Friends

James 2:23
And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 

Proverbs 18:24
One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
    but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

If you’ve watched the Toy Story movies, you’ve heard the song You’ve Got a Friend in Me by Randy Newman. Who doesn’t love seeing Woody and Buzz and all their friends stick together as they journey with Andy as he grows up?

God has placed people in my path who have become great friends—from childhood until now, I’ve been blessed with many people who have walked alongside me.

I remember my neighborhood friends playing tag and softball in the field. My college buddies and I still keep in touch. My children have grown to be my dear friends, as have my siblings, and my husband and I are the best of friends. And I can’t forget Rosie May—our faithful companion.

We could learn a lot from a dog. Rosie’s loyalty and unconditional love pours out of her. She sticks by us and is always happy to see us.

James, Jesus’ brother, tells us Abraham, who led people through the desert to the promised land, but never stepped foot there, was called God’s friend. What a joy to be a friend of God. No one is more faithful than the Lord. He loves His people, He’s always available, He stands beside me as I grow in Him and as a person with purpose. God never fails me or gives up on me, even when I want to give up on myself.

There is no better friend than Jesus. He sticks closer than a brother. He closed the gap between God and people. He gave His life for me and you.

You’ve got a friend in Jesus. Take His hand and follow Him.

The God of Hope

Romans 15:12-13
And again, Isaiah says,

“The Root of Jesse will spring up,
    one who will arise to rule over the nations;
    in him the Gentiles will hope.”

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

We spring forward, spring into action, and we may even have a spring in our step.

I look forward to the crocuses, daffodils, hyacinth, and tulips as they spring from the ground. (you see what I did there) Spring is a season of hope and new life. The grass and trees green up and the bees get excited about the blooms. The flowers poking through the soil tell me the sun is warming the earth, and soon they’ll give a colorful show.

At the park this week, with the sun shining, a lot of people and dogs walked the path and trails. People smiled and nodded friendly greetings. Joy and hope filled the air.

My favorite word in the English language is HOPE—to expect with confidence.

Hope for my family and loved ones, hope in Jesus, who came to mend the tear between God and people, hope in grace, and hope in heaven—my eternal home.

As I look toward Easter in the coming months, I want to focus on the hope I have in Jesus. This world is a difficult place to live in. It’s easy to take on the burdens of the world myself and get dragged down. Instead, I continue to seek Jesus in prayer and through scripture and hold on to the hope I have in God. He’s never let me down. He walks beside me every day, and He loves me.

Hold on to the hope that fills you with joy and peace.

A Willing Spirit

Psalm 51:10-12

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Eleven inches of snow covered everything.

January 6, 2025, we had our first snowstorm of winter. Perhaps it will be our only one, time will tell. The weather crew had warned the tri-state of the impending weather. That amount of snow slowed life down for a few days. Schools called snow days, many businesses closed, kids and their parents made snow ice cream, cleared driveways, created snow angels, and enjoyed the day.

For me, snow reminds me of the peace and hope I have knowing God loves me. The silent sound of the first snowfall muffles the cacophony of our world. Neighbors help neighbors, men and women travel the roads tossing salt and plowing snow, linemen keep the electric on, and children find joy in the beautiful white flakes.

When the sun shines on the snow and the flakes sparkle, I see a pristine light like the light God shines on my heart. He purifies my soul and renews my spirit. He restores my joy.

How do I respond? God loves me and accepts me as I am. He has forgiven me and created a pure heart in me. It’s up to me to have a willing spirit to follow Him in obedience as I embrace the gifts and guidance He gives me.

I can talk about God’s love and light all day, but if I don’t respond to Him in obedience, I fail. God has called me to follow Him, to give Him my all, to shine His light. Because I love God, I hand over the reigns of my life and allow the Holy Spirit to work in me and guide me. I use the gifts God has given me to glorify Him and show the world Jesus’ love and sacrifice.

How will you respond to God?

 

Happy New Year!

Here comes 2025! 

I pray for a year filled with hope and joy for each and everyone.

 

Trust, Draw, Listen

Psalm 28:7-8
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
    my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
    and with my song I praise him.
The Lord is the strength of his people,
    a fortress of salvation for his anointed one (Jesus).

I love the words that David wrote in this psalm. He’d been through so many trials, temptations and tribulations, yet he looked to God. He’d tried doing things his own way and failed. But he knew where to turn. He fell before the Lord with praise because his strength came from Him. He trusted completely and understood that God shielded him from danger. 

