Wednesday, February 1, 2023
New Life Awaits
Wednesday, January 4, 2023
He Made Summer and Winter
Friday, December 2, 2022
Introducing Tanya Eavenson
To Gain a Bodyguard - Book OneUndercover ICE agent Madi Reynolds has spent years infiltrating a human-trafficking ring, but when her life is threatened, she is forced to walk away and advised to leave the country. Undeterred, she continues her plan to attend her brother’s Christmas wedding, with her partner assigned as her bodyguard. But after seeing Brice care for her niece, she finds it's more than her life that needs protecting. Is there really any defense for the heart?
War Veteran and ICE agent Brice Johnson has been defending his country and American lives for as long as he can remember. Now, he faces the biggest assignment of his life--protect the woman he loves. He's never been one to run from a fight, but when an old flame butts in expecting a second chance with Madi, and crippling visions of war call out to him, he begins to wonder if surrender is an option after all.
To Gain a Bodyguard - Book Two
Undercover ICE agent, Brice Johnson, fell in love with his partner, but the fight to control his PTSD drove him to leave her and his assignment.
Deep undercover, ICE agent Madi Reynolds’ identity is blown, and she is involved in a hit-and-run meant to kill. Lucky to be alive after her vehicle was forced off the mountain, she finds herself in a wheelchair and facing an unknown future.
Even though the men responsible were tracked down and brought to justice, Brice’s gut tells him Madi is still not safe. Details of the investigation aren’t adding up. In secret, Brice moves to Helen, Georgia, across the street from Madi. But how long can he stay in the shadows when seeing her struggle day in and day out bombards him with memories of their happier days.
Unable to forgive himself for Madi’s accident, Brice vows to protect her, but is it enough? Is he enough?
Saturday, April 23, 2022
A Season of Singing
Song of Solomon 2:11-12
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.
Raindrops glistened on tulips.
There is something about a flower garden just after the rain
that brings joy to my soul. Whether the fresh smell of earth, or the
magnification of the colors against the muted sky, the beauty of God's creation
fills me with gratitude. I love the way the tulip blossoms cup above the stem.
Each petal appears satiny soft. Beyond the simplicity of the outside, God
created an incredible system inside the plant that assists in growth so the
flowers return year after year.
Some of my friends are still experiencing snow where they
live, and I'm sure they look forward to the rains and flowers. Even in
southwest Ohio in mid-April, cold air lingers and weather folks speak of the threat
of snowflakes. Yet, as the weather changes the flowers remain. They huddle to
fight off the cold and stand against the storm until the time of singing
returns. Much like believers. We need to stand together and show the world the love
of our Lord and King.
I rejoice and glorify Him as color returns and fragrance bursts
from flowers. In my tiny garden the daffodils nod their heads and the tulips
stand tall. When I see the beauty of the spring flowers, I'm reminded of what
is to come. Solomon calls the time after winter a season of singing. Birds chirp
and tweet; just today I heard a robin's song.
As lovely as the spring blooms are, imagine the glorious
beauty that awaits us in heaven. There will surely be a season of singing when
the heavens open and time on this old earth is finished.
Take time to enjoy spring and sing praises to the King!
Saturday, February 12, 2022
Consider the Creator
Job 37:5-7
God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways;
he does great things beyond our understanding.
He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’
and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’
So that everyone he has made may know his work,
he stops all people from their labor.
Snow sprinkled the ground like powdered sugar.
Winter
arrived in southwest Ohio in the form of an ice and snow storm. For three days
moisture froze and covered our little corner of the world. Rain moistened the
ground, sleet piled on sidewalks and streets, ice pinged the windows and coated
the tree limbs, then the snow fell. Flake after flake tumbled from the sky and
a beautiful white wonderland stopped everyday life. Schools closed, businesses
shut their doors early, and the roads turned dicey. For a moment in time life
slowed down.
On those
days, as I walked Rosey and Olive over the frozen tundra, I stood in awe at the
wonder of God's artistry. If you don't know, I'm a winter person. I love to
walk in the snow and see the earth coated in pure white. As I trekked along the
snowy street, I thanked God for the beauty.
The snow
will melt in a few days as the temperature rises, but the wonder I experienced
will stay with me. This morning I picked up my Bible and read from the book of
Job. The seventh verse struck me as one I need to remember. When the weather
changes, a downpour opens from the clouds, a snowstorm hits the area, or the
humidity hits an all time high, God wants us to stop and consider Him.
Not too long
ago, we all had to stay at home due to the pandemic. Perhaps that time, when we
were all stopped in our tracks, was a time to better know God and His work. A
time to ponder God's power and glory.
Even as I
walked in the snow and gazed in awe at His works, I knew God gave me the time
to recognize Him as the Creator.
Take time to
see God's creation and the power of His mighty hand.
Saturday, April 10, 2021
Praise and Pray
Psalm 145:3-5
Great is
the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.
They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
Perhaps winter is a time of meditation, spring a time of praise.
