September 15, 2025 · 7:15 am

Shut Up And Dance With Me

The song, Shut Up & Dance with Me, has strangely been running through my mind – all evening – during the night – first thing when I woke up. George & I heard the song at Walmart and commented on it. I certainly didn’t expect it to still be with me today, but it is. It made me realize how quickly and how thoughtlessly something can slip into your mind and then stay there, whether you really want it to or not. This past week, with all the news over the assassination of Charlie Kirk and other acts of violence, I’ve heard countless reports, dozens of stories, and seen many videos. And, I haven’t even “searched” for these. They’ve just appeared, kind of like the song at Walmart. I didn’t seek the information; it was just out there, and I caught it.

This morning, as I was doing my Bible Study and Prayer time, I realized that I should be more aware of my surroundings, of what I am allowing into my airspace, and of what could potentially wake me up in the middle of the night on repeat.

I would much rather have an encouraging scripture, quote, or praise song running through my thoughts, and to be honest, that song may be even better than a lot of last week’s options.

Today I will be mindful. I will seek out positive thoughts, and I will repeat what I want repeated.

So, Shut Up & Dance with Me! Smiles to you!

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August 28, 2025 · 4:51 pm

I Took A Walk

I took a walk. A long walk. An intentional walk. I walked for 5 hours straight without a podcast, a sermon, or music in my ears. I spent the entire morning alone, lost in thought, enjoying nature. It was a wonderful gift to myself.

In June, I created a summer bucket list, and I have had a lot of fun checking things off the list. However, there was one challenging item on the list. “Take a 5 Hour Walk.” This idea originated from the book titled “The 12 Hour Walk” by Colin O’Brady. The author challenges you to take a 12-hour walk alone without a phone. Kevin and Sarah bought me this book for Christmas 2022, and when I read it in January 2023, I was motivated and excited to plan for my 12-hour walk. I bought a day pack, and I thought about when I would take this walk and where I would go. Of course, I knew it wouldn’t happen in the winter in western Pennsylvania, and then the months rolled around, and it went from too muddy in spring for a walk, to too hot in the summer, to too busy in the fall. The year came and went, and the book remained on my shelf as something that I’d like to try sometime. 2024 came and went without a walk, too, but I was intrigued by the thought of a challenge and unplugging from technology, just being alone with my thoughts. So, a summer bucket list challenge of a 5-hour walk sounded like a good fit for me.

I started the walk mentally long before I actually took my first step. I planned to go to the river house alone the night before to wake up early and walk the trail. I went to bed early and honestly; I dreamed that others kept showing up to join me on my walk. Those of you who know me are aware that being alone is a foreign concept to me, as my nest has recently been emptied after 36 years. George is currently out of town, so I am totally alone for the first time ever! I didn’t want to walk too far from the house because I wanted to ensure I had the energy to return so I decided to go upstream (aka North) for a while, then return home, walk in the opposite direction for a while, and return home. I left at 6:25 and walked a mile north, then turned around and walked past my house since I was feeling strong. I went another mile, turned around and arrived back at the house. One hour and 26 minutes passed. Heading north again, I started walking. I allowed myself to stop any time I wanted but I was surprised by how strong I felt. The weather was perfect, the views of the river were gorgeous, and the wildlife entertained me along the way. I walked another hour and 10 minutes before I sat and rested for a break. I then realized I was over halfway done with this walk. Being unplugged was almost more of a challenge than the actual steps, but I was enjoying the stillness so much that it was worth it. At this point, I had seen only 2 cars, 1 woman smoking on her porch in her nightgown, 2 workers standing beside their van and a couple of cyclists. The one cyclist recognized me as walker on the trail and commented that I was pretty far from home as she pedaled past. It was a time full of solitude with only these few reminders that I wasn’t alone.