God hasn’t changed. He remains the strength of his people. Gathering with folks each week for worship reminds me that God is my fortress of salvation.  We sing, pray, listen to the wisdom of the Bible, share in communion and dwell in His presence. There are times that my soul is so stirred that my heart leaps for joy, just like the psalm says. What a glorious reminder of His love.

As I prepare to enter another year, my prayer is to trust in God, draw closer to Jesus, and listen to the Holy Spirit.

I pray your new year will be filled with praises and joy.

Celebrate Christmas~Mary

Luke 2:6-7
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She [Mary] wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Bumping along on a lowly donkey, nine months pregnant, Mary prepared for the birth of her son, Jesus. She made the journey with her betrothed, Joseph, to the town of Bethlehem where they'd be counted and registered to pay taxes. Towards the end of a pregnancy, most women are mighty uncomfortable. I can't imagine riding a donkey on rough roads and bouncing around. But, Mary’s faith trumped her discomfort.

Womanhood arrived early in Mary's day. History determines her to be anywhere from fourteen to seventeen, a child in our culture. Yet her love for God matured and grew in her few years. The angel who delivered the news that she'd give birth to the Messiah, recognized this young woman's faith.

Mary, being the faithful servant, accepted the angel's proclamation with grace and trust.

Trust plays a huge part in Jesus' birth. Joseph trusted enough to wed Mary.  The angel trusted God as he delivered his messages. The shepherds trusted the angels and ran to see the baby. And Mary trusted God with the glorious phenomenon of Jesus' birth.

As Mary bumped along, I can't imagine the discomfort. But she moved forward as God called her. She birthed the baby in a stable, most likely a cave where the animals were fed and watered. Hopefully, she had clean straw and fresh water. Regardless, Mary welcomed her child with joy that night.  

As you think about the troubles of life, the inconveniences, the losses, the illness, think about Mary. In her discomfort and what was likely a troubled time for her, she moved forward with trust and faith. Regardless of what's behind us, let's keep our eyes on Jesus and celebrate the joy of this season.

Stop for a few moments and breathe in the spirit of the season. Capture the essence of joy Jesus brought to us. Then breathe out and share his hope.

Have You Read Young Claus?

Young Claus, a delightful story imagined by J. Michael Sims,

 is a wonderful family Christmas read.

My brother and I discovered this book years ago.

We bought each other a copy and had 

the joy of sharing it together again this year.

I read it aloud, and we shared our love of Christmas.

If you're looking for a fun read try Young Claus.

 

Fresh Snow

 Everything looks magical when it snows.

-Lorelai Gilmore

As I drove home in the evening, the trees glistened with white,

and the ground rested under a blanket of fresh snow. 

In southwest Ohio, we had our first snowfall.

I still feel like a kid when I see those flakes floating to the earth.

Something about the snow reminds me to stop and

take the time to enjoy the beauty and be thankful.

The Joy of Discovery

We followed our nature guide along a trail to the creek.

As I walked behind the fourth graders, I thought about 

how thankful I was that I could still volunteer for field trips.

The joy of discovery on the girls' faces, as they found fossils in the rocks

and interesting plants and fungi, filled my heart with gratitude.

God's creation is incredible. Look up, down, 

and around next time you're outside and experience the joy of discovery.

We're never too old to be blessed by wonder.

 

Glorious Color

My neighbor grows this beautiful plant in their garden. 

I believe they are sea oats, not common in Ohio. 

The color on the heads reminds me autumn has 

finally tumbled into Ohio, along with cooler weather

and glorious colors from God's paintbrush.

Continue to pray for the folks in North Carolina,

especially the people working to bring sense from the chaos.

These times make me appreciate the ones who

repair and restore electricity and water and those

who are cleaning up.

Blessings!

 

You've Got a Friend in Me

John 11:4-7
When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”

A friend’s a friend forever... 

Reunion class of 1979

Krista, Debbie, and I drove in the wind and rain to Grayson, Kentucky, to join friends we’d known for forty-plus years. The alumni reunion was taking place over the weekend, and we looked forward to spending time with our forever friends.

Our crew of teenage girls met in 1975, while some of us knew each other before we arrived on the campus of Kentucky Christian College. That year in the girls' dorm, God bound us together. Over the course of time, we went our separate ways. I kept in touch with a couple of the girls through letters and brief visits, but it wasn’t the same, until several of us gathered at Helen’s house (she and Terry stayed in Grayson) several years ago. Through Facebook, we’d found each other again, and when we gathered, it was like we’d never been apart.

Like this year, we sang songs, shared prayer needs, hugged, and loved on each other. My soul needed the restoration of these dear friends.

