August 9, 2020
My garden starts out beautiful every spring. It boasts lots of color and variety. White button flowers, purple and pink tulips, yellow daffodils, and peony buds […]
July 10, 2020
Hope is powerful. It can spur us on to act with courage, sustain us when we feel weak and too weary to take another step, and […]
June 7, 2020
I rarely have difficulty falling asleep at night. In fact, my husband says I often fall asleep even before my head hits the pillow. The trouble […]
May 16, 2020
My brother wrote this devotion to share with his team where he works. I thought it would be nice to share with you since we are […]
April 14, 2020
I can vividly remember sitting in the conference room at Hume Lake Christian Camp in the Sierra Nevadas as a room full of teenagers listened to […]
April 5, 2020
“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9). This is a verse we quote often to one […]
February 23, 2020
Have you ever thought how easy it would be to have a strong faith if we were able to witness the miracles we read about in […]
December 25, 2019
I was driving behind a car the other day with a bumper sticker that said, “Keep Christ in Christmas” written underneath a simple sketch of a […]
December 2, 2019
“And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped Him in swaddling […]
November 15, 2019
Sometimes circumstances in our lives seem all sunshine and calm. We move around happily without a care in the world. But sometimes, circumstances can take a […]
October 27, 2019
Sometimes life doesn’t go the way we had always dreamed it would. Sometimes a scary diagnosis, a financial crisis, or a broken relationship can make an […]
September 28, 2019
When my kids were growing up, I used to tell them that there were blessings to obedience. I still believe this to be true. However, I […]
September 14, 2019
I like taking classes at the local Y and Pilates is one of my favorites. When I first started taking Pilates, I left with every one […]
August 25, 2019
Being still is difficult for me. I don’t like wasting time so I always make sure I have a book or podcast available to listen to, […]
August 7, 2019
Sometimes the storms in our lives can be pretty fierce. And sometimes the stormy seasons can last a very long time and shake us to our […]
July 18, 2019
Have you ever struggled with expectations? What exactly is acceptable when asking God to satisfy our needs and heart’s desires? How much is too much? How […]
June 27, 2019
What does it mean to overcome? I think sometimes we expect that, in order to overcome, the mountains need to move or the storms need to […]
June 17, 2019
Have you ever felt overwhelmed and beyond your limits? Have you ever wondered if maybe God has forgotten you? Or wondered if God sometimes allows too […]
June 7, 2019
We sang in church this morning about God’s goodness and that His promises are sure and true. I leaned over to my husband and said, “I […]
May 29, 2019
Every year, at the close of winter, just as the hint of Spring begins to rekindle hope for warmer weather and longer days, I go out […]
May 11, 2019
To be honest, I struggle with the whole concept of having expectations. Especially when I have been waiting for way too long for something I really […]
April 19, 2019
“…but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.” John 19:24 […]
April 14, 2019
This is a Lenten Devotional on Simon of Cyrene. “And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father […]
April 6, 2019
Forgiveness is a tricky fellow. It can gnaw at the corners of your mind demanding to be put into practice when you’d rather save it for […]
March 17, 2019
But God. These are two of my favorite words in the Bible. Most certainly, they represent a theme that inspires hope, especially when we find ourselves […]
February 16, 2019
Acts 12 gives an account of Peter’s miraculous rescue from prison. His friend James had just been killed and Peter was bound with chains and put […]
February 9, 2019
Sometimes God says, “No.” It’s easy to understand His blocking our attempts to do things that are displeasing to HIm, but not so easy to understand […]
February 4, 2019
I think sometimes we go about life thinking that if we’re good people, then all will go pretty well. You know, like living in a beautiful […]
January 18, 2019
More is addictive. Just five more minutes! Just one more task! Only one more dessert! Just a few more clothes to cram into an […]
January 13, 2019
Most days it is easy to say that God is good and to believe that He has amazing things planned for us. But sometimes, when […]
