A Prayer of Trust for Another Year

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A Prayer of Trust for Another Year

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV

It’s never easy to walk into the unknown. Whenever I begin a new project, face a new day, or start a new year, it always feels a bit daunting. This January isn’t any different.

A bit of angst shadows the multi-colored notes I write in my crisp calendar. And I can’t help wondering what the future holds. My past experiences have taught me to hold my plans loosely––and to expect the unexpected.

Control is an illusion. Ultimately, what happens isn’t up to me. What an hour, day, or year brings rests in the hands of our sovereign Lord. And when we’re tucked securely in….

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The Promise for All We Need

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The Promise for All We Need

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 ESV

The rich smell of Douglas fir fills my nose as it wafts through the air. The white lights from the Christmas tree catch my eye. Watching the glowing beauty surrounded by the darkness outside my home, calms my spirit and gives serenity to my heart. 

Knowing what the tree represents––the celebration of our Savior’s birth––and the fulfilled promise of the peace it stands for, reminds me of the familiar verse in Isaiah 9:6.

The prophet Isaiah foretold Jesus’ birth and revealed the great gift His coming to earth would provide. The ultimate gift of all we need to make it through this life––Jesus Himself!

Friend, if you’ve come to this Christmas season (and the end of another year) filled with uncertainties, unanswered prayers, and unmet expectations, join me in sinking deep into how Jesus fulfills the promise for all we need.

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An Anchor of Hope for Your Soul

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An Anchor of Hope for Your Soul

We have this hope as an

anchor for the soul,

firm and secure.

Hebrews 6:19a NIV

I slathered sunscreen on my shoulders as my husband turned the key to our speedboat. The motor roared to life. He shifted the accelerator and pointed the bow to the farthest side of the lake. The boat’s hull split the water, and we jumped over the wakes in our path. My husband enjoyed racing across the lake, so I braced myself in my seat. Closing my eyes, I prayed, “Lord, meet me here.”

In the weeks before our outing on the water, I had wrestled with health setbacks. The headaches that I thought were gone had suddenly reappeared, and my nights included more time awake than asleep. The weight of my pain, along with a handful of other personal struggles, weighed on my heart, and I questioned if hope had grown wings and flown away.

Within minutes, we reached the....

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Look to God's Peace || Just Between Us

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Look to God's Peace || Just Between Us

I’m honored to have an article published with Just Between Us. To read the full article click the link below.

I could hear the low rumble of my car’s motor as the cool air from the AC blew strands of hair into my face. The summer heat in the South pushed a band of perspiration across my forehead, and with one swipe of my hand I pushed back the hair, patted the sweat, and wiped a stray tear from my eye. The urgent to-dos on my list overwhelmed me.

That’s why, for the second time that Sunday, I drove back to church in hopes of hearing something that would shake me out of the doldrums that I felt locked inside. As my grip tightened around the steering wheel, I whispered, “Help me, Lord.”

I heard His voice speak to my heart with a clear question, “What do you want me to do for you?”

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