Pain in the Midst of Celebration

As I prepare this morning to spend Thanksgiving with my family, I realize there are many people who feel they have little reason to celebrate today. Perhaps you're one of those people. Perhaps you woke up this morning reeling from the effects of a recent loss or betrayal. Perhaps you're still suffering in the aftermath of a life you never chose for yourself and given the chance, would certainly never choose again. Perhaps you find yourself in a situation that you could have never imagined, in circumstances you never thought were possible. You find yourself alone, without hope and dreading the day.

The expectation is that you show up with a smile on your face and with thankfulness in your heart. Your grief, pain and sorrow are imperceptible to those around you. With each hug, the scream inside of you gets a little louder. With each laugh, you die a little more inside; you feel just a little lonelier. No one can imagine the pain you feel. No one sees. No one understands.

Life is a cycle of celebration and loss, joy and sadness, healing and pain. The human experience is inevitably tied to suffering; we cannot escape its clutches. However, the pain that you're feeling is not yours alone. Through the ages, people have experienced death, loss, betrayal, rejection, pain, humiliation and abuse. It's woven into the fabric of our human tapestry. In fact, Jesus Himself experienced these things while on the earth - the pain, humiliation and rejection that He faced was unthinkable. The fact that He did it for us, unimaginable. Fortunately, because He endured these things, He is able to understand our sufferings. He can understand what we are going through, and more than that, He can help.

Our enemy, the devil, seeks to orchestrate and exploit pain and suffering. His purpose is to kill and destroy. He wishes to steal from us the redemption, healing, peace and joy that Christ died for us to have. He wants you to feel as if you are alone and that no one understands what you are going through. However, the bible is clear that he is a liar and the father of lies. There is no truth in him. The bible says that we can hold firmly to what we believe - Jesus is our High Priest; He intercedes on our behalf; He understands our weakness; He faced the same things that we do, and we can confidently and boldly approach the throne of God to receive His mercy and grace when we need it most. 

Even though today may not be easy, even though you may be hurting, please remember that you are not alone! Psalm 34:18 says that God is close to the brokenhearted, and He rescues those whose spirits are crushed. He loves you; He understands you, and He is there for you. The bible assures you that if you seek Him, you will find Him. Simply reach out, call to Him and He will be there. There is hope!

The Next Step:

• Read Isaiah 53:3-12, New Living Translation
• Read Hebrews 2:18, New Living Translation
• Read 1 Peter 5:8, Amplified Bible
• Read John 10:10, Amplified Bible
• Read John 8:44, New Living Translation
• Read Hebrews 4:14-16, New Living Translation
• Read Psalm 34:18, New Living Translation
• Read Jeremiah 29:13, New Living Translation

The Answer

When I first came to Florida, I didn't think that a month would be very long to have some time away. After about a week, it was pretty apparent that I was missing my family, and they were missing me. Having teenagers in the house can be a lot of fun. It's so gratifying to see your kids grow into their own, but that season can also bring a few challenges when it comes to navigating how much independence they should have - or think they should have. Those of you who have the "been there, done that" t-shirt know exactly what I'm talking about. So, it was a little surprising when I started receiving texts and phone calls telling me that they missed me and when they actually started asking my advise and opinion about some things.

One such occasion happened about two weeks ago when my daughter called me about an issue she was having at work. This wasn't a new issue; it was something we had talked about at various times over the last couple of months. When it first happened, we talked through it and came up with a pretty straightforward, simple solution for her to resolve the problem. We echoed the same basic conversation a couple of times over the next several weeks. Each time, I asked if she had followed through on what we had discussed. Each time her answer was no.

On this particular day, she had texted me expressing her concerns about the yet unresolved problem and was asking what she should do. I once again asked her if she had followed up to resolve her concerns. She once again said no. She always had what seemed to be legitimate reasons for not confronting the issue, but the fact was, she had not taken any action and the problem still remained. While I sympathized with the situation she found herself in, at that moment it became crystal clear that there was nothing more I could do for her.  There was no solution that I could create and no advise that I could give that could help resolve the problem. There was a sense of knowing that I had to take my hands off of the issue. I heard a still, small voice say to me, "She already has the answer." 

