Drawn from my archives When we gave our lives over to Christ, we left sin behind. At least we should have, if we love God the way we say that we do. And yet I wonder, how many of those little sins are we still hanging onto? The ones we don’t see as destructive, the ones we’ve decided can stay. Maybe it’s a bad temper. Maybe it’s a habit of swearing. Maybe you’re getting drunk on Saturday nights. Maybe you know it’s there, but you’ve decided this sin is harmless enough to remain a part of your life. Maybe you’re not ready to let go just yet. As I got…

Note: I have a big announcement coming tomorrow about a marriage series I’ll be hosting on the blog in the month of February! It all started a month ago–when I opened my gift from Michael. After removing the wrap, I had to pause for a minute before looking inside. My eyes filled with tears, when I realized that I was about to embrace my first pair of roller skates, and I didn’t want that feeling to end. Sure, I had roller skates back in the 70s, but that was almost 50 years ago when all they had were adjustable metal contraptions that slipped over my shoes and came with a…

When I heard the knock on the door, there was only one thing on my mind: I was a mess. I was ten feet from the front door in a mismatched pair of PJs and a not-so-great messy bun. This wasn’t the cute kind of look you get when celebrities are caught without make-up. This was the real me, bed head and all. The me you don’t see on Facebook, on Instagram, or anywhere near the eye of the public for that matter. After running to the bedroom for a two-minute makeover, I returned to the door where Michael was chatting with an old friend of ours. This girl knows…

Some days I have to stop and ask myself, “Do I have more faith in my problem, or in God’s ability to solve it?” I overlook the fact that I serve an all-powerful God. I forget that the same God who created this earth and keep my heart beating, created me, redeemed me, and knows me by name. The same God Who parted the Red Sea so His people could walk through on dry land; the same God who called Lazarus out from the tomb; and the same God who made man from the dust of the earth, is able to not only meet but to abundantly exceed any hopes I may have for…

I got to cleaning my house today. You know, the January cleanup, when you go through the house packing up the holiday season for yet another year? After wrapping the ornaments in tissue paper, I looked for every festive trinket I could find to pack away. I swept the floors. I even looked under the couch to make sure I didn’t miss a single one. I want space. I need room to bring my bookshelf back into the living room and my topiary trees back where they belong. I want the counters clear and clean. I need to make room for the beautiful gifts my husband bought me for Christmas.…

As long as we’re on this earth, we’ll have trials. As long as we’re here, we’ll have pain. We know that, we’ve seen it, we’ve experienced it. But do we know where to run when we’re lonely, dejected, and down? The Bible tells us, God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1, NIV) Do you see the words “ever-present” there? The word “present” is translated as “find” over 350 times in the Bible. It means to find and secure. And so, we see a picture of God coming to our rescue in times of trouble. Meeting you right where you are, He offers you hope, direction, and strength.…