After my break, I continued North until I arrived at a tunnel where I saw 2 workers and turned around, heading home, calculating how many minutes I had to finish. I decided that on the way home, I would stop at every bench that called my name, but was surprised by how few did. I saw a few more cyclists, but not a single boat on the river. The quiet and the sounds of nature were all that I had to concentrate on. The entire walk, I was in awe of the fact that I live in an area where I can set out on a walk and have the trail relatively to myself. (Of course, Monday morning is a good time for that.) Without concentrating on music or a podcast, my thoughts drifted aimlessly. My prayers went to heaven easily and quickly as I thanked God for this opportunity and the body that worked well enough for me to put one foot in front of the other. Some people can’t do that. And sometimes, many times, I take that for granted.

I passed my house again with still 30 minutes left to go, so I walked on. I slowly, very slowly, walked in my neighborhood and took photos like a tourist. I slowed down enough to see the things that I had missed every other time I walked past. It was amazing to see the beauty that I had previously overlooked. I turned and completed my walk, and when I reached home, I had a true sense of accomplishment. I had set out to take a 5-hour walk, and I did. The actual walk took 6 hours (with breaks) and I walked over 30,000 steps. I did it! And it felt great!

My kids have inspired me with their adventurous spirits and the challenges they have set out to complete. From biking across the US, studying abroad, going to Times Square to watch the ball drop alone, living independently before high school graduation, and singing solo in front of hundreds of strangers. I don’t know where they got that spirit from, but now I can join their ranks. I can say I set a goal, faced a challenge, and succeeded. I took a walk.

I took a walk.

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July 18, 2025 · 8:13 am

Is that mine to carry?

Yesterday was a day. One call after another. This has been a week. More news, more updates, more confusion. This summer has been challenging…actually, the spring wasn’t that easy either. To be honest, the year 2025 has felt like one major thing after another. I’ve lost loved ones, I have others facing troubling diagnoses, others’ mental health issues, the needs of the charities I support, my own physical issues, general life transitions & more. It’s all been a LOT! However, my days remain pretty typical with some reflection, some sadness & still some joy and laughter. I guess that’s what life is.

But yesterday. It just felt like a lot. A whole lot is going on with a lot of the people I care deeply about. So I addressed the things that I could address yesterday, and I thought and prayed about the things that I couldn’t. I found myself going through the day feeling heavier and darker; each phone call or conversation seemed to lead me down to a more concerning place. Heavy stuff. Tired of fighting and trying to figure things out, I went to bed seeking respite from my overthinking. It worked, I fell asleep after only a couple of chapters of a book I’m reading, and I was at rest.

I woke at 3:30 a.m. Don’t we all hate those nights when our thoughts wake us? But I didn’t wake up with dread, I woke up with a realization. It was more than a thought; it didn’t feel like a dream because it wasn’t moving, but it was a picture in my mind. I saw a little girl holding all of these packages. Bulky, simply wrapped packages, not gifts exactly, but they were wrapped and tied with string. I guess I could call them parcels. Her arms were loaded down, but she had a pleasant look on her face, and she was capable of holding her load. There were more packages at her feet, and it looked like she was trying to figure out how to pick up more. That’s when I woke. Wide awake. I wanted to speak to that girl and tell her not to pick up any more. She was too little to carry them all. No one could hold them all. I certainly couldn’t. I realized then what I was to learn from that, and I started to pick apart my day and the burdens that I had picked up. I honestly felt that God was showing me that He doesn’t want me to pick up all those packages. I can give him some to carry. He’s not too little. I serve a very big God.

So, I went through the day in my mind. One by one, I thought about the concerns that I was faced with and I realized that very few of them were mine to carry. A few of them were mine and I will carry them as called, but some I was only to hold for a minute while the other person took a breath and could take it back. Today I’m going to be more mindful. When I hear of a situation, I will carefully listen, I will hold that burden (aka parcel) for a moment, and decide where to put it. Is it mine to carry for a while? Is there something I can do? Or am I supposed to hand it directly to God and let him carry it? I think we all know the answer to that question most of the time. My arms were made to carry a certain load, and trust me, my own load is usually plenty to carry without taking on everyone else’s. Yours probably is too. Just give the rest to God! I think you’ll sleep better!

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October 4, 2024 · 1:23 pm

Why Me? Why Now?