Later that day I thought about how this often reflects our relationship with God. How many times do we go to God with a problem or an issue only to find that He's already given us the answers that we need? Most of His answers are found if we simply read the bible. Other times, He will give us answers for specific problems during our prayer times, or maybe He will speak to us through a sermon at church, through something we see, something we read, or even sometimes through a trusted friend. It's not a question of whether God is speaking to us; the bible is clear that the sheep hear the voice of their Shepherd, which implies that He is speaking and that we have the ability to hear Him. The question is whether or not we are listening, understanding and acting on what we've heard.

The Book of James says that we should be doers of the word and not just hearers. We should act on what we hear! Don't get me wrong. I believe most of us have good intentions. We don't want to disobey God, but I believe many of us deceive ourselves into disobedience. Like the serpent in the garden of Eden, we ask, "Did God really say that?" or "Is that really what God is asking me to do?" In addition, I believe one of our biggest enemies is when we tell ourselves we will do it tomorrow. Yes, the big PROCRASTINATION. I always told my kids that delayed obedience is the same as disobedience. We all have good intentions, but like the old adage says, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." Intending to do something will never get you where you need to go.

There are always reasons for not doing what we know we should; we can justify anything. We can tell ourselves we don't have the time, the money, the energy; it will be too hard; I'm not ready; I'm not good enough, talented enough, gifted enough, strong enough…I'm not...enough… Truth is, we're not enough in and of ourselves. That's why we need God. His word says that He thoroughly equips us for every good work. Additionally, Paul tells us in Philippians that God will liberally supply our every need. So in reality, there's no validity in thinking that we are not enough or don't have enough to obey God. On the contrary, He's given us everything we need to obey Him. He will never ask us to do the impossible!

The Parable of the Great Feast in Luke chapter 14 tells us plainly how God feels about our justifications, and from what I read, I can assure you He is not happy about them. Reasons, justifications, excuses - whatever you want to call them - the fact is, when we refuse to act on what God has told us to do, we are robbing ourselves of the peace and joy that comes as a result of living our lives in obedience to Christ.

Take some time to examine yourself today and ask, "Is there something that God has asked me to do that I haven't acted on?" "Do I have something in my life that's unresolved or something that keeps bothering me?" "Is there something that I keep taking to God repeatedly even though He's already given me the solution?" "Do I already have the answer?" If so, please know that you are called, equipped and able to do the thing that He's been asking you to do. Don't delay! When you're on the other side, you won't be sorry and you'll be wondering what took you so long to get there!

The Next Step:

• Read John 10:27, The Amplified Bible (AMP)
• Read James 1:22-24, The Message (MSG)
• Read Genesis 3:1-6, New Living Translation (NLT)
• Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17, The Amplified Bible (AMP)
• Read Philippians 4:19, The Amplified Bible (AMP)
• Read Matthew 19:26, New Living Translation (NLT)
• Read Luke 14:15-24, New Living Translation (NLT)

Going Deeper:

• Absolute Surrender, Andrew Murray
• How to Hear from God: Learn to Know His Voice and Make Right Decisions, Joyce Meyer

"The fisherman know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore." - Vincent Van Gogh

- adapted from the book Never Give Up! by Joyce Meyer

 Being different doesn't mean you're not beautiful. Your uniqueness is what makes 

your beauty apparent.

"and I praise you because of the wonderful way you created me. Everything you do is marvelous! Of this I have no doubt." - Psalm 139:14 (CEV)

The Great Physician

I've had the incredible privilege of being able to spend some retreat time in Florida over the last few weeks. To be transparent, the last four and a half years have been pretty rough. Combined with the normal stress of being a wife, a mom to three teenagers and being in ministry, personal loss and a lack of healthy boundaries led to me experience some significant health issues and an overall feeling of emotional fatigue and burnout. My journey to health has not been an easy one. I can't say that I've arrived, but I can certainly say that on a foundational level, I'm probably healthier than I have ever been in my life.

God put me on this journey of rest and healing about a year ago.  Little by little, He's been showing me the places of lack and disrepair. Like peeling back the layers of an onion, He's slowly revealed the broken, wounded and ugly places in me.

Healing is painful. God knows that we're not able to do it all at once, and so He chooses to shed His light of truth on one layer at a time until finally He reaches our core - our foundation and the root of the issues that we've been facing. Suddenly, we see why we've been struggling. Suddenly, we see why we've not been able to move forward. Suddenly, we see why we've been stuck in same place, going around the same mountain - sometimes for decades.

