bread and water

The second week of December I have heard several people including myself say that life feels heavy. It’s the holiday season and everywhere we look there are reminders of what others are doing to celebrate this season or what marketers want you to buy for your loved ones.  It’s the season for winter blues or seasonal depression for those who suffer from that. Just when I think I’ve beat it, it rears its ugly head again with a heaviness that makes you tired and unhappy-a battle fought in your own mind and body.  It’s also the time of year when grief can hit hard. Celebrating the holidays when you’ve lost a loved one is not the same. You may feel wrong or guilty for celebrating without them or you may not feel like celebrating at all. What is a “Happy Holiday” for some is a trigger for grief and pain that makes you feel like you want to be left alone.   Dysfunctional families can create chaos, guilt and shame during this time of year. If you deal with people who have been...

  Truth divides male and female, right from     wrong. Good from evil.   The sword of the spirit is the word of God dividing bone from marrow. Division is good -light from darkness , sea from land, sky from grass. You have to have division to have clarity.  Truth offends.  Look at John the Baptist …He was a voice crying in the wilderness , eating bugs and wearing animal skin-probably not fitting in with society. Yet he cried, “Prepare the way for the Lord!” Look at Jesus. “For the Joy set before him he endured the cross scorning its shame…” Look at Hebrews 11 and other parts of the world where believers are being killed for their faith in Christ. Truth brings a sword. Truth separates families at times. The truth in God‘s Word separates true Christians from the world. Which side of the truth are you on?  Jesus says He is the way, the Truth and the life.  Repent, the Kingdom of God is at hand. 

It’s that time of year. Kids are going back to school. We have four sons and the oldest one graduated high school last May. My husband and I attended public school growing up. I remember thinking that people who homeschooled were weird. For some reason, when our oldest was a toddler we decided to try out homeschooling. We wanted to be with our children and teach them a biblical worldview .  We quickly multiplied and had our older three sons two and a half years apart. My husband traveled and preached a lot during those years and we wanted to be together as a family so we continued to homeschool the boys. We joined different coops that had some great aspects to them & we were able to make friends with like minded people. One coop even put on a huge production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang . Three of my sons were part of the chimney sweep dancers with canes and hats like the movie. It was so much fun.  Over the years I read aloud to the boys a lot. We memorized scripture, pla...

I recently listened to a podcast and the mega influencer who was being interviewed said that she believes there are many different paths for people to get to faith. A red flag went up in my mind because I know that not to be true. The Bible teaches that there is only one path, one way to heaven, and that is through Jesus .   If you say that nowadays you get looked at funny. Say what? Only ONE way? People are being encouraged to “Live your truth”, “You do you”, “Whatever makes you happy!”. All the while the Bible says,  “ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 NIV Notice He says THE way, not one of the many ways.  I grew up in a church that taught us the Roman’s Road to salvation and how to use scripture to lead people to Christ. If we don’t use the Bible, God’s Word, as our foundation for truth then we have nothing to stand on.  John 1:1 says,   “ In the beginning was the Word, and...

 “ Comparison is the thief of joy ”  I’ve seen it to be true in my own life. I can be happy with my home and decorations until I’m scrolling on social media and see something better.  What if Mary did that?  Mary, the mother of Jesus, could’ve compared her life to others.  She rode on a donkey for miles on end with a big pregnant belly. When I was 8 months pregnant I rode in an old fashioned carriage and it was so bumpy and painful I can somewhat imagine what it could’ve felt like for her. Uncomfortable to say the least.    Mary and Joseph traveled between 60-90 miles to the census, part of which was over hills.    Mary didn’t have the excitement of monogrammed wedding shower gifts, parties and getaways (except when she went to see Elizabeth who was pregnant with John the Baptist ).  She carried the shame of a young, pregnant, unwed mother. She knew she was a virgin, but the town didn’t.  If you’ve seen The Nativity , you may notic...