“I’m going to Boone, NC.”  I’ve been saying that sentence for about 6 months when friends asked us if we would like to vacation at another friend’s place near Boone, NC.  Though we had only seen the North Carolinian friend twice since 1988, we thought it would be fun to reconnect and spend a few days in the mountains.  I have never been to that part of the country and was looking forward to a fall trip.  We were scheduled to go on October 2nd.  On September 28th, my husband received a text saying that we would need to cancel our vacation because “of some road closures and power outages because of the storm.”  What an understatement that text was.  We were starting to receive information regarding Hurricane Helene at that point.  Of course, as more information came in, we realized that this was WAY more than “some road closures.”  So, the vacation trip was off, but a mission trip became a possibility. We had done this before, so maybe we could do this again.

In  2022, my family had planned a trip to Florida.  We intended to spend a week on the beach at our condo.  Shortly before our scheduled trip, that area was hit by Hurricane Ian.  Our condo ended up being okay, but our neighbors were flooded.  The town was hard hit and stores, restaurants, and homes were severely damaged.  Since we had already planned the trip, and George had already planned to drive the truck there, we decided that if our condo had power and water, we would still go, deliver supplies, work, and help with clean up.  We were humbled by the response of our friends and community and we were able to show up in Florida with much-needed supplies. We ended up helping people empty their entire homes of belongings that needed to be carried to the road for garbage collection.  Timing.  The timing was just right for us to go and be of assistance.  I was surprised by what my family could accomplish by simply making a few phone calls and being directed by a church to some folks in need.  Even though we weren’t a formal relief agency, we were able to lighten the load for some people and the supplies we delivered made a difference in someone’s day.  (As we were unloading our truck at a church, someone walked past and said, “Can I have this toothpaste? We’ve been waiting  for that!”)

Once again, I find myself presented with an opportunity to go and assist.  And, once again, I’m asking my friends to help donate to the cause. We are going to Blowing Rock, NC (8 miles south of Boone, NC.) Blowing Rock was not affected by the storm, so we can stay at our friend’s place there. We have confirmed with him that the roads to that area are safe.  We have contacted churches and organizations and will be able to deliver supplies there.  We will travel 15 minutes from the place we are staying to Samaritans Purse each day to be assigned to a work crew and will be directed to where we are needed. 

Next week, before we go to NC, we will be going to the Mission Barn in New Castle to assemble flood buckets full of cleaning supplies to send across the nation to victims.  We will be taking some donations there.  We are using many avenues to get items where they need to go.  There are many people gathering supplies and aid as we all try to help our hurting nation.  Honestly, it doesn’t matter where you donate, it just matters that you do what you can.  I don’t know how we will be used when we are there, but I appreciate you supporting us as we are!

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October 22, 2023 · 4:59 pm

It’s Fall – Let Go!

Today as I look out my window on this breezy fall day, I am feeling very connected to the beauty of creation.  I live in a beautiful location.  My house is surrounded by trees and at this time of year, the leaves are all different shades of red, orange, green and yellow.  When the sunlight hits them, which does happen occasionally in Western PA, they just glow with brilliance.  The leaves on the trees are stunning.  And, then, something magical happens when the wind blows.  The leaves come soaring to the ground.  Some of them spin in little circles with the stem down and seem to just dive to the earth.  Others actually tumble end over end until they slowly float to the earth.  Some start falling one direction and then the wind picks them up and carries them a different direction and then sometimes just before they hit the ground, it lifts them once again for a little glide across the yard.  All these leaves are on different journeys, and they travel at different speeds and in different ways.  They really remind me of life and its journey.  Though all the leaves can represent that journey, I realized today that I identified with a particular one. A medium sized yellow maple leaf halfway up a tree that is smaller than its Oak neighbor.  This little leaf on this smaller tree refuses to let go.  As I’ve watched hundreds, possibly thousands of leaves make their journey from limb to lawn, this stubborn Maple leaf clings on by a thread.  The wind is whipping it in every direction, and I marvel at its strength to hold on.  It reminds me of a child’s wiggly loose tooth that refuses to give up and fall out.  This leaf is hanging on.  For what?  Eventually, we all know it will let go and join the rest of the leaves in the yard, but until it does, it is taking a royal beating in an attempt to hang on.