This world is not an easy place to navigate. We become tired. We become weary. We get pushed around, banged up and bruised. We become wounded. It's an inevitable part of life. Some things could be avoided if we would listen to God and allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit, but some things happen regardless of what we do.

Whether or not the wound is self-inflicted, however, doesn't matter much to the person who's in pain, and honestly, it doesn't matter much to God. He just wants to see you healed. The bible says that God will heal the brokenhearted. He will bind up your wounds and cure all your pains and sorrows. As a matter of fact, it says that Jesus came to do that very thing. Isaiah 53:5 tells us that He took on our punishment so that we could be healed and made whole.

If you desire true healing, it will not be easy. Healing is a process. Sometimes it will bring things to the surface that are painful or difficult to face. Sometimes it will take longer than you desire or will require you to do things that are uncomfortable. There may be times when God will even ask you to confront someone who has hurt you or make amends for something you have done to hurt others. Sometimes He will ask you to let go of something or someone so He can move you into a new season of life. Whatever your journey to healing looks like, you must remember to be led by the Holy Spirit and wholly surrender to what it is that the Lord wants to do in you.

The Surgeon's cuts are sharp and deep, but they are precise. He already knows the places in you that are broken and what caused them to be that way.  Most importantly, He knows exactly how to heal them. God will work in you as little or as much as you allow. He will never force you into the process. If you decide to let God begin the healing process in your life, I can assure you that whatever pain or discomfort you may have to face in order to be healed will be well worth the effort when you're finally free from the issues that have prevented you from experiencing the peace and joy that God has to offer. And be assured, God does not do anything half way! The bible says you can be confident that God will continue the work He begins in you, developing it, perfecting it and bringing it to full completion, right up until the day of His return.

What areas of your life need to be healed today? What wounds do you have that need bandaged? How many mountains have you been circling time and time again? Isn't it time to move forward? Isn't it time to be healed? I encourage you today to put yourself in the hands of the Great Physician. Only when you fully surrender yourself to Him will He be able to begin His work in you.

The Next Step:

• Read Psalm 147:3, The Amplified Bible
• Read Isaiah 61:1, The Amplified Bible
• Read Luke 4:16-21, New King James Version
• Read Isaiah 53:5, New Living Translation
• Read Philippians 1:6, The Amplified Bible

Going Deeper:

• Beauty for Ashes by Joyce Meyer
• When Life Hurts: Finding Hope and Healing from the Pain You Carry, Jimmy Evans
• When the Hurt Runs Deep, Kay Arthur
• Prayers for Emotional Wholeness by Stormie Omartian
• Boundaries, Henry Cloud and John Townsend

Thank You, Veterans!

Thanks to those who have served our country. We honor your sacrifice. It's because of you that we have the great privilege of enjoying our freedom and prosperity while so many others around the world today are oppressed, destitute, tortured and abused. Words can never express our gratitude. We salute you! 

Secret Gifts

For as long as I can remember I've loved writing.  I think it started in the 1970's with my very special, very top-secret adolescent diary.  I remember taking great pains to hide the key from my brothers. I would find a new hiding place each time, just in case they had surreptitiously discovered my last one.  It wasn't something I wanted to share.  Each night, I wrote about who I loved, who I hated, what I wanted to be when I grew up. It contained my hopes, my dreams, my fantasies, but it also held my fears, my doubts and my insecurities.  These were things I wanted to keep to myself.  They were my secrets.

Over the years my diary was lost, but my secrets have remained with me.  Now I write in journals, but even today, rarely do I share my writing with others.  No one wants to be vulnerable and share their innermost thoughts.  What will people think? Transparency is not something that comes easy.

When God began asking me to share my writing, I doubted that I had anything to say - let alone anything that someone else would want to hear.  It took my daughter starting her own blog to inspire me. I realized I had taught my daughter to confidently follow her dreams. I had taught her that she's gifted by God and that she could use her gifts to make her world a better place.  I had taught her that she has a voice and that she could use that voice to encourage and add value to others.  I had taught her to believe that what she says and does matters.  So why do I have such a hard time believing that about myself?