January 2, 2019
I have learned that life is hard. Really hard sometimes. Like curl up in a ball and cry your eyes out hard. Sometimes the hurdles seem […]
December 26, 2018
Christmas pageants are a delight to watch. Little ones act out the story of Christ’s birth dressed as angels, wisemen, shepherds, and various barnyard animals. People […]
December 16, 2018
Life can be confusing! Sometimes we can make zero sense out of our circumstances and wonder how anything good can come from them. Our lack of […]
December 2, 2018
I was driving behind a car the other day with a bumper sticker that said, “Keep Christ in Christmas” written underneath a simple sketch of a […]
November 25, 2018
Waiting isn’t easy! I choose recipes that are quick to make and strategically look for the short lines in the grocery store. I fill extra minutes […]
November 18, 2018
A poem inspired by Psalm 126 I dream of the day when restoration will come and settle upon us, wrapping us tightly in joy and unexpected […]
November 6, 2018
God is never surprised by nor afraid of the circumstances that unfold in our lives. He is never caught off guard. When we are feeling scared […]
October 28, 2018
I have dreams of a big, beautiful garden. I think often about the flowers and vegetables I want to plant, and the perennials that will provide […]
October 22, 2018
The Bible is filled with stories of people who had great faith. It was David’s faith that gave him the guts to stand before a giant […]
October 7, 2018
Sometimes tough times seem to hit hard and last for way too long. When this happens, our hearts can begin to lose the grit needed to […]
September 24, 2018
Goliath was BIG! 9 ½ feet big! Just his presence alone could make the opposition quiver in their boots! But he wasn’t only big in stature. […]
September 17, 2018
I like to go to the Y after work. It gives me a chance to burn off the stress of an overwhelming day and it lets […]
September 9, 2018
Our difficult circumstances do not have to be what defines us. We are more than the bad (or good!) things that happen to us. Rather, our […]
September 3, 2018
Thoughts from 1 Samuel 17 Lions and bears are powerful and ferocious beasts. They can do a whole lot of damage to a flock of helpless […]
August 19, 2018
It is easy to maintain the sovereignty and goodness of God when life is happy and carefree, but what about when the not-so-welcomed things come into […]
August 12, 2018
I just read again the account of Israel crossing the Jordan (Joshua 3). They had to step into the water before it would open for them. […]
August 6, 2018
Wouldn’t it be nice if life truly was like what we see on facebook every day? Or that our life’s messiness could be wrapped up and […]
August 2, 2018
Peter was a blurter. He was spontaneous! No one can argue that he lived life with passion! He often acted before he thought things through. Sure […]
August 2, 2018
I love the fresh signs of Spring. The purple crocus that dare poke their heads above the ground even though it is too early to guarantee […]
August 1, 2018
I have been reading the book “Unbroken”–the life of Louis Zamperini. It is fascinating! I find myself cringing as I read about the horrible (which […]
July 31, 2018
Got trials? Who doesn’t? Sure, some seasons seem serendipitously blessed, but we all know that if we aren’t facing something trying, or difficult, in our […]
July 25, 2018
An Old Pair of Sneakers There are many different kinds of memories. Some you can almost smell as you close your eyes and breathe deeply, […]
January 7, 2023
Isaiah 49 “But Zion said, ‘The LORD has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.’ (v. 14) Because of their captivity in Babylon, the Israelites […]
January 15, 2022
For many, the start of a new year means setting new goals and challenges, choosing a new word to represent the upcoming year, or establishing new […]
April 17, 2021
There are some stories in the Bible that beckon me to read them over and over again. The story of The Three in the Fiery Furnace […]
January 30, 2021
But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, His mercies never come to an end, […]
November 7, 2020
Life doesn’t always play out the way we dreamed it would. We expect the happily-ever-after to stay indefinitely, but sometimes we find ourselves in circumstances we […]
August 9, 2020
My garden starts out beautiful every spring. It boasts lots of color and variety. White button flowers, purple and pink tulips, yellow daffodils, and peony buds […]