I am like that Maple leaf many times.  I hang on to things way longer than I should.  I honestly know that if I would just let go, I would softly, beautifully float to new and better things, but I refuse and I hang on to what I know.  I stay in the place I have been for a long time.  I refuse to let go and declare a new season.  Just as I shake my head and wonder about that leaf and its motives, I shake my head and wonder about myself. As I have spent some time this afternoon thinking, dreaming and watching the fall leaves tumble, I think I am excited for the day I do let go. The day I do drift peacefully into the next exciting season. I mean, what are my options? I certainly don’t want to be that lone brown leaf that we’ve all seen during winter hanging on to the tree being pelted by snow and sleet. No.  That is not how I am going to go into the next season, and I hope you don’t either. Let Go!


18 But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I’m going to do! 19 For I’m going to do a brand-new thing. See, I have already begun! Don’t you see it? I will make a road through the wilderness of the world for my people to go home and create rivers for them in the desert! – Isaiah 43:18 & 19 The Living Bible

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September 12, 2023 · 4:14 am

Pray for Mason

Mason Martin is a high school senior in our community who was seriously injured in a football accident a little over a week ago. His condition is still critical and the community is showing an outpouring of support. There have been prayer vigils, fundraisers, displays of purple and gold and his football number “2” stickers on helmets of multiple teams. There are signs all over town saying “Prayers for the Martin family,” “Pray for Mason” and “#Mason Strong.”

Our community is hurting because of this young man’s circumstances and we are at a loss for how to help this family, so we pray. It’s not only the only thing we can do, but it’s the most important thing we can do. So we do. But, today as I was driving, I found myself amazed as I read the signs posted on businesses and in lawns. Note the word, “read.” I was pleased by the amount of support shown to the Martin family with the signs, but I wasn’t praying for Mason, I was reading about him. Are you doing this too? Are you just marveling at the support or are you praying? Of course, you are doing both, but I encourage you to beef up your prayers as you recognize the community support. How? By challenging yourself to pray for Mason each time you see purple and gold, signs with his name on it, the #2 or any other post or article about him. Challenge yourself to create a simple prayer on his behalf. “Dear God, strengthen Mason.” “Dear Lord, bless his family as they journey through this challenge.” “Lord, thank you for the doctors and nurses who are caring for him.” “Dear God, let the family see something today that makes them smile.” Pray your simple prayer each time you pass a sign or pray a different one each time you drive by.

Like many students in the area, my daughter wore a purple ribbon in her hair for a volleyball game though her school colors are blue and white. The team prayed for Mason prior to their game. The next day, the ribbon was on the table, so I put it in my pocket and every time I put my hand in my pocket I was reminded to offer up a prayer. Let’s make sure our kids and students know to do the same when they wear their Mason Strong T-Shirts, bracelets and purple and gold or when they see the #2 on a sign. I am so grateful for all the reminders in the area that I see daily. They are prompting me to pray. We need to remember, that the signs and reminders can’t pray, but we can and so we should!

 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

– Jeremiah 29:11

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March 21, 2023 · 1:13 pm

My Mom

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I can say that not only was I blessed by having a good mother, but I was doubly blessed by having her 93 years.  I had the honor and privilege to be the daughter of someone that I never heard anyone say an unkind word of. When her name came up, it was always in reference to a kind deed she did, a kind word she said or simply to comment on her beautiful smile and kind heart.

When I would describe my mom to people who didn’t know her, I would say she was a saint.  Then I would emphasize, “no, I mean she was a real saint.” She didn’t talk badly about people, she didn’t complain and she truly could find the good in every situation and if she couldn’t, she certainly wouldn’t let anyone know.

