Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. The enneagram 3 in me (The Achiever) always wants to perform and be validated by my works, which drives me crazy. I don't want to be… Continue reading Grace puts its hand on the boasting mouth
Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves. It is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. When was the last time you stood with your arms lifted high and wide open in prayer to God?… Continue reading Learning to Receive God’s Grace
Ecclesiastes 1:5-6 5 The sun rises, and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises.6 The wind blows to the south and turns to the north;round and round it goes, ever returning on its course. Life is in motion all around me at a breakneck speed. As I write this, I am hours away from experiencing planet earth… Continue reading Life in Motion
Did you know that passages in the Bible have a unique shape? Definition of SHAPE: Something seen in outline, as in silhouette. A particular or definite organized form or expression. Have you ever read a long passage in the Bible and all you can remember is one word or phrase in the cluster of… Continue reading The Shape of God’s Word – Part 1
The picture of the rose in this blog post was taken by using my iPhone's portrait feature. The portrait mode creates a depth-of-field effect that provides the ability to shoot a photo that keeps the subject sharp with a blurred background. After snapping the picture, I selected a lighting effect that would highlight my rose even… Continue reading Be a Light in a Dark World
Ecclesiastes 2:22-23 What do people really have after all their work and struggling in this life? Throughout their life, they have pain, frustrations, and hard work. Even at night, a person’s mind does not rest. This is also senseless. There is no one who has tried to enjoy life more than I have. Pain is inevitable. … Continue reading The Balance of Joy and Pain
John 12:24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. She is finally done with her perfectionist ways. She is exhausted from relentlessly working her plan. The plan that never meets her expectations. The plan that makes her insecure and fearful. The plan that… Continue reading When a perfectionist grows in God’s grace
Lisa looks out her kitchen window and frowns as she sees her five-year-old daughter, Katelynn, playing in the dirt on the side of the house. “Not again,” she mutters. “How many times do I have to tell her to stay out of that nasty pile of mud?” She finishes placing the last dish on the… Continue reading Beautiful Things
Dandelion. The flower that thrives in difficult conditions. A nuisance to your lawn. A catcher of breath and dreams. A symbol of the ability to rise above life’s challenges. I almost missed seeing this singular white puff ball on the side of the trail until my friend, Diane, insisted that I walk back to the… Continue reading The unexpected beauty of ordinary
As the sun arose above the Mountains the air loaded with the rich perfume of clover and wildflowers. And the heavy mountain dew looking like drops of silver on the rich leaves and blossoms. ----- I was looking around at the beautiful mountain scenery around me. Each side of the road being thickly lined with… Continue reading Nature Speaks