Many times as Christians we are so busy trying to be humble that we fail to see what we do have to offer. Romans 12:3 (NLT) says that we should be honest in our evaluation of ourselves, measuring our value based on what God has given us.  We should not think we are better than we really are, but neither should we think we are less than we really are.  Throughout the New Testament, Paul plainly tells us that God has given each of us special abilities.  These abilities are for our benefit and for God's glory, but also and possibly most importantly, for the benefit of others.  Our gifts are given to us to help other believers reach a position of strength and maturity. Failing to open up and share our gifts is the exact opposite of what the writer of Hebrews tells us to do.  Chapter 10 verse 24 says that we should watch over one another with continuous care and look for ways that we can stir up and incite one another to love, good deeds and noble activities.  When we are too insecure to operate boldly in our gifts or doubt that we have anything to offer, we are robbing others of the gifts that God intended for their benefit - gifts that can in turn strengthen, encourage and incite them to help others.

Unlike a diary, your gifts were not designed to be kept secret.  I encourage you today to look at the gifts God has given you and carefully consider how you can use them for God's intended purpose.  Your gifts are no more or no less important than the gifts God has given to others, but they are needed by others.  Without you, we are not complete.  Without you, we limp along instead of running the race with joy and endurance as God intended.  Without your gifts to help us reach maturity, we will never be able to realize our full potential and effectively reach others for Christ.

As you begin to exercise your gifts, you may feel vulnerable.  You may have to risk appearing foolish. You may even make some mistakes along the way.  Don't be discouraged if you step out and don't do everything perfectly at first.  Spiritual gifts must be developed.  Just like muscles, the more you use them the stronger they become.  And before long, just like God intended, you'll be strong enough to help lift up others.

The Next Step:

• Read Romans 12:4-8, The Living Bible
• Read Ephesians 4:4-16, The Living Bible
• Read 1 Corinthians 12, New Living Translation
• Read Hebrews 10:24, The Amplified Bible
• Read Romans 12:3, New Living Translation

Going Deeper:

• Discover your spiritual gifts with the Finding Your Spiritual Gifts Questionnaire: The Easy to Use, Self-Guided Questionnaire by C. Peter Wagner. 
• Understand more about spiritual gifts with Kay Arthur's 6-week, no homework bible study Understanding Spiritual Gifts.

One Woman

The vastness of your creation, O God, is more than I can comprehend. 

Who can measure its wonders?

 If I look to the sea, it stretches beyond the horizon. 

If I look to the mountaintops, they are hidden in the clouds. 

Each animal unique in its beauty and splendor. 

The clouds stretch beyond boundaries and the stars too many to number. 

Who am I but one woman among the array of your artistry? 

And yet you number the hairs on my head. 

You count the tears that fall from my eyes. 

Who am I but one woman amidst the backdrop of your rainbow? 

And yet you beckon me to your throne 

to approach You with boldness and confidence. 

Who am I but one woman in the sea of humanity born through the ages? 

And yet You know me. 

And yet You love me. 

And yet…

who am I but one woman? 

And Who are You but God.

If You Don't Like Where You Are...

Are You Ready for Your New Beginning?

If you're reading this page it's likely that you're looking for a new beginning.  Do you ever wonder if there's more to life than what you're currently experiencing?  Does life sometimes seem so hard that you wonder if you'll ever get a break?  Do you feel alone or as if there's something or someone missing from your life?  Have you ever just wanted a new start?

If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, then you've come to the right place.  A new beginning is possible.  Not only can you have a new beginning, but the right choice today can put you on a path to peace, fulfillment, wholeness and healing. You can learn how to live more, love more and laugh more.  No matter how you started in life or where you've ended up, a new life is possible for you today.

The bible tells us that we've all made mistakes.  There's not one perfect person on this planet.  As a matter of fact, it says we are all born into sin.  When God created the first man, Adam, He created him in God's image to live forever.  God gave Adam some very specific instructions about life, but because Adam chose his way over God's way, Adam introduced sin into the world and received the punishment of death and separation from God.  Through Adam, all people inherited sin and death.

Because of God's great love for us, He sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to this world so we could once again have eternal life.  The bible tells us that God demonstrated this love toward us by sending Christ to die in our place, even while we were still sinners.  There's nothing we could ever do to earn this gift.  He gives it to us freely.  His sacrifice is the only way that we can once again be close to God.

The sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross was enough to save us from sin and death, but it was also enough to provide a way out of the messes in which we find ourselves.  Some messes are a result of the way we started out in life or what others have done to us over the years, and some messes we've created ourselves. Either way, the bible tells us Jesus came so we could have and enjoy life and have it in abundance.