I explain her belief in the God given scriptural proof of positive and hopeful thinking to others by sharing the story of her receiving a call when Dan was in college.  We were hearing her side of a phone conversation, “Oh, that’s so good. What a blessing. That’s wonderful to hear.”  She hung up the phone and said to my Dad, “Bob, we need to go to Penn State because Dan was hit by a ricochet in rifle class and the bullet grazed his nose.”  My Dad asked what was so good about that and she replied, “The bullet hit his nose, it could’ve been his eye.” She lived her life just that way.  If something bad happened, she’d be grateful something  worse didn’t. These past couple of weeks, she has continued to remind us all how lucky we are, how many good things we have and how blessed we’ve been.

My Dad died suddenly when I was 16 and I remember immediately thanking God that he took my Dad and not my Mom.  I knew in that moment that I was on good terms with my Dad and I had no regrets.  I also knew as a teenage girl, that if God had taken my Mom that evening, I would’ve had regrets in my last words and my last actions towards her.  At that age, I didn’t recognize how much I would need my mom in the days ahead in a different way than I needed my Dad. That night, I was able to see my Mom in a different light and what I used to see as weakness in her, I saw as strength.  My Mom handled losing her husband at age 50 in a manner that displayed heartache and strength with a grace that was unbelievable.  We all knew where her strength came from and where she expected us to go for our strength without preaching the importance in having faith but in just living it out.

When Pastor Bev visited last week, I began to tell her that I felt that Mom might want to talk to her because I knew that Mom was worried about us during this time.  I no sooner got the word “worried” out of my mouth that she interrupted me and said, “I’m not worried.”  She didn’t worry.  She prayed. She recited her version of Philippians 4:6 to us many times. “Don’t worry about anything, pray about everything, tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank him for his answers.

In the last few years, she would express that she was ready to go home and be with the Lord.  She would see a photo of a group of her friends, family or coworkers and comment on how most of them were gone now and she wondered why she was still here. She hated being a burden and needing help and as she became less able to serve others, she often said she felt “weary.”  We would tell her the Lord would take her when she finished her work and he obviously still had work for her to do. She said that the only thing she was physically able to do to help others was to pray. I figured that she was still here because we all still required her prayers.  My Mom spent her last days praying about everything and everyone. Even when she wasn’t really “with us” she was mumbling names and asking God to bless them.

One of the biggest lessons she ever taught me occurred one time when I was really struggling with a situation with my kids.  I felt overwhelmed by parenting and I was sitting on the couch crying uncontrollably and I said, “I Can’t Do This!”  She sat beside me and said quietly, “oh but you are.”  She expected me to do the best with what had been given me and she knew it would take strength and faith for me to do that well.

After my Dad’s funeral, my Mom said matter of factly, “On Monday morning, I will go back to work and you will go back to school and we will do our best.”   And now, as we leave here lost and not sure where we will go, we will have to find some of that strength and faith to go on without her. I’m sure each of you know what she would say specifically to you in this situation if you were sitting across her kitchen table with her, so just do that.  She left this world with nothing left unsaid or untaught.  She did her part, so now I believe she’d expect us to do ours. She got her work done.

From Stepping Heavenward by   Mrs. E. Prentiss   Copyright 1869

My steadfast aim now is to follow in my mother’s footsteps; to imitate her cheerfulness, her benevolence, her bright, inspiring ways and never to rest till in place of my selfish nature I become as full of Christ’s love as she became.  I am glad she is at last relieved from the knowledge of all my cares; and though I often and often yearn to throw myself into her arms and pour out my cares and trials into her sympathizing ears.  I would not have her back for all the world.  She has got away from all the turmoil and suffering of life; let her stay!

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June 7, 2022 · 8:58 am

A Somersault Summer

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So, you will need the back story for this post to make any sense, so bear with me while I explain. 

Last year I was invited to a friend’s house on the evening that her daughter attended prom. We took some photos and then sent the formally clad teens off for their evening of dinner and dance. After they left, we just talked in the living room and sipped wine. As we reminisced about our teen years conversations went to how we “used to do this” and we “used to do that.” I was the oldest individual in the room by 1 – 2 decades so I easily admitted that I used to be able to do a cartwheel, but I now have conceded that those days are behind me. I vividly remembered the last time I did one when the reality that my arms can no longer support the weight of my body made me declare that it was my last one. While sharing my story, I could see the wheels turning (while the wine was draining from her cup) in a friend’s mind. She is about 12 years younger than me and she was certain she could still lead with her arms and follow with her feet in a cartwheel. She did, indeed, prove to us that she could and she pulled a hamstring in the process. We got a good laugh out of the evening’s stunts and conversation and said we’d practice before the next prom rolled around.