In John 11, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus needed Jesus. Lazarus was sick to the point he died, but Jesus, in His wisdom and knowledge, knew Lazarus would live. Without the dear friendship with Jesus, Lazarus would have stayed in the tomb. When Jesus arrived, Mary questioned why he took so long. This is the time Jesus wept. The bond between Jesus, Mary, and Martha brought the sister’s comfort, and the love Jesus had for Lazarus raised him from the dead.

Our friendships on earth won’t bring people back to life, but they can restore a hurting heart or a weary soul. Fellowship with my friends, who believe Jesus is Christ and God is our Father, fills my soul with joy. I pray you have friends like mine, but more than anything, I pray you are friends with Jesus.

Seek Jesus and fellowship with believers. Jesus listens and loves.

 

Golden Beauties

Even with the lack of rain in our area, these beauties are blooming in the park.

The showy golden blooms of the helanthus decapetalus (thinleaf sunflower)

brightened the path we walked on. 

I'm always amazed at the variety of flowers in our area, and the glorious colors.

Their golden hue reminds me cooler weather is coming soon.

 

All My Hope

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

What do you get when you add three friends, a beautiful day, an outdoor venue, and the Christian musician/singer Crowder?

An amazing night of worship and renewal. 

My friends, Bev and Krista, and I traveled to the Fraze Pavilion in Kettering, Ohio. White clouds billowed in the blue skies, the temperature hovered around eighty and the place was filled with people ready to worship Jesus.

If you aren’t familiar with David Crowder and his music, he’s a multitalented musician who is one of the most humble and down-to-earth performers I’ve seen. He offers a variety of music that touches the heart. From a few rock/rap songs to gospel to the music I sang with my grammy, no matter what music came from the stage, it all pointed to Jesus.

To be able to sing along and see the open sky filled me with joy and reminded me of the many times I attended church camp and sang outside under the stars. As the words of the songs echoed and we offered a joyful noise, my imagination pictured Jesus returning on the clouds to receive God’s children. What a glorious day that will be.

One song that especially touched my heart, All My Hope, encouraged me. In this broken world, we still have hope.  When nothing else makes sense,  hang on to hope in God and his plan to call his children back to him through Jesus. Even as sin and despair try to separate God’s children from him, Jesus provides the path of grace back to his Father.

Don’t give up. In Jesus, we have hope.

I hope you'll give the song a listen:

The Flowers of Summer

Every year, I'm amazed at the flowers that sprout and bloom from seed.

My granddaughter, Dylan, sprinkled the seeds of these lovely flowers,

and they've brought me great joy, both because 

they are my favorite color and because Dylan planted them. 

I hope the flowers of summer are filling you with wonder and hope.

 

Don't Let Him Steal Your Joy

1 Samuel 16:7
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Proverbs 4:23
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

I experienced joy in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Have you ever experienced something or attended a gathering where you tasted a hint of heaven? That’s what I experienced at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference.

I spent a week at the Ridgecrest Conference Center immersed in fellowship, worship, and education. More than knowledge, wisdom swirled in those mountains. Every day we spent two sessions listening to encouraging and hope-filled messages from the keynote speakers. We were led in worship by a young couple who blessed us with their love of Jesus. We attended classes led by amazing authors and folks in the publishing industry, and I met fellow writers who, like me, needed encouragement to stay obedient to the call to write.

The experience as a whole filled me with hope and anticipation, but I knew when I went home to my family (who I longed to see) and every day life, I’d need to ease back into life. I say this because I know the Devil and his wily ways. He can’t wait to suck the joy out of me, but Kia Stephens, the final keynote speaker, reminded me to guard my heart from the one who wants to inflict doubt.

God told Samuel He looks at the heart, and Proverbs reminds me to guard my heart because everything flows from it.

One way to keep my heart safe from attack is to praise God, lift my face to Jesus, and allow the Holy Spirit to fill me with peace.

When the devil attacks—fight back—lift your voice and sing. It doesn’t matter if it’s off key or not, just praise the Father and ask Him to fill your heart with His hope and peace.

Tucked Under the Leaves

Psalm 59:16-17

But I will sing of your strength,
    in the morning I will sing of your love;
for you are my fortress,
    my refuge in times of trouble.

You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
    you, God, are my fortress,
    my God on whom I can rely.

Our neighbor knocked on the door the other evening. He stopped by to share the news we had a nest of baby bunnies in my flower bed. Since we both have dogs, he wanted us to be aware, so Rosie wouldn’t bother it.