The bible says that today God is giving you a choice between life and death, between blessings and curses.  Choosing life is simple.  If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and that God raised Him from the dead, the bible says you can be saved.  When you accept Jesus as Lord, you submit yourself to His will and authority.  You turn from your own ways and put Him in charge of every area of your life.

If you'd like a new beginning and want to choose life today, you can start by praying. Prayer is simply talking to God and listening for His response.  Begin by confessing your sinfulness.  Acknowledge that we all have sinned and need a Savior. Tell Him you believe He died on the cross for your sins and that God raised Him from the dead.  Tell Him you accept His free gift of salvation and that you submit every area of your life to Him.  Declare that from this day forward, you choose life!

If you prayed to receive Christ, you can be certain you are saved. The bible says if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful to forgive us.  You can be assured that you are free from sin and death and that you now have eternal life!

The Next Step:

If you'd like to take the next step, it's a good idea to begin by reading the bible for yourself.  The Holy Bible is the true, unchanging Word of God. It was written by men who were inspired by the Holy Spirit.  It's alive and active and can teach us, correct us and guide us.  Originally written in Hebrew and Greek, over the years the bible has been translated into different languages.  When you choose a bible, it's important to choose one that is proven, trusted and easy to understand.  A few of the modern, trusted translations include the New King James Version (NKJV), New International Version (NIV), Contemporary English Version (CEV) and the New American Standard Bible (NASB).  My favorite versions are The Amplified Bible (AMP) and the New Living Translation (NLT).

You can start by reading the scripture below out of your own bible.  Unless specified, I recommend the reading the New Living Translation (NLT).  You can buy a bible at most any bookstore, or you can access the different versions online at www.biblegateway.com.  Don't feel like you have to read all these scriptures at one time.  Your new life is more like a marathon than a sprint.  Try to begin every day by talking to God and reading your bible.  As you do these things, you'll come to know God in a more real and personal way.  The important thing is that you're moving forward at a steady pace.

• Genesis 1-3
• Romans 3:10
• Romans 3:21-26
• Romans 5:12
• John 3:16
• Romans 6:23
• Romans 5:6-11
• Ephesians 2:8-9, 13
• John 10:10 (AMP)
• Deuteronomy 30:19
• Romans 10:9-10
• 1 John 1:9
• 2 Timothy 3:16-17
• Hebrews 4:12
• Psalm 119:105

After you've finish reading these scriptures, a good place to continue reading your bible is in the Gospel of John.  Some people set a goal to read one chapter a day. Most importantly though, you should read at your own pace and make sure you understand what you're reading.  With bible reading, quality is definitely better than quantity.

Going Deeper:

Now that you've made the decision to become a Christ-follower, it's important that you get connected with a local church.  Pray and ask God to help you find a church that's a good fit for you.  During your first few visits, pay attention to make sure they are teaching out of the Holy Bible.  This is the only true and authentic Word of God. Also, you should hear them openly use the name of Jesus Christ during the worship and teaching times.  The church should feel warm and welcoming.  It should feel like a place you would want to call home.  Look for a church that is focused on helping the believers who attend the church as well as reaching and helping unbelievers in the community.  Be sure to find out the church's mission statement and statement of belief.  Many times you can find this on the church's website.

Once you've found a local church that's right for you, talk to the pastor about water baptism.  This is your opportunity to publicly declare your new faith and is an outward sign that you've fully committed your life to follow Jesus.

If you have questions or would like more information about receiving Christ as your Savior, please visit findingmyhope.org.

The Unknown

The unknown is a scary thing. If you're anything like me, you need to know what's up ahead. Today more than ever, we're prepared for the future. With laptops, mobile devices, GPS, digital calendars, to-do lists and every other kind of productivity tool imaginable, we make it our life's ambition to control our world.  No dropped balls. No surprises.  We are prepared.

But what happens when we're not? What happens when God asks us to venture out into the unknown? I don't know about you, but I've found that God rarely shows me the end of the story before He whispers the beginning. He rarely allows me to see where the path leads before He asks me to take the first step.  In her book Never Give Up! Joyce Meyer says that, "Following God is often like walking in a fog.  We can only see one or two steps in front of us, but as we take those steps the next ones become clear.  With God, we do not always see clearly ahead into the distant future, but if we are willing to trust Him we will have an exciting journey that will make life adventurous and worth living."