Eleven Months Later: Knowing prom would be coming up and while reading Aging with Grace for book club, I decided that I should probably try to train for a stunt for prom night. I knew a Cartwheel would never happen, but maybe I could do a front roll, aka Somersault, with flare. In my mind, I was going to make this roll crisp, clean, and worthy of an Olympic score of at least a 9.4. I had hopes of performing this stunt while these younger moms sat on the couch holding up their dry erase boards with their scores of 9.2, 8.7, and maybe even a generous 9.8! However, I knew to accomplish these scores, I would need to practice at home. 

With a great attitude, I headed to my carpeted living room floor. I crouched down and put my body in a tight ball. I pondered. I paused. I was surprised that I was apprehensive about actually putting my head to the floor and rolling. I had not considered that my body would stop and seriously consider how this would go. Head down, a kick-off the couch and I flopped to my back. The room spun, I felt nauseous and I started sweating. Wow. I hadn’t expected that! Apparently, the heart medication I had taken lowered my blood pressure enough to make me feel as dizzy as if I had been hung by my feet on one of those flying swing rides at an amusement park and swung around and around. UGH! “I can’t do a front roll?!?! When did this happen?” Being too old to do a front roll did not sit well with me. BUT, I had to accept the fact that that day was not the day to prove it. I waited and a few days later (without heart medication) I did my second attempt. Back to the living room, crouched down, ready to roll. Head to the floor, push off the couch, crack, crack, crack. The neck cracking sounds were audible to my 15-year-old daughter even above her laughter. Flat on my back, I lay wondering if I had done any permanent damage or if I indeed might still be able to walk after this attempt. Slowly, I arose and went about my day doing what people my age are supposed to do with their day. (Apparently not a front roll.) The following day, my chiropractor assured me that a front roll is not a life skill that I need and that I should probably not do it again. I lamented that I was certain that women older than me could still perform this fete and while shaking his head, he just said he didn’t think it was something I needed. Keep in mind he’s interested in my physical health more than my mental health! There is a part of me that still feels I need to do this.

At the time of this writing, I have stuck with only the two attempts. My friend’s daughter didn’t go to prom this year, so we didn’t gather at her house and I didn’t have to feel old or left out when they tried their stunts. We’ve joked about training for next year and I shared the story of my failed attempts and we laughed and laughed.

Each time I’ve shared the story, though, I’ve posed the question, “Do you think you can still do a front roll?” Everyone believes they can and maybe they can. I have received two videos of friends proving they can. However, I also think many people think they can and then they are as surprised as I was to realize that at some point in our adult lives, we’ve lost the muscle memory of how to do that simple gymnastic stunt. We don’t know when it happened, but it did. This experience has made me curious about what else I might not be able to do. What have I forgotten or what am I incapable of doing simply because at some point I stopped doing it? Can I still hula hoop? What about playing Jacks? Can I recite the alphabet backward? How long can I freeze during freeze tag?

I’m declaring this a somersault summer. I am going to try to do some things that I’ve forgotten even existed and I challenge you to do the same. What would you like to see if you could still do? I have a sneaky suspicion that like my book club attendees, you will now quietly sneak into your empty living room, crouch down, and roll. Feel free to send me pictures or let me know how it goes. As for me, I may heed my chiropractor’s advice and not attempt a roll again. Thank goodness my kids got me a flaming baton for my birthday a couple of years ago, so I will have something safer to attempt!

A majorette on fire - The Atmore Advance | The Atmore Advance

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April 5, 2022 · 10:41 am

Hopefully Hopeful

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Credit goes to Rick Warren who presented a sermon on the topic of “Hope is my Anchor” and gave me a starting point and content for this little devotional. In our previous discussions, we have focused on Love, Grace and now we will tackle Hope, the least discussed of the three, I believe.

It is critically important that we understand hope since scripture says:

 …those who forget God have no hope. They are like rushes without any mire to grow in; or grass without water to keep it alive. Suddenly it begins to wither, even before it is cut. — Job 8:11-13 TLB

But what is hope? I found two definitions. In the dictionary, hope means a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. And, in a Bible dictionary, I found a very similar meaning of to trust in, wait for, or desire something; or to expect something beneficial in the future. Is that the way we use the word “hope?” Are we using the word “hope” in the right way or is it optimism (hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something) we are meaning? What is the difference? Here’s an example: It’s springtime regardless of what the weather looks like outside. So, I can say “I hope it is sunny every day this spring.” We are hopeful of that, but it isn’t a certain hope, it isn’t based in reality, it is optimistic. And, optimism is better than pessimism where we would say, “It’s spring and it will probably be gloomy and cold all season” which is definitely not hopeful. However, we truly do have the hope of spring. It is spring. Optimism only works for things you can control. When something bad happens, optimism says, “It’s not as bad as you think,” but hope would say, “It’s bad, it’s really bad, BUT I still believe it will get better.” Optimism is Psychological and Hope is Theological.

There are three kinds of hope. The first is wishful hope, which is what I described above and what most of us use the word “hope’ for. “I hope the light turns green.” This is worthless hope. It is a false hope. There is nothing that will change the light by your hoping.

The second kind of hope is expectant hope. This hope has some basis in reality. For example, if you plant seeds, you can hope they grow. (Wishful hope would be hoping your garden grew without planting any seeds.) So, you can have expectant hope, you planted seeds and you hope they grow, but will they grow for certain? They may or may not.

Lastly, there is CERTAIN HOPE and this is the Biblical use of the word hope. Hebrews 6:19a says:

This certain hope of being saved is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls, connecting us with God… (TLB)

Real hope is based on God’s word and NOT my wishes. There is no doubt in certain hope. You can count on God’s promises because they are sure things and you will want to build your life on this type of hope. The above verse tells us the three things that certain hope is. It is strong, trustworthy and it’s an anchor.

Using the anchor illustration, let’s explore what an anchor is used for. It is used to keep a ship from drifting and it adds stability in a storm. Doesn’t God’s word do that for us? Without an anchor, it is easy to drift downstream and without being connected to God and His word, it is easy for us to drift too. We also need this certain hope for stability. The bigger the ship, the bigger the anchor needed. So in our lives, what does that look like? If you want to live a little life and stay uninvolved and not do a mighty work for God, then you can get away with a teeny tiny anchor, however, if your life involves others and you want to live a big, full, abundant life, you are going to need a big anchor. A big anchor for your soul.

We get this certain hope, aka “anchor” from God’s word. Certain hope is based on God’s promises in the Bible. As Rick Warren stated,

“Certain hope is not based on what is sensed, but what is said. Not based on my emotions but what is spoken and it is not based on my Imagination, but on God’s obligation to do what he says he will do.” 

There are approximately (because who can truly count them?) 8,810 promises and 7,487 of them are made by God to us! One thing we are certain of is that God can’t lie, so these promises are what we should stand on. When we put our hope in His promises we can be certain of them. 

One big ah-ha moment I got when I was studying this topic was that we can be certain of God’s promises, but the thing that I sometimes don’t take into account is that God has all of eternity to make his promises come true. He is not limited to our life here on earth. So when we hope for something, and we check it against His word, He has until eternity to fulfill his promise, but we can be filled with hope because we know that he will!

The more we know his promises, the closer we will be to him, and the closer we are to Him, the more hopeful we will be. I read that hope gives the motivation and courage needed to succeed. It’s been said that a person can live forty days without food, four days without water, four minutes without air, but only four seconds without hope. I think that is a major incentive for us to look for the certain hope that we know is available to us!

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March 28, 2022 · 11:26 am

Amazing Grace

amazing graceAmazing Grace, how sweet the sound! We all know the beloved hymn Amazing Grace and God’s grace is just that…amazing, but, are we as good at grace as He is?