I find the change
of seasons remarkable. Snow, rain, sunshine, chill all contribute to the nature
God has created. For the past few weeks I’ve enjoyed the daffodils, tulips and hyacinth
in my tiny garden. One morning, I observed the yellow and white daffodils
bowing their heads. In the same plot of soil, the tulips raised their leaves to
the sky. It struck me—both stood in a posture of praise and
prayer.
In the
winter, I tend to bow down and meditate on God’s word. The quiet, sometimes
snow-kissed earth allows me to snuggle into my favorite chair and focus on Jesus.
But in the spring, I want to shout with the sunshine that Jesus is Lord. Maybe
because we celebrate Easter, I raise my hands to God and praise out loud. For
whatever reason, spring is a time to celebrate our Lord and Savior.
In observing
the flowers, no matter whether I raise my hands like the tulip or bow my head
like the daffodil, I am in a posture of praise and prayer. It doesn’t matter
how I praise and pray as much as when. And when is every day. I thank God for
the beauty of the earth and the people in my life. I don’t need much, yet God
has provided abundantly.
As the
psalmist says, God is so great and worthy of praise, I can’t even fathom his
greatness.
Praise and
pray thanksgiving to God the Father, when you bow down and when you rise up.
Saturday, February 6, 2021
Winter Season or Season of Winter
Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
I love winter, but not so much the winter seasons of life.
About a year ago, not knowing a pandemic was hurdling toward us, my siblings and I fretted over where our mom would live. After hospital stays and time spent in a nursing home, we pondered whether she should remain in the nursing facility, return to her current apartment, or live in an apartment next to our brother. The ultimate decision was up to Mom.
On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, my siblings and several of our children and grandchildren gathered at the apartment she lived in before the hospitalization. As we prayed for guidance, we packed all her earthly possessions and moved them to my brother’s home, still not knowing her final decision.
Thankfully, Mom moved to the apartment beside my brother just before the pandemic locked down the nursing home. God led us through this difficult winter season just as the door closed on any other possibilities.
In 2 Corinthians, Paul wrote about the thorn in his flesh. In his winter season of life, something difficult plagued him. We aren’t told what the thorn was, only that he had something he referred to as a weakness and hardship. For Paul this must have weighed on him because he wanted nothing more than to serve Jesus. But even in his despair, he thanked God for his trials and claimed delight in his difficult times.
We all go though winter seasons in life. Being with mom through those difficult times of illness and decisions left us all worn and concerned. But Mom pulled through and celebrated her 94th birthday in January, in her new apartment.
The pandemic has been one long winter season for many of us. Prompted by Ann Voscamp’s book, I’ve been writing a list of 1,000 blessings. It’s a bit harder right now, but the list keeps me focused on my journey of gratitude for 2021.
Won’t you join me and seek the blessings, even in the seasons of winter.
Wednesday, February 3, 2021
Something I'll Never Outgrow
Saturday, January 9, 2021
Be Still and Know...
Psalm
46:10-11
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep..."-Robert Frost
We traversed the curvy hill into town. Foliage slept in an array of gold and brown on the ground. Trees rested their slender, naked limbs. Even in winter without snow, the scene took on a lovely glow and a story of hope.
Deciduous
trees conserve water, a scarcity in the cold or dry months. Their time of rest
allows them to re-energize and prepare for the coming spring when leaves sprout
again.
The gray of
winter often brings on sadness, depression, anxiety, or lack of energy. Yet,
I've learned from the trees to rest in winter, to be still, and embrace the
quiet. Even when the world isn't quiet, I cherish time to sit with God and seek
his wisdom.
God knows I
need winter. I crave a time to reconnect and kneel before his throne and worship
the Creator. Like the trees, I raise my arms to him and let the stress of life
drop like leaves.
Even as he
asks me to be still and know, the Lord promises to sit with me. He is my refuge
and fortress. I see him in the evergreens, a constant reminder of the steadiness of God.
This spending time with God isn't always easy. Some days I wake up prepared for the quiet, the prayer, the listening. But other days, I've struggled. I want to
sleep instead of rise and worship—Some days chaos trumps stillness—Sometimes dread overwhelms and frustration lingers. But I
won't give up. I continue to strive to find the quiet and be still before the King, to offer gratitude for everyday life.
Find moments
in the winter days to stop, be still, and hear from the God who loves you.
Wednesday, January 6, 2021
What More?
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Jesus Overcomes
Saturday, January 11, 2020
Finding my Hygge in Jesus
my salvation comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
Tucking in for winter. photo by Penny Frost McGinnis |
Simple things in life. Sounds good to me.
Wednesday, January 8, 2020
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
A Little Country Ingenuity
If you're raising children, teach them to be thoughtful, adventurous, and practical like the woman on the tractor. They'll live a better life for it.
Saturday, April 21, 2018
Sprinter?
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.
Like the essence of spring, Jesus refreshes my soul.
Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Monday, January 15, 2018
Chionophile, Me?
CHIONOPHILE (n.)
lover of cold weather, snow.
a person who finds joy and peace of mind during snowy days.
Peace covered me. I stood amazed at God's creation.
Saturday, January 28, 2017
A Light that Shines
Revelation 22:1-5 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."