By nature, I'm a planner, and I have to be really honest and tell you that stepping out in faith - into that thing I can't see - and trusting God to take care of the details makes me really nervous.  It's like feeling your way around in the dark.  You frantically fumble for the light switch as you fight the urge to panic - because seeing is not an option. For the majority of us, sight is the primary way we sense our world. It's instinctual. Without our sense of sight, our world becomes unbalanced. Everything we knew about how to operate in our world is lost - we are lost.

The bible is full of people who were asked to step out into the unknown. From Abel through the prophets, Hebrews chapter 11 recounts the stories of great men and women of faith - men and women just like you and me who didn't see the end before the beginning.  They were asked to walk by faith not by sight, and their stories were written down so that we could be assured that stepping out into the unknown is possible.  In fact, it's required.  Verse 6 tells us that it is impossible to please God without faith.  God certainly wouldn't require us to do something if it were not possible.

The thing about faith is that it makes us uncomfortable. We want to know the end from the beginning. We want to know that everything is going to turn out alright before we take a chance.  We don't like giving up our map, our deluded sense of control, our sense of certainty.

Over and again the bible tells us that God is trustworthy and faithful in all He does. He cannot do anything else. Faithfulness is who He is.  So why do we have such a hard time trusting Him?

There are many reasons we have difficulty trusting God, but I believe most of them are rooted in pride or fear.  Some of the reasons include:

• not wanting to look foolish
• not wanting to be ridiculed, mocked or rejected by others
• not wanting to make a mistake
• not believing we can hear from God
• not wanting to fail
• not believing that God is who He says He is and that He will do what He says He will do
• not believing that we're equipped with anything of value to offer others
• not being totally surrendered to God

Throughout my life, God has asked me to take many steps of faith - from the very first time He invited me to become a Christ-follower to today when He prompted me to start this blog - and many other steps in between.  The road has not been easy. It's been filled with doubts, tears, heartbreak, anxiety, roadblocks, detours, bumps and bruises.  Even with all my sorrows and heartaches, my story doesn't begin to compare to those in Hebrews chapter 11.  Verses 35-38 tells us that some of the greatest men and women of faith in history were tortured to death, mocked, flogged, chained and imprisoned, stoned, sawn in two and slain with the sword.  They were destitute, oppressed and mistreated.  They were forced to wander over deserts and mountains and hide in dens and caves.  Following God takes courage!  It is not for the faint of heart!

In spite of all their sufferings, these heroes held firm to their faith.  They pressed on to receive an inheritance. They were yearning for a better and more desirable place, refusing to deny their faith so that they might be resurrected to a better life.  Verse 13 tells us they were controlled and sustained by their faith.  They were so certain that God was reliable and trustworthy - so sure that He was true to His word - that they were able to rest in their faith regardless of the outcome.

I can't tell you that everything will be easy when you take steps to follow God, but I can tell you that faith will see you through.  Jack Hayford states, "Faith is not a bridge over troubled waters, but is a pathway through them."  Faith is the pathway to your inheritance.  You can choose to step out into the unknown with God, or you can remain stuck in pride or paralyzed with fear.

Hebrews chapter 12 encourages us to strip off every weight and sin that slows us down and run with patient endurance the race that God has set before us.  We do this by looking away from all that distracts us to Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.  It may not be easy. You may be scared, but God is asking you today to trust Him.  Run the race! Reach for your inheritance! Trust God and step out into the unknown!  He will never disappoint you!

The Next Step:  

• Read Hebrews 11-12, The Amplified Bible
• Read 2 Corinthians 5:6-7, New Living Translation
• Read Psalm 145:13b, New International Version
• Read 2 Timothy 2:13, New Living Translation
• Read Hebrews 12:1-4, New Living Translation
• Read Isaiah 49:23, New International Version

Going Deeper:

• Living Courageously, Joyce Meyer
• Let. It. Go.: How to Stop Running the Show and Start Walking in Faith by Karen Ehman
• Never Give Up! by Joyce Meyer

New Beginnings

This is a new beginning, a step of faith, the first step of a journey that I hope we can take together.  Along the way, we'll find the answers to the questions you've been asking, "Is there more to life than this?" "Will I ever get a break?" "Is there anyone out there who feels like me?"  To all of these questions and more, the answer is a resounding, "Yes!"

Together, we can learn to live more, love more and laugh more. Life doesn't have to be so difficult!  So come with me while we discover how to embrace the joy-filled abundant life that we were created to live.  It's never too late, you're never too old and your situation is never too hopeless.  Your journey can begin today!