When you look up grace in a dictionary, you will find at least 7 explanations of it as a noun. It can mean simple elegance or refinement of movement, for example, a ballerina is graceful. Grace, the second definition is: Courteous goodwill (friendly, helpful, or cooperative feelings or attitude.) And, then we get to the Christian definition which is: A spontaneous gift from God to people – generous, free, and unexpected and undeserved. As the hymn explains God’s grace is amazing. He can give us undeserved gifts easily and he does. He has amazing grace because He is amazing!

But the word grace is not just to be looked at as a noun. The word is also a verb. God graces us daily with his goodwill. He does it easily because he is God, but just like he expects us to love as he has loved us, I think he expects us to show grace to others as he has shown grace to us. (This is harder for us because we aren’t quite as amazing as he is!)

So, how can we practice God’s grace in our lives?

Before we dive in we need to recognize where grace comes from. Grace is the unmerited, unearned love and favor of God. So we have grace from God and if we have that, we should be able to share it, right?

2 Corinthians 9:8 states: 

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

You are equipped to practice God’s grace with others.

2 Timothy 1:9 even tells us that grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.

He has saved us and called us to a holy life-not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,

We’ve had it since the beginning of time, so we need to share it! So how can we go about that? The following are some ideas:

  • Just like we learned with our love lesson, we have to love ourselves before we can share love with others, and grace is the same way. You need to start practicing grace by giving yourself grace. How many times have you told someone else to give themselves grace but you find it hard to do for yourself? Treat yourself with Kindness – If you practice grace with yourself it will be easier to extend it to others.
  • Learn to Let Go – many things are out of our control so to practice grace we need to let go. However, if there is something in your control that you need to do to let it go, you must. If you are holding on to anger or bitterness, you need to forgive. And if something is nagging at you, you may need to apologize. Forgiveness and apologies allow everyone to move on.
  • Practice Gratitude – I thought this was a no-brainer since I was raised with this discipline, but I was surprised a few years ago when I attended a workshop and the speaker suggested attendees begin writing down 3 things they were thankful for daily and one person questioned what to do if you didn’t have 3. We ALWAYS have things to be thankful for. Be mindful of them. It is easy to act with grace when you recognize all you have been given and are thankful for.
  • Have Compassion & Speak Kindly – You never know what someone is going through. Compassion means “sympathetic pity & concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others” CONCERN for the misfortune of others. That person who is having a bad day needs compassion even if their bad day is causing them to behave in a way that is hard to be compassionate to. Proverbs 15:1-2 says “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.” Speak kindly & compassionately. The phrase “Bless her heart” comes to mind. It sincerely means fondness or sympathy for someone but it has turned into an underhanded insult sometimes in the south. I’ve never really used it, but I like it and even if I started to say it as an insult, the sincere meaning could be found. Seriously, if I used it because I felt like someone did something I thought was stupid and didn’t know any better, I might say “Bless her heart” but maybe I should be expressing compassion – sincere pity or concern that the person didn’t have the same ability to understanding as I did. Wink wink. (OK, the next lesson should be on humility!!) Regardless – Bless her heart!! Which moves us to the next way to practice grace..,…
  • Accept People for who they are. You cannot change others, you can only change how you interact with them. Colossians 3:12-14 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. You will be practicing grace when you accept others as they are and deal with them using compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience & love. 
  • Lastly, Have a sense of humor – I had a conversation the other morning in which I was sharing all my aches and pains and troubles of the day and my friend was commiserating and sharing all of hers from back pain & a cold to a flooded basement, & broken wrist. I ended the conversation by saying she would turn it all into a funny story…eventually. When times are tough, show yourself grace and learn to laugh about it. There is an emoji for SMH (Shaking my head. ) The open palmed hand on the face. I use that one maybe a little too often to express my frustration with myself or others and maybe I need to simply follow that up with a smiling emoji and laugh. The next time I use that palm in the face emoji I may have to use it as an alert that I need to show myself or someone else some grace.

These are all practical ways you can practice grace simply and daily, but none of them will ever be as amazing as the amazing grace our amazing God has given us. How sweet the sound!

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