Tim and I took a peek and saw the little babies nestled inside under a tumble of gray fur and grass. The next morning, we went to check on them, and one of them hopped out. Of course I squealed like a child filled with joy. The little guy was adorable and big enough to take on the wild world of nature.

I’m not sure why the momma chose to place her babies in my flower bed, tucked under the yarrow leaves, but I’m glad she did. Maybe the soft leaves gave her a feeling of security. Whatever the reason, I’m thankful we got to witness the beauty of the baby bunny and the joy of new life.

As a momma myself, I wanted to tuck my babies into a secure place and protect them from the world. Yet, I knew instead I needed to trust the One who shelters me. As the kids grew up and discovered themselves and secured a relationship with God, I prayed as I sent them into the world that God would protect and shield them. Now, our grandchildren have or are leaving the nest, and I pray over them daily.

God is the refuge in this crazy life.

Seek Him as your shelter.

I'm Glad I Paid Attention

Toadshade trillium sprinkle the forest floor. 

It's more common in Ohio's woods and visible in the spring. 

On our hikes we'd seen several of them. 

One day I read a post about the trillium flexipes and it's presense in Ohio parks, 

but I'd never seen one, until this week.

Tim and I walked along the trail, 

and as usual I was on the lookout for new spring plants.

If I hadn't been paying attention, I would have missed this beauty. 

A foot from the gravel path, in the grass, the trillium flexipes nodded at me. 

What a pleasant surprise. 

When I pay attention, God often surprises me with joy. 

Trillium flexipes

Toadshade Trillium

Dilly's Garden

Philippians 2:3-4
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests, but each of you to the interests of the others.

Grandchildren remind me of flowers. Over time, they bloom and grow into themselves. We are blessed to have wonderful grandchildren who respect us and help us. I don’t take that for granted. We give credit to their parents who have raised them to love God and love people.

A few months ago, I mentioned I would need help in my little flower garden. I like to play in the dirt, but I can’t do what I used to. My granddaughter Dylan volunteered. April zipped in after the flurry of March, and I stopped in Lowe’s for some garden soil. Of course, I got distracted by the colorful perennials and purchased a pink and a purple columbine and a pretty pincushion flower.

I sent Dylan a text that Sunday and she came on Monday. This young lady knelt in the dirt, planted flowers, dug out others, moved a few, sprinkled seeds and smiled. When she stood, she was covered in dirt and mulch and she looked lovely, because she wore humbleness and helpfulness in all its glory.

Dylan graduates high school this year, and I know she’ll bloom into whoever God intends her to be. She already has a great start, a wonderful work ethic, and kindness for others.

I’m calling this section of my flower bed, Dilly’s garden, and I’ll be blessed each time I admire my granddaughter’s work.

If you have children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or any children you love in your life, show them how to love others without wanting something in return. Teach them to help others by helping them. Show kindness and kindness will blossom and show appreciation.

We all have someone in our lives to nurture. The best way is to share the love of Jesus.

A Joyful Soul

Song of Solomon 12: 11-12

See! The winter is past;
    the rains are over and gone.
Flowers appear on the earth;
    the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
    is heard in our land.

Bright yellow flowers bob their heads among the purple petals.

As much as I love winter, I adore the first blooms of spring. In southern Ohio, the daffodils are popping. Have you noticed seasons have their own array of color? Right now we’re seeing a lot of yellow and purple. Forsythia bushes are waving branches of golden blossoms and vinca vines are displaying their periwinkle buds. Soon, the tulips will open and add reds and pinks to the display.

All of these flowers fill my soul with joy. Their beauty gives me hope. After the cold, dark season of winter, God graces us with a rainbow of color and days filled with sunshine.

Have you experienced a dark season? They come and go, don’t they? When I’ve traveled through a dark tunnel in life, hope shined at the end of the darkness, because I didn’t journey alone. Jesus walks with me step-by-step. As a believer in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, I’m in their company every day, no matter the circumstance. The Holy Spirit dwells in my soul and guides me on the dark days and the bright days. He’s the reason I never walk alone. We don’t talk much about the Spirit, which is a shame.

God created me to have a physical body and a spiritual soul. I’m so thankful for both. Although my body is wearing out with time, the Spirit brings wisdom to my soul. Jesus’ love and grace pour into me and fill me with peace.

As spring arrives and fills the days with beauty, reflect on the hope, peace, and joy of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit’s work in your life.

God bless you!

The Crocus's Song

Yesterday, the warmth of spring knocked on our door.

This morning, I discovered these beautiful crocuses blooming.

They push through the cold ground, while still winter

and sing the song of spring.

Have you discovered any signs of spring?