“'I am the Lord’s servant,' Mary answered. 'May your word to me be fulfilled.' ... and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: '... Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!'” (Luke 1:38.41-44). I once heard a call…
From pandemic health and loss struggles to violence and division, the 2020 year has pummeled us. We face an aftermath of financial struggles, family strain, and despair. Even those who once felt confident may now wonder if we can ever restore our lives. Is there hope for recovery after so…
Expenses mount. Windows of opportunity seem nailed shut. Physical pain and emotional lows weigh us down. Ordinary tasks of laundry and housework grow overwhelming. The pits of life can feel impossibly dark and leave us certain of defeat. I've been there. The pit tempts me to return often, even daily in…
Many faithful churchgoers encourage us to face hard times by saying, "Jesus has your back." We call on the Lord from those crisis moments, admitting we cannot cope alone. We recognize our need for divine intervention when things get tough. When our efforts to get through the struggle have fallen…
Crisis or unexpected changes wreak seismic upheaval in our minds, hearts, and souls. All we had planned suddenly crumbles through our fingers and turns to ash. Any illusions of control we once had have vanished. Instead of grinning at a bright path ahead, we shiver in the dark. These are…
Despite growing access to supportive resources, humankind seems more discouraged than ever. We connect via screens to thousands and still feel isolated. Innovations provide new ways to ease our lifestyles each year, but the harried pace only intensifies. In the disconnected, busy chaos of our existence, meaning and hope wither. Though…
We pour out compassion for lives razed by wildfire. Our hearts crumble for earthquake survivors. Hurricanes whip at our upraised voices from all directions, yet we manage to cry out for those hit by them, too. When violent crimes and local tragedies claim further victims, our weary eyes pour themselves bankrupt…
Extended unemployment. Health issues. Relational stalemates. Sometimes life seems to mire us in a quicksand where our efforts sink in futility. We lose sight of dreams which once gleamed on the horizon. Mud seeps into our ears, muffling attempts at encouragement from those whose understanding we've begun to question. Doubts pull against…
Snowflakes dove from high clouds, mimicking their northern sisters who had successfully decorated the landscape for Christmas. Tropical breezes dissolved the flurry into tiny droplets. The parched earth embraced the saturated air. Glimmering mist kissed tree trunks, leaves, and noses of all who turned out to receive it. Heaven's